experts?
willbara
Posts: 50
are television experts really xperts?
are we, in this media ruled world in danger of losing for ever those little tips that have passed down for many years and so many generations.the old boy on his allotment with a wealth of knowledge is being ignored because "its not what Monty Don says you should do"
i myself as a seven year old in 1940 learnt so much from a german p.o.w. who worked on the strawberry farm next to the allotment site. things that have stayed with me all my life and have proved to be the best way of going about growing certain things.
i see these experts, on garden programmes, continualy state "this is the way you do it"not "this is the way i do it but there are other ways of doing it"
i can recall the well known writer Arthur Hellyer who lived near the allotment site often coming onto the site giving and taking advice,how many bits of advice from plotholders found its way into his books.
Posts
I think the people on GW are predominantly knowledgeable but some of them do come across with the attitude of "This is the way I do it, and that's the only way to do it". I prefer the people on the Beechgrove Garden, died in the wool gardeners who are happy to admit they are still learning.
the telly expert syndrome is part of the current celebrity culture. People love it (or so I conclude) it saves doing your own thinking, reading or communicating with real people.
signed
A Cynic.
I haven't watch telly for a great many years so lost track of who's who now. Fortunately
In the sticks near Peterborough
Basically the only programmes I watch are GW and Beechgrove however they speak from their experiences and not yours. Take what they say as a guide not as a rule.
agree with you
as you say the people on beechgrove garden are a different breed and so because they are, as you say "died in the wool gardeners" we get a far better programme.and whats more a far more knowledgeble programme.
The other thing is that the old boy down the allotments is inevitably going to know more about the climate and soil in that location than even the really knowledgeable TV people. Monty Don I'm sure knows a lot about gardening on clay in that part of England, but a lot less about what it's like in my garden. I think you're right though - people seem to think that what the TV person says must be gospel. I guess it would take too long to caveat it all the time To be fair to Monty (before Hosta gets here and puts the opposite side of that point) he does talk often about the need for people to garden according to their own situation and not to just follow slavishly. But I still can go to local GC on a Saturday and find them sold out of whatever was being planted on GW the night before.
Of the experts I do like Carol Klein, although her over-exuberance can get a bit wearing at times. Chris Beardshaw, with his laid back but informative approach is great too. Monty I can take or leave, but have nothing against him. All the regular Beechgrove team.
I'm happy with experts giving us facts, but when they give opinions and preferences, dressed up as facts. I don't agree.
" the only way to get rid of ground elder is to dig out every piece of root"
Nope, weedkiller works too.
" Plant in peat free compost"
peat based compost works at least as well.
As for stuff like:
" I love green . It helps centre you in the world and find your place in the universe"
Affected , pretentious nonsense.
We don't always agree, but you're spot on with that
I do believe in common sense. Many gardeners of my youth were piling on the chemicals and choosing fruit and veg for quantity over quality. Some old gardeners' tips are fairy dust and moonshine. You learn as you go, listen to advice but apply what suits you and your garden. Some experts bring knowledge, experience and fresh ideas. They are the ones to follow. And, I must admit, I should be quite grateful to anyone who could help me find my place in the universe, or anywhere else, come to that.
Maybe someone should start a thread where everyone can share the tidbits that have been shared with them or passed down from elders
I consider myself "young" at 33 but even I thing the whole social media/"celebrity expert thing has got out of control over the passed couple of years.
Funnily enough I picked up a book by Katie Rushworth (of Love your Garden) earlier on today in the shop at Wisely and was abkut tk buy it when you lot spring to mind
, i'd rather just ask a question on here and get a wealth of knowledge amd opinions from all different people.
I love watching the shows and learning but I agree they cabt all be exlerts in every singke aspect of gardening.