All good questions. But why do you need a "trick question"? If you
understand the issues and have a legitimate question you should be
able to discern if you are being bullshitted.

Study your subject, ask sensible questions, use your head and forget
about tricks.

So, what you are saying is that I should only ask questions when I
already know the answer?



No, by all means ask any questions you like ...

Why do ducks have flat feet?
Why do elephants have flat feet?

You can always evaluate the person by watching his nose.

If it starts getting longer and sprouting twigs, he is:

A) really a wooden boy
or
B) a really really really good gardener.

LOL!

Hows about doing some research and finding out on your own. Oh, that may be
beyond your scope.

On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 17:46:56 GMT, "Phrederik" opined:

Can anyone suggest some simple questions to ask at a garden center to really
see if the person you are talking to knows what they are doing?

I'm tired of asking questions and getting the answer that helps make the
biggest sale.

I also don't want to nag all of you with all of my questions, especially
when the answers would be more relevant for my yard when asked locally.

Thanks!

Oh, I got one. Ask where the shitter is.


On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 17:46:56 GMT, "Phrederik" opined:

Can anyone suggest some simple questions to ask at a garden center to really
see if the person you are talking to knows what they are doing?

I'm tired of asking questions and getting the answer that helps make the
biggest sale.

I also don't want to nag all of you with all of my questions, especially
when the answers would be more relevant for my yard when asked locally.

Thanks!

"animaux" wrote in message
...
Hows about doing some research and finding out on your own. Oh, that may
be
beyond your scope.

Hrm... Going to someplace where they actually deal with the subject and
asking questions... Definately sounds like research to me.

.... I'm not into locking myself in the closet and yanking my pecker like
you, sorry.

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 03:54:30 GMT, "Phrederik" opined:


"animaux" wrote in message
.. .
Hows about doing some research and finding out on your own. Oh, that may
be
beyond your scope.

Hrm... Going to someplace where they actually deal with the subject and
asking questions... Definately sounds like research to me.

... I'm not into locking myself in the closet and yanking my pecker like
you, sorry.


My pecker!

John Bachman wrote:

All good questions. But why do you need a "trick question"?

The questions I posted were from common garden myths perpetrated in the
industry according to extension agents. The various extension agents
try to curb these myths, but some garden center clerks never attend the
extension programs nor do they read the plethera of good literature
available. You can only find out if your garden center is perpetrating
myths if you ask them the "trick questions" which in reality are the
most frequent misconceptions in the industry.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

In article ,
Salty Thumb wrote:

Note to people who work at garden centers: Be on the look out for quasi-
geeky, smelly, sweaty guys with hankerchiefs asking for marigolds ...
$$$$$!

Heh.

I think the premise is wrong. If you go out trying to "trick" people,
you will likely not do well even if they *are* knowledgeable. They may
not be as helpful as they could be if they think you are deceitful. I
know that I react badly to people who try to bullshit me or play those
kinds of games.

I tend to rely heavily on advice from friends who do well. You like
your neighbor's garden? Ask him or her who he or she deals with. Often
they will give you a particular name at a particular place, and you can
use their name to help establish a relationship.

The best way to find out in conversation if someone is knowledgeable is
to be knowledgeable yourself. It doesn't take tricks. If you don't
know much, then start by taking some classes. Many garden centers
offer beginners classes, and many community and technical colleges
offer more formal training or "adult education" classes. Once you have
a basic core knowledge base under your belt, people who are total
poseurs become obvious without the need for trick questions.

In my experience, which is admittedly limited in gardening, the
enjoyment in hobby gardening is as much in the *process* as it is in
the final product. If you simply want a specific look to your yard,
hire it done. Most people I know who garden do it because they enjoy
the process of learning and working with plants. That means that, for
a beginner, there is no particular hurry or rush -- there is plenty of
time to take a class and get that core knowledge base yourself.
Once that is done, weeding out the truly ignorant isn't that
hard.


billo