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Computer Gardening  

Where to Look • Gardening Sites • Magazines Online • Caution

Gigabytes, hard disk, ram, Internet, e-mail and surfing the web are all terms that were unheard of to most of us in the not too recent past, but now they are common lore. Welcome to the world of computers. The computer is the center of our workplace and our home. And if you are a gardener, they can open up worlds of information to you -- if you can find it!

Anyone who has a computer and Internet access will tell you, whatever information you are looking for is out there -- somewhere!! And that somewhere, may take you weeks of searching to locate. What started out as a quick look on the Internet, may find you still looking hours later -- and where did the time go?

Where to Look

Knowing where to look can make your job easier, or at least less frustrating. What we have available today is the tip of the iceberg. Websites are popping up daily, and they are getting more and more high-tech. You can order seeds, catalogs, gardening tools, read a magazine on-line or get your questions answer. You can read the latest from plant societies about your favorite plants, view research and even download Extension publications.

University Extension Services all around the country are trying to put their publications and meeting notifications on-line as quickly as they can. But it will take a while.  There is a lot of information currently on the site, but limited amounts pertaining to horticulture. All of the vegetable fact sheets can be obtained, along with lawn weed control and lawn fact sheets. Eventually, you will be able to ask questions on line and receive an answer back. Plus, all information that we have on horticulture will be there eventually, so you can access it 24 hours a day, not just during normal business hours.

If you can't travel extensively, you can travel to gardens in England, botanical gardens worldwide, and see pictures of the gardens on your computer. If you are planning a trip to one of these sites, getting on line with them can help you plan your itinerary.

While all Internet access accounts have various search engines, it can take you awhile to find information. If you know some addresses, you can access the information much more quickly. Book marking favorite sites makes it even easier. 

Caution:

One caution, when you start asking questions on an open forum, anyone can answer. They may not be right. Not all information on the Internet is necessarily accurate -- with a little knowledge anyone can start a website. So use good judgment.

Gardening via the computer shouldn't replace outside gardening, but it is fun and boy, does the time fly when you get started. What better time of year than the winter months, when outside gardening is limited to start surfing the gardening web. You may find a new hobby, just be careful that it doesn't consume you!

For you one-stop-shop access to gardening information from the experts at the U of A Cooperative Extension Service, don't forget to order your  "Horticulture Highlights" CD^© . 

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