[net.garden] Fear and Death in the garden

ronl@tekgds.UUCP (Ron E. Lunde) (09/19/83)

Well, I'll try this again, since it didn't work the first time...

I just did a brief survey of what was in net.garden, and came up with the
following results:

   38 articles on killing or driving away various mammals(moles/gophers/cats...)
   35 articles on killing or driving away insects,snails,slugs
   16 articles on soil care, mulching, or irrigation
   12 articles on growing/starting outdoor plant varieties
    9 articles on apartment gardening
    5 articles on landscaping, lawn care, and tree care
    4 articles on gardening techniques
    3 articles on gardening tools
    3 articles on canning or recipes
    2 articles on chemical hazards
    2 articles on corn smut
    1 article on gardening magazines
    1 article on mail order plants
    1 article on bonsai
    1 article on orchids


I thought it was interesting that such a high percentage of the articles dealt
with inducing fear and death.  Perhaps gardening is more of a battle than I
realized!

Some articles I would like to see posted to this newsgroup are:
  a)  What are peoples' favorite houseplants?  Has anyone ever tried growing
      fruits or vegetables indoors?
  b)  What experiences have people had gardening under artificial light?
      Anyone out there tried hydroponics?
  c)  What are the best seed catalogs to send away for?  
  d)  Anyone grow any unusual plants? (outdoors or in)
  e)  What techniques do people use for low-maintenance gardening?
  f)  Anyone doing their own hybridizing?


					Ron Lunde
					...!tektronix!tekgds!ronl

davidl@tekid.UUCP (David Levadie) (09/20/83)

OK! OK! I saw your article! I even saved it 'cause it reminds me
of a similar study I once saw done on the Reader's Digest
(Death & Sickness were at the top).  I'm so @#$%^&*() busy it
is ALL I (we) can manage to get a garden in and attempt to
enjoy it.  About all that happens after it gets planted is
defensive measures against the MYRIAD of plagues and marauders
which manifest themselves during the summer.  Back in the good
old days, before I went to WORK for the CAPITALIST MEGAMACHINE,
I used to experiment with all kinds of Neat Stuff.  It's been
so long I can't even remember them days too good.  I do remember
plowing up a couple of driveways to plant a garden, and having
my black bamboo die when I tried to dig it up and take it
with me after the realtors threw me out of my rental. (Whimper,
snivel.)

Yeah - I've degenerated to combatting slugs, potato beetles,
and the city mowing crew - Dig it.