Sources for Beginners - Page 2
© Deborah Turton
My local club organizes outings to public and private gardens for the members. We've gone several places that the general public can't get into. Some garden clubs arrange bulk buys of garden supplies or plants. Our club has a yearly outing to buy annuals and Christmas Poinsettias. These save the members money while rasing funds for the club. You could save more than the money you spent on your yearly dues.
If you're interested in a specific plant like roses, a garden club specifically designed for roses can really help you. You'll learn about new cultivars, the latest growing techniques and the tried and true methods. To find these clubs, ask other gardeners, check the Internet for local clubs or ask a librarian to help you locate them. Also check the paper for local events. Most larger garden clubs for specific plants sponsor yearly shows with prizes and information.
Your local government agricultural agency can also be helpful. You can ask for organic solutions to a specific problem. A lot of agents don't have the training in Organics and so are minimally helpful. They might have one or two suggestions, but then end with "If that doesn't work, spray a pesticide" . Some agencies I've dealt with are even worse "You can't grow vegetables here without pesticides." You can just ignore the non organic advice. But by asking for organic advice, you're telling the local government that they need to expand their point of view. Local agencies can be a boon if you're not sure of a diagnoses. Some have local clinics, local phone lines or a place to drop off sick plants for a diagnoses. If you can at least find out what's troubling your plants you can go about fixing the problem.
Your neighbors can be helpful in a variety of ways. I'm usually willing to share my plants or advice with anyone. (Actually, I'm always willing to give people advice.) Neighbors can also provide lots of goodies for your garden. Some own horses and have manure they need to dispose of. Some have excess leaves they want to dispose of. Some have tree branches that can be shredded and turned into mulch. You get my drift. One of my neighbors brings his leaves over, because it's easier for him to load up his pickup than it is to shred and stuff special recyclable bags. I'm always willing to make my neighbor's life easier :-) I've had free woodchips delivered by calling a local small tree trimming service. I've found a source of manure talking to a friend. So, get out there and socialize. You can find lots of good help and maybe a few plants for your yard.
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