What is your best source for gardening advice?

Dave's Garden serves most of my gardening questions!

Well, DG is great, I admit, but MY *best* source(s) for having information right at my fingertips, is a combination of Books, Internet, and DG.

DG is still a 'work in progress', and doesn't always have complete information that pertains to me and my needs, but combined information obtained from all 3 sources is usually complete.

On the other hand....if I specifically *post* a question, it's usually answered pretty thoroughly here on DG...depends on the forum, though, as some are slower than others.

So...I chose 'none of the above', in this case.(Ü)

Once I found DG I gave up on books -- they're usually outdated; DG is always current and up-to-the-minute. Oh, need I mention all the wonderful gardening vendors I've discovered through DG (most of them word-of-mouth via the forums)!?! And then, there's the Garden Watchdog! I'm now able to order top-notch nursery stock and gardening supplies thanks to DG! Books and magazines can't hold a candle... (IMHO). (BTW, I know of a seemingly excellent gardening magazine that promotes inferior mail order nurseries.)

DG

Oh, the plants themselves are the main teachers, but DG runs a close second these days.

Dparsons, you make me grin, and Dahlianut, you do too.

*grinning*

I chose DG! There is so much info here, that between the communities and the plant files, I usually find what I'm looking for. I really enjoy looking at pictures that other members post of their gardens, and it gives me ideas for my own container garden. Before DG, my favorite resource was my Sunset Western Garden Book, but the edition I have is about 10 years old now, and so of course, it doesn't have the newest cultivars.

And Dahlianut, you're too funny! But I do love your enthusiasm! I'm with you all the way! ☺

Since joining this wonderful community last year I have grown to love it more and more. In fact the only thing I love more is gardening, oops, sorry I meant to say wife! Everyone is so friendly and willing to share their knowledge.

I chose other - I prefer researching a variety of sources to make an informed decision. I also like more extensive information which is why I research.
I have been growing plants for 35 years, so much of what I know preceded the internet. I do appreciate the rapid availability of info, whether it is from DG or another site.

Glad to give you a smile Kyla. :)

If I'm in a hurry and want to know about a certain plant or even a nursery, I just Google the name and add "+ Dave's"....brings the link right up.

rosethyme that is a great idea that i never thought of.

I do that sometimes too rosethyme. I've not found things I know are there with Dave's search capabilities, so I googled them with a "Dave's" added.

If your not used to living in this country, then DG is the place to get all the local info and help from other members of the local forum, the Central Florida chit chat has the most amazing members. All of whom are extremely knowledgable and helpful.

I've got so many gardening books, but when it comes to questions about certain plants I can depend on DG members to help me out. Since I became a subscriber a little over a year ago I've learned so much about just everything. And, I might add, such wonderful helpful members they are.

Dahlianut - "We're #1 YAY, We're #1 YAY!!!" I'm with U, girl!!! :-)

Rosethyme!! what a wonderful idea! When I've googled something floral or
plant-ish, I usually end up with a Dave's site, anyway, but it's good to know I can google PROPERLY with Dave's in the question lol

-Susan-

Too many publications to name! I read something everyday about gardening and I normally file what I actually use.

Really that is an unfair question and there should have been one more choice. All of the above, I use every source available to me and rely heavly on books and magazines. Dave's is the best source around as far as looking up stuff quick and having the rapour between other people but I love to have my books to look at and thumb through.. Seed catalogs are books to and I include them in my resources. I love Texas Gardening Magazine and so many of the others, my county extension agents can't be beat for all the stuff in our area, and the experience of my friends and family go a long way as well so as you see we should have had another choice.

But Dave's still rocks..................lol

I certainly use all the sources you listed. But my first stop when I have problems with ID , disease, insects and the like is DG. If I don't get a ready answer from any of the half million here, there's always someone happy to direct me to a correct answer. Best investment I've ever made in my garden was the member fee here.

When I have a question, the very first place I go is to DG; and if I can't find the answer on DG itself, I can usually find a link to a site that will provide the answer....so.....DAVE'S IS NUMBER ONE!!!!! Yeah, yeah, I use Google too, but my first choice is Dave's. THANKS, Dave!! And Thanks to all the great people who help make DG what it is!

We're Number One Ya! Just thought I'd say that again in case the overload of votes for DG blew up the the pole. It could happen! I'm very familar with blowing up alot of things sigh.

You were right before, and you're right now, Dahlianut!
We're #1 Yay!!
Dahlianut - you sure know how to call 'em!! :-)

So you use explosives at voting locations dahlianut?

Not yet (LOL) Dave but sometimes my experiments go awry and things blow up.

o my - you're an explosive lady, Les!!

btw - the dahlias you gave me are starting to bloom :-) Pretty yellow is the first one, and I see other yellow ones coming. The red & white one will come next I hope.
Yellow is such a cheery colour & red/white is sooooooo pretty & vibrant. Thank you, thank you!!

-Susan-

Dave's Garden is the best source. Living in the desert of the southwest where even a small mountain can make a difference in your very tight local and growing conditions, having access to local DGer's expertise is a huge plus.

AND another plus is "Other Members in your area" telling us where fellow DGer's are living... same microclimate, etc? We can use them as a resource to educate us on common garden experiences.

Dave's is # one but it needs more international membership to make this a truly global site. Many of the things we like to grow in our gardens are not native to the US, there is I'm sure a wealth of untapped knowledge out there that can only serve to make this site even better!

dahlianut i have gone as long as i can. what do you blow up and when do you do it? one never knows when one might need a resource person. are you a pyrotechnic?

LOL mamajack I sometimes accidently blow up things because something seems like a good idea at the time..... I dropped a coffee bean in the gas jet thingy in the stove and left it there cuz I thought it would melt. It didn't (oops) ...... I thought that combining CLR and bleach would eat the lime scale better but it just made toxic fumes (oops)..... I thought that running the shower to make steam would increase the humidity throughout the house but it just made it rain in the hall (oops). I guess these aren't 'explosions' per se but they do make my DH explosive.

CLR and BLEACH?!!!! Gad, woman, you got a death wish?!!! EEEEK, don't DO that, we want to keep you around! :-)

Acids and bases, dahlianut, are not to be mixed. The stronger the worser. They react quickly (explosive) and produce chemicals that may be toxic. Buffers (weakly acidic or basic) are OK. Lime makes a fine basic buffer, and some acids will disolve it which is what CLR does. CLR is a mixture of several acids and some other stuff.

Of course, if you want to create a toxic explosion ... ;)

well then turns out that dparsons is my resource person. lol.

Yupper mamajack you should never, ever listen to me when I'm in rocket scientist mode. Many an experiment has met with disaster sigh.

Pound for pound I believe Dave's is the best thing going. No need for $70 per hour plant doctors, its all right here. Folks just waiting to help, no pop-ups, no BS, just straight answers. I also really appreciate the fact that its one small fee per year and nothing more. No additional costs for upgrades or any of that. What an awesome place- I truly feel like I'm amonst many helpful people whenever I'm here. Thank you THANK YOU!!