The University of Minnesota conducted a survey of over 1,000 folks and this was the answer to where Americans get advice for their gardening problems;

Their neighbor.

That’s right . . . their neighbor.

The survey of 1,000 Minnesota gardeners published in the January–March, 2008 issue of HortTechnology showed that although respondents viewed the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum as more credible than garden centers, 78% of respondents indicated that they were most likely to turn to neighbors and friends for gardening advice.

If you read the entire article you will find that the real motivation for the survey was to find out if gardeners were using university sites, and or arboretums to answer their horticultural questions.

What his also suggest is that the friendly local landscape designer is not the 1st one called and I for one am not shedding a tear over this.

Memories

I remember back earlier in my career when I let homeowner’s drag me all over the yard. Like walking their dog looking for a good place to do some business.

I hated that, I really hated that. The thought of being drug around the yard looking at every teeny-tinsy little problem.

Every little brown spot of lawn.

Every shrub with a broken branch.

Every bare patch of grass.

Ahhhhhhhhh! Enough to drive me crazy.

So if Americans want to ask their neighbor about their bare patches, broken branches, dead geraniums, and wilted tomato’s have at it.

This is all little stuff, end-of-the line stuff, minutiae. We need to start with the big picture and work our way down.

It’s big picture time when I hope those homeowners are calling the professional. This is the time when big mistakes, big dollars and big time can be most influenced.

The report really doesn’t get into what kind of advice is being sought. The depth, or area . . . so I am speculating on they types of questions homeowners are asking homeowners.

Questions, where to?

I can say this-I look at university sites all the time. Especially Ohio State(here web garden, and fact sheet list) and Cornell, (another Cornell page worth a look), tremendous information and it’s all right their for you to absorb. I also refer back a lot to my pics from several trips to Longwood Gardens just outside of Philadelphia, PA.

[ This area of Longwood suggest ideas for the home landscape. ]

If you’re a professional what sites do you use for reference? Are there pics you go back to for information or inspiration?

Finally; if you’ve been in the business for awhile do you still get asked about the brown spot in the grass? or some other crazy such question. You know the ones I’m talking about.

If you’re a homeowner reading this . . . who do you ask for advice? The neighbors? The local garden center? How about the big box employee(just kidding)? My Blog!?! . . . Do you look at university or arboretum websites? Have you found them helpful?

Thanks to LandscapeOnline.com for posting this article. Noticing the accompanying picture . . . I think they could have done a little better than using an image from a commercial for NFL apparel. Just my .02