Ian Keeling wrote:

Well, yes, even with distinction in that exam I still consider myself
something of a novice - it's only the first step. (Best tip: Get hold of
as many past papers as you can)

What the course of study really did for me was to open up whole new
areas of ignorance! After studying for the exam I began to get an
inkling of how much there is to know about plants and their culture.

No, I'm not 8 years old (40 something). I don't have vast practical
experience, but I have had a "growing" interest in plants and gardening
over the last 10 years - it's beginning to get a bit serious.

I am certainly a novice compared to many of the regular posters in this
group.


Gasp! What does that mean for those of us who have only started their
garden in the last two years, have already chalked up several
disasters, have burned plants by mulching with non-well rotten farmyard
manure, have nurtured glorious weeds - even admired by many resident
experts - and wallow in the glory of having no qualification
whatsoever?
What's the grade twenty degrees before novice?

Cat(h) (You, sir, cannot expect to usurp the N word in total impunity)
Herds twirl slow...


So, you were a complete novice - you made a few mistakes - you're less
of a novice now!!! It's the best way to learn really, isn't it? By
experimentation/observation? I still expect to make loads of mistakes -
it's even part of the fun of gardening, as long as they're not too
expensive!

Fun is the main word.
And to be fair, I have avoided a few expensive mistakes by asking a few
questions on here and in a few other places first.
Picking the brains of the non-novices is the way for the true novice to
become a little less so... or something...

Cat(h)
Herds twirl slow...

Ian Keeling wrote:
Well, yes, even with distinction in that exam I still consider myself
something of a novice - it's only the first step.

Distinction!! Oh you lucky ... well done!

(Best tip: Get hold of
as many past papers as you can)

I've bought those of last years and been given a few past years.
They've got this thing with 'spring bedding' and 'greenhouses
ventilation' I noticed. My worry is long answers. I always forget to
write the obvious.

What the course of study really did for me was to open up whole new
areas of ignorance! After studying for the exam I began to get an
inkling of how much there is to know about plants and their culture.

I can't think of anyone I've met, even past the age of 89 years of age
who actually knows everything. Adding to this the different location,
the different moons, the different climates, it's a life time process.

No, I'm not 8 years old (40 something). I don't have vast practical
experience, but I have had a "growing" interest in plants and gardening
over the last 10 years - it's beginning to get a bit serious.

I can't wait to have nothing to do but just gardening ... one day will
be like landing in paradise )

I am certainly a novice compared to many of the regular posters in this
group.

Sure. There are some wonderful people in here. I've visited a few
groups, in France too, and I've settled with this one and a French one
for they are the cosiest and interesting ones. And I think your
contributions are always spot on. If you feel you are right, if you
feel you've done it yourself right, you shouldn't feel like a novice if
you are happy to share what you know. That's what I think )

The message .com
from "La puce" contains these words:

I can't wait to have nothing to do but just gardening ... one day will
be like landing in paradise )

Oink, flonk-flonk-flonk.

Porkair 01 requesting permission to land...

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
k...
The message .com
from "La puce" contains these words:

I can't wait to have nothing to do but just gardening ... one day will
be like landing in paradise )

Oink, flonk-flonk-flonk.

Porkair 01 requesting permission to land...

--

Aahhhhh!!!!
pigsonthewing?

Mike wrote:
Oink, flonk-flonk-flonk.
Porkair 01 requesting permission to land...
Aahhhhh!!!!
pigsonthewing?

You kids ... g

http://www.artprints.com/gallbig.asp...=1038&id=37155

"La puce" wrote in message
oups.com...

Mike wrote:
Oink, flonk-flonk-flonk.
Porkair 01 requesting permission to land...
Aahhhhh!!!!
pigsonthewing?

You kids ... g

http://www.artprints.com/gallbig.asp...=1038&id=37155


"Seeds sown on stoney ground" comes to mind :-((

"La puce" wrote in message
oups.com...

Mike wrote:
Oink, flonk-flonk-flonk.
Porkair 01 requesting permission to land...
Aahhhhh!!!!
pigsonthewing?

You kids ... g

At a young 80 years young I remain a kid and hope to be one at 90 ... H
http://www.artprints.com/gallbig.asp...=1038&id=37155

La puce wrote:
Mike Lyle wrote:
Right; but preferably not if the ground is actually frozen.

I got a 5 instead of a 10 for a series of questions my tutor gave
us.
On all of them I had forgotten to mention the obvious, the common
sense, the logical like:- water after planting. Ho! I mentioned the
entire maintenance, the deadheading, feeding, watering, mulching,
deviding, looking for sign of p&d and had time to even mention all
the
possible uses of each plants, decoration, medicinal, culinary
purposes. But no. 5 points for forgetting watering after planting.
As if I wouldn't!!!! And I think that's a problem because you think
'they know that', you think 'it's bleeding obvious'. Actually, you
just don't think that anymore. It's ... automatic.

Fed up.

An exam isn't life: it's there to check what you know. So you tell
them what you know. As a former teacher, I say assume the examiner
knows nothing, and concentrate. Why is it "obvious" that you water
after planting? If you don't mention it, it will seem you don't know
_why_ it's necessary. Anyhow, if you forget to mention it in
description, how does the examiner know you won't forget to do it
when actually planting? He may even get the impression that you
aren't a systematic thinker.

Exam technique: it isn't life, but it's not as irrelevant as some
people make out.

--
Mike.

The message
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words:

Janet Baraclough wrote:
[...]
almost disappears, just mulch again on top of it (time of year
doesn't
matter much). [...]

Right; but preferably not if the ground is actually frozen.

Mm hm, I probably have and would..in the current UK climate, the
ground is not going to freeze so hard and deep that mulching would keep
it deep frozen for long. Mulching applied to bone dry soil during a
prolongued drought might be more of a problem (but one I'm unlikely ever
to encounter :-)

Janet

Mike Lyle wrote:

An exam isn't life: it's there to check what you know. So you tell
them what you know. As a former teacher, I say assume the examiner
knows nothing, and concentrate. Why is it "obvious" that you water
after planting? If you don't mention it, it will seem you don't know
_why_ it's necessary. Anyhow, if you forget to mention it in
description, how does the examiner know you won't forget to do it
when actually planting? He may even get the impression that you
aren't a systematic thinker.
Exam technique: it isn't life, but it's not as irrelevant as some
people make out.

deep sigh You are right of course. My mind wonders ... I'm quite
known for being a bit dizzy. I have to concentrate. Concentrate ...
Thanks Mike. I feel better now too.

middleton.walker wrote:

At a young 80 years young I remain a kid and hope to be one at 90 ... H

How young and great is that! I cannot see you being different at 90
either. Congratulation but could you share your secret with me?

Congratulation but could you share your secret with me?



It's not about age, it's about attitude ;-))

"Mike" wrote in message
...
Congratulation but could you share your secret with me?



It's not about age, it's about attitude ;-))

Attitude pure and simple.......we all have arrows coming to us from the bows
of others......is is how we deflect them that counts.....every day is
another day and whatever we did yesterday is history and once written it
remains so ...H

"middleton.walker" wrote in message
...

"Mike" wrote in message
...
Congratulation but could you share your secret with me?



It's not about age, it's about attitude ;-))

Attitude pure and simple.......we all have arrows coming to us from the
bows
of others......is is how we deflect them that counts.....every day is
another day and whatever we did yesterday is history and once written it
remains so ...H





My old school motto :-))

Carpe Diem

The message
from "Mike" contains these words:

My old school motto :-))

Carpe Diem

Carp at God?

--
Rusty
horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co full-stop uk
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/