what is your go to source for info?

what is your go to source for info? (post #11776)

Conon1 on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 04:00

References and Resources

When you are wanting specific information on a tree, shrub, fruit, flower, or vegetable, what is your go to source for information? This might include info about diseases, propagation, pruning, etc.

Besides the Fine Gardening website, my favorite go to source is the Missouri botanical Gardens website ( Mobot.org ) It is, I believe, the largest plant database in the world. You can search by botanical name or common name.

What is your top site? I know this is sometimes dependant on where you live, zone wise.

I know you can Google search for something and get thousands of hits, but sometimes the real info that your looking for from the experts is hidden. Knowing how to get to these sites is the key.

Conon, 6b

Edited 7/21/2009 12:38 am by Conon1

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by 1946 in reply to Conon1 [original] on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 14:18

Books, specifically the American Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. It weighs about 10 pounds and has a wealth of information in it.

Sources of information (post #11776, reply #7 of 7)

by MalahatMama in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 07:50

I still love my books ... all three bookcases full. I focus on resources that provide me with local information. Although I'm a growing fan of online resources - I still tend to stick to sites that are based out of a post-secondary or horticultural institution in the Pacific Northwest.

While I love to see what will grow in other parts of the world - it's my backyard that's most important for me to understand and nuture.

PS - I have "Botanica: The Illustrated A-Z of over 10,000 garden plants and how to cultivate them", then I go to "Growing Vegetables-West of the Cascades", Steve Solomon

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by Catskill Deb in reply to Conon1 [original] on Tue, 07/21/2009 - 23:31

I love the Mobot site also. I generally google to find something, but look thru the top hits. If Mobot is there, I choose that site first. I find the Dave's Garden site to be a worthwhile spot to find pictures, but otherwise not usually that informative.

One feature of google that I love is its ability to help me figure out the word I want. Sometimes my guess on spelling is way off, and it often can still figure it out and politely asks "did you mean...?"

Edited 7/21/2009 7:33 pm ET by Catskill Deb

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by bkacker in reply to Conon1 [original] on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 02:03

That's a good question. I've gone to the Missouri Botanical Garden website but it's not usually my first option. Perhaps I should try it more. Since I live in zone 10 I sometimes feel like the red-headed step -child b/c the average gardening site doesn't include my zone or refers to the plants that I can grow here as house plants or patio plants. That doesn't help me when I want to know about pruning or the best time to plant.

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by Conon1 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 03:34

Wow, Zone 10. Where do you live?? You would have issues with growing a lot of plants. I couldn't imagine living in a tropical climate with no seasons. I love the seasons, especially spring and fall. I guess you would have advantages though... not having to bring your plants inside in the fall to over winter them would be a plus and having the great fruits and tropicals right outside your back door, or front door would be great.

Conon, 6b

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by bkacker in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 18:30

I live in S. Florida. As with anywhere you live there are benefits and downsides. Right now a downside is the incredible heat and humidity. The plants have to be able to tolerate the heat and so do the gardeners.

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by Abbie in reply to Conon1 [original] on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 19:38

I also go to DavesGarden for information on hardiness and requirements, particularly since you get the opinions of successes and failures of others who have tried the same thing.

Otherwise, I just Google for the plant then try out several sites.

Northern Virginia, Zone 7A.

what is your go to source for info?