Problems With 'Beginners'

Reply to comment:

'You mention something about roots needing air in this post. Could you put something about this in the beginners area
By Claire on Summer Waterlogging on 14/09/10'

Yes. You are quite right, Claire. There is nothing about roots needing air in the 'Beginners'' section. My mistake. Sorry. I shall rectify this as soon as possible.

But there is a problem: The structure of the blog is confusing. Can I explain?

When I first started, I intended to teach people enough to avoid those pitfalls which result in almost instant destruction of their plants (namely bad watering and feeding techniques).

The 'Beginners' link was intended to lead new visitors to a SAMPLE of those posts on watering and feeding which I considered necessary. I thought that reading these might also give them some idea as to whether or not to explore further posts.

However, on reflection, I can see this is misleading, since many visitors suppose that the posts with the 'Beginners' tags are all they need read to grow plants successfully. This is not the case. It would be much better to begin reading the archives of the blog from the beginning. This might present a more complete picture. (see March posts)

FURTHER COMPLICATIONS
I must admit that I don't like classifying readers (especially growers) by referring to them as a different group such as a beginner. I realise this might sound odd. But I have my reasons. Consider the following:

• What are the boundaries? I still think of myself as a beginner in many ways. The challenge of growing is to recognise and solve new problems and situations which occur on an almost daily basis. Plants have a way of humbling us all, especially when we start to think we know anything at all about how they grow.
  

• Categorization (through the amount of teaching received) is an anathema to the learning process. In my opinion, and as already mentioned elsewhere, growing is more of an art than a science (despite what we may have been led to believe). It cannot really be taught. Yes, we can be programmed with various aspects of it. But the real essence of a good grower - the type who might be said to possess 'green fingers' - is an indefinable (and somewhat mysterious) quality. I believe that we can all achieve this. But not through reading books or blog posts (I'm still trying to work out how to do it - any ideas?).

• In my lifetime, I have known some of the top growers in the country, most of whom are now deceased. None of them had received much formal education (indeed, I am fairly certain that at least one grower I knew never ever picked up a book - not even a magazine - nor did they watch gardening programmes). They had taught themselves through observation and experimentation.

• Growing needs a completely open child-like mind with a curiosity willing to question everything from first principles in an unbiased way. Any form of teaching or training, whilst producing people who can to some extent grow, seems to produce those who do so as automatons, accepting everything without question.

I could go on and on (you will have to forgive me for this).

Having just read through what I have just written, I am left asking myself where I fit in (probably nowhere). Nevertheless, I cannot say I disagree with any of it - not at this stage, at least.

However, neither can I say that an accumulation of knowledge of any kind is ever wasteful. I suppose the answer is to put it in the background. Put yourself in the position of the plant. Believe that you are this plant. Then, what's that they say: 'Do unto others . . ..'

Best wishes,

Jimini

P.S. Typical of me. After just convincing myself that I am completely unnecessary, what do you think about a separate growing course especially for beginners? After all, I'll have to do something.