To Google or not to google!

people often seem confused and frustrated about the information available on Google....other search engines are available . Me too when I want to know something

Online information about growing plants, expected sizes of plants, their needs, etc., etc., is variable and sometimes completely at odds with itself. One site will advise one way and another will suggest another.....even the experts differ thus cancelling one another out. No wonder then the need for forums like this; where we are asked how we do it; we usually reply with our personal experiences. They vary as well but I think are more helpful because we know they work, at least for us
When I want info about a plant I google several sites and attempt to glean an "average" view; the growers' experiences, rather than suppliers' info, and advice taken more seriously. I often email or phone the relevant online nurseryman before I purchase a plant new to me; a discussion usually results in even more valuable advice. I often chat with local nursery owners too where we share our views....sometimes I learn something, sometimes they do

Even the tv gardeners offer conflicting advice. How often do we mutter in disagreement when we see something done? We have to use our judgement and, perhaps, our common sense when deciding who is right, for us

I learned so much when I first took to horticulture esp about veg growing from talking to allotmenteers, ordinary down to earth experienced folk who knew their stuff. The best tomatoes I saw were grown by an old fellow in a rickety concocted sort of greenhouse....hardly any foliage, masses of fruit. He tried, and succeeded too for a while, to convince (naive) me that vinegar and lemon juice added to the soil would make for sweeter tomatoes. :rasp: My old mum grew better and more plentiful gooseberries than I ever do despite my "correct" pruning techniques and methods . She hadnt heard of Google and would have raised a dismissive hand gesture

For me, this is where the forum is so great.....I read everyone's opinion and advice and often pick up a tip or two that way. Our personal opinions reflect a joy of growing something whereas Google is not like that and for that reason misses the mark.
Not casting nasturtiums here folks but personal experiences win!

Google or not everyone?

 

I like personal experience, but have used google, you can get two sides to a story which i will try and then see which suits our garden, some times the wrong way of doing things works, i've had some people look at me a say your crazy for doing things, just this morning someone asked "why were you doing that"

 

As most people on here I do Google info on plants , and as expected sometimes the answers are contradictory. I do rate answers on here above Googles answers , as they are from real people with actual experience. Then again even on here you can get the famous three answers - Yes - No - Maybe

 

I google and you tube a lot - and I seem to do it in a flighty way. I recently regretted taking and applying advice about a homemade insecticidal soap. I now have several dead plants... So much for these cheap "natural" solutions. Going back to neem oil...

I do like seeing some of the ideas put forward about building things - some really great new thinking.

 

I dont really trust anything that I read online, unless its from someone that I am 110% certain has the practical experience to be able to answer my question. Without knowing someone personally, thats not always an easy thing to know. Far too many people have written in a convincing way about things of which they have no knowledge whatsoever.

 

Ever looked at google images for plants?
Usually a right mishmash of different varieties, sometimes totally different plants to the one you're looking for.

 

Never confused or frustrated with Google. I like to google when I have a wonderment of anything. do I take it for fact, I use common sense. and I look at a variety of links on the same issue to come to the best conclusion on a subject. Its all about asking the right questions. Socrates once said, when we die we pass over the sea of forgetfulness, its all about someone who asks the right question for us to remember the answer. google is a housing of all the encycylopedias we had all dusty on the shelf, it is also the current up to date information. We just need to use common sense with any information, not taking everything as God.

 

I google, but take it with a huge pinch of salt - and then usually come on here and ask daft questions, as I don't really know any gardeners to ask in real life!

I do like youtube for "how to" videos though, for the garden and other activities. I recently had to do an operation on a dog that I'd not done before; the textbooks were vague at best but youtube had a couple of very good videos from other vets doing similar surgeries!

 

yes, You tube is great for how to. it something I use for my staff often. so we don't have to ESP a process.

 

The YouTube how to videos are a godsend. Lots of good gardening methods . The car maintenace bulb change vids are worth their weight in gold ! I had a Ford Focus , the main beam bulb went. Looking at the light unit, I thought the only way to change this is take the engine out ! Quick Youtube showed how to remove one screw flick off a catch and the light unit tilts forward, takes 3 minutes

 

Found YouTube useful for things exactly like that too Harry

 

can even find You tube on Yoga.