RE: Most Frequent Questions

**M* L* <m*@earthlink.net>**

I see "gardeners" as a dying breed, so I try to encourage people to try
planting and growing things. Many are put off by complexities of
gardening, so don't even try. "Gardeners," in their view, are those who
have degrees in the subject, know everything about plants, and understand
all of the botanical names. If people are experienced gardeners, they're
not reading garden columns unless they're columns about "how it feels to
walk into my garden when the dew is dripping," and similar personal
experiences. My feeling is that calling inexperienced gardeners
"yardeners" is insulting.
 My impression from all these questions is to note not only the
incredible ignorance Americans have about plants, but how much
misinformation must be undone to get them on the right track. For
instance, believe it or not, I am guessing that 25% to 30% of the people
buying plants in this country are not aware, or at least don't properly
appreciate, that some plants prefer full sun and others prefer some
amount of shade; how basic can one get? On the undo side, I would guess
that at least the same percentage of people who own plants will
automatically fertilize a plant whenever it has any kind of a noticeable
problem. I don't know if that is the Jewish mother syndrome, Miracle
Grow influence or what, but it is a major knee jerk reaction across the
country.
The problem I see for experienced garden writers with columns or magazine
article gigs with limited space, is that your audience is usually the
serious gardener who does know all those basic facts. If you get too
basic, you lose your primary audience. When giving speeches or working
radio shows I feel you can get a little more basic as long as you give the
experienced gardeners their share of attention. I write for the yardener,
assuming he or she does not know what roots do.
Jeff Ball.

Margaret L

Gardening in Intermountain West and Handicapped gardening

http://www.margaretlauterbach.com 

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