Viewing post #1123256 by JRsbugs

Trish said:We are not prepared to be able to educate and encourage world-wide. That's simply not feasible.

I was under the impression it was the contributors to this site who did the educating and encouraging

It's not about inclusion/exclusion. It is about practicality.

Then why does it feel like exculsion?

One organization simply cannot be familiar with world-wide growing conditions/pests/diseases. Very different from dealing with other world-wide organizations who aren't working to help people grow things

Why? And why is it necessary to be so specific about where a plant is or isn't growing? People can find out what they want by asking on forums, or by simply trying to grow plants. I've tried many plants which survived for so long until the climate didn't agree with me, at least I tried and enjoyed them for so long. I wouldn't have known what is possible if I hadn't tried, I doubt many people dive head first into growing a tropical plant in say Alaska.

That said, our community is certainly worldwide- it always has been, and there's no reason why it won't continue to be so.

If it doesn't feel worldwide, and as you state it is to encourage gardening in the US (which is a different mission to the original and only part of it), then I'm afraid you just might miss out on the richness of the rest of the world. If you have 3 times as many people coming here, I assume there will be plenty of people who are able to ID plants, bugs and insects.