By Russell T. Nagata
By Russell T. Nagata
University of Hawaii
at Manoa
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
Komohana Research and Extension Center, Hilo
In days past, the gardener’s resources consisted of knowledgeable friends and neighbors, and the public and home library gardening books. Going to the local Cooperative Extension Service office and talking to agents was another valuable source of information as well as the State Land Grant University.
In the home library, the average gardener’s resources usually consisted of a few books or a book series on gardening and magazines. For many of us, this has drastically changed over the past two decades where a universe of information is available with a few key strokes. Computers, digital technology, the internet and smartphones has changed the way we find and receive information as it has opened University Cooperative Extension Service publications, research laboratories, libraries and other resources from around the world.
Searching any topic will result in a few hundred to several million possible sources of information. It’s no longer a choice between of the “Gardeners Almanac” or the “Joys of Gardening.” In addition, your neighborhood sources of information also increased exponentially with the computer and Internet as it allows one to communicate directly with people around the world. Today in addition to the article/subject related information, there are chatrooms, blogs, tweets and more, all providing specific information that can help you to be a better gardener.
YouTube and other video on demand has become a great source of information on how to accomplish specific gardening tasks. The short video format of YouTtube can demonstrate specific subject areas of gardening and has simplified gardening by visualizing how and what needs to be done. I personally have used YouTube videos to refresh my knowledge on the mechanics of grafting as well as to learn new techniques.
What the Internet has also done is to make available the combined knowledge of everyone who wishes to post any information regardless of the value or correctness. So how do you determine or evaluate good content or information? A good first choice is your State Land Grant University and the Cooperative Extension Service. These sites normally have the university’s name or initials and edu in their address as the following example from University of Hawaii at Manoa, CTAHR electronic publication website address at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/Site/Info.aspx.
Here are a few examples of digital technology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources that is helping to reshape the way we receive current and helpful information in the digital age.
Root ginger is a major crop for Hawaii and lots of information has been published on the subject using traditional paper route. A new website is now available offering instruction on growing edible ginger at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/dnn/gingerwilt/Home.aspx and available seven days a week and all 24 hours of each day. This website offers an overview of the planting process of edible ginger through the harvesting of the ginger crop. It is illustrated with colorful photographs, slide shows, and embedded videos. Also included are current research results from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, including the most effective disease management practices available.
Another great website from the University of Hawaii at Manoa is that of Extension Forester Dr. J.B. Friday. His site can be found at http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry and offers great information on trees that are commonly found in the landscape. Dr. Friday has incorporated video on various forestry topics such as collecting, cleaning and storing seeds; how to plant koa; and many other tree related topics. He also has a picture share file on Flickr on which picture of unknown plants can be posted and someone in the “community” who can identify the plants responds with an identification name.
Finally a great site to find out about plant pathogens from the website maintained by Dr. Scot Nelson and can be found at www.http://hawaiiplantdisease.net. In the site Hawaii Plant Disease it covers a wide range of diseases found on Hawaii plants. You pick a crop and it list all known disease for that crop. Select a specific disease and it provides more information and images. Dr. Nelson has also developed an app for smart phones and both for iPhones or Android operating systems called “The Plant Doctor” where you use your smart phone to assist you in finding out what ails your plant.
With the new digital technology we have today, it’s like having your own set of gardening professionals at your side to guide your gardening needs.
For more information on this and other gardening topics, please visit the CTAHR electronic publication website at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/Site/Info.aspx or visit any of the local Cooperative Extension Service offices around the Island. I can be reached at russelln@hawaii.edu.