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Re: to new plant introducers

Title: Re: [GWL] to new plant introducers
I agree - serious pre-testing is an excellent approach.  
   In some ways, the problem of poorly tested varieties is even worse for people like me, who write about fruit, because new varieties come along a lot less frequently than other sorts of plants, and nurseries want to jump on the bandwagon with something "new".   It's so bad that I know places that offer something just because it's new, without any idea of how it performs.  Lots of customers get stuck, and after the market is destroyed, they quit.  Then, when something in the same line comes along that really IS good, it won't sell because most potential customers have been burned and won't touch the plant.  A very good case of this is the edible Honeysuckle, which has been touted by several nurseries, and many inferior types have been sold so that few people will try them now.  Ironically, I know of work being done to breed new ones that will be WORTH the advertisement, but they may never make it because of the pre-set bad reputation.
-Lon Rombough

I've seen several queries come thorugh here recently asking for the newest ... whatever. I know that's the bread and butter for spring issues of garden magazines and boiler plate newspaper pieces. And I admit that when I was a younger gardener I had to try everyting new and exciting that was introduced. I enthusiastically tried everything, and most of them I no longer grow. And in fact, a large number of these great, exciting varieties disappeared from the market within a very few seasons.

With a few decades of gardening and dissapointments under my belt, I no longer tout anything I haven't grown for at least a season. And -- this is just my opinion -- I don't think anyone who considers himself a garden writer should either. Otherwise you're just a reporter, not an inconsiderable accomplishment, but not a garden writer.
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