gardenfish said:Well, SassyBloomer, what you say is true, but please remember, these folks ( the experts) do have degrees and have spent many years in the field studying these very issues.... which is something we can't or don't do. I don't ever try to sayI know more than these "experts".
As it relates to the topic of gardening, one should never, EVER, consider oneself as an "expert." I don't care if that person has a thousand degrees and spent a GAZILLION hours in the field. There is ALWAYS MORE information to learn; the climate is ALWAYS changing; there are ALWAYS new pests that keep popping up and killing plants. There is ALWAYS new information coming about. Ergo, the "expert" as part of their title(s) is arrogant and unnecessary, and, thanks to social media, sounds like a caricature. "Experienced" is more human-friendly, as it implies vast knowledge in their field with room for new information. I trust you can notice the difference.
Ex: In the last ten years, lots of "experts" have told us to garden one way, and woops, now we have an invasive plant problem in the US.
It depends on the topic at hand. Otherwise I don't rely on the advice of "experts" too much, because a) their advice is ill-informed, or b) the "advice" is incentivized (the worst kind) or c) the info will change dramatically 5-10 years from now.
In closing: you throw the word "expert" at me and I'll run the other way. FAR away.
