"clevermonkey" wrote in message
ups.com...
My two uncles and I are having a gardening contest and they are saying
they can beat me just because they are older than me and have more
experience (I'm very young). Even though that may be true, I think I
can win because I have the help of the Internet on my side. They garden
with advice only from old books and magazines. I already have a bit of
a head start because I've started some seeds indoors already. Plus,
even with school, I have more time on my hands than they do, so I can
garden more often (besides, I have summer vacation whereas they still
have to work in the summer). Our competition is mostly for our
vegetable gardens, so any tips, tricks, and advice you can give me is
really appreciated.

Your uncle/s will be formidable opponents b/c they have more experience than
you. Chances are they will be better at recognizing plant diseases in their
early stages and know what to do to prevent crop loss. Chances are they
have learned when and how much to water. They probably know which plant
varieties do best given their local soil and climate conditions. Their soil
is probably in better condition than yours b/c they/ve been building it up
for many years.

The I-Net has a lot of good information, but it has a lot of contradictory
information, as well. How will you know what advice to follow?

Timing is often critical when it comes to gardening success, which is where
experience will almost always carry the day. You have a great opportunity
before you to learn from your uncles. Instead of competition, why not try
cooperation? Let them teach you what they have learned and then build on
that experience.