Educate your garden center!

18 years ago

This weekend, I made the rounds of my local garden centers to pick up some organic fertilizers and soil amendments (I held back on plants save for some snapdragons and herbs--I forgot to start snap seeds and can't resist neglected and needy herbs.). I also just like to go to see what's new, unique, and needs a home in my garden.

I wish the wisdom in this forum could be disseminated to all our local garden centers. Some had plants that should not be planted for 2 more months, some had no knowledge of companion planting, but worst of all, most had no idea about organic solutions.

I overheard one conversation where a customer came in convinced that he had to rid his garden of vetch or clover. He just knew that the weeds had started early this year and was after the most potent weed killer on the market. Instead of a directing conversation toward cover crops and generating nitrogen, the attendant just gave directions to the area hardware stores for the powerful stuff.

I just hate to think that the toad, the bees, the birds, or the sprouts I saw today in my own garden might someday suffer from lack of knowledge. I urge all of you to educate yourself and others (especially the experts) on ways to garden responsibly.

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Comments (4)

sagenscotties
18 years ago
And to think how much I love the site of purple vetch & fresh green clover in the spring! Not to mention how lovely it looks with bulbs popping up throughout...
Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
18 years ago
I'm not an organic gardener and will use what is necessary to have a decent garden/lawn. But what I deem decent and others deem decent seem to be two different things. I certainly don't want a lawn full of Henbit, Chickweed and Dandelions (even though I've got more then my share) and I think clover is lovely (the bees seem to like it too). I don't remember this obsessive need to have immaculate green yards back in my youth. Dad mowed on the week-ends and we kids were sent around to pull up Dandelions if they got too thick. Now they've got lawn companies spraying God knows what in 30 MPH winds on my neighbors lawns (and part of mine with the wind). I'm still out there with my Dandilion picker. Different Strokes I guess.
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renee3_kids
18 years ago
Ummmmm, what???
kirts
18 years ago
I have 3-100x50 lots I take care of..... with has built in swamps in the wet season. I have everything no one wants in the yard.. LOL

Oh sure, sometimes I dream of a lush perfect green grass without a weed in sight, then I wake up.

The lot on the other side of us, is empty, it is not mowed, as with the city block in front of us, it looks like a mini forest over there, with lots of ground covers..
So even if my dream of green grass did come true, it would end before summer, as all the seeds would be over in my Grass, giving me more weeds..

So I say why fight nature?