Losing gardening skills

An article in my gardening magazine this week said that many
traditional gardening skills are being lost.
Many young people today cannot tell a Tulip from a Geranium, and one in three didn't even know what a Hoe looked like in surveys carried out.

Another survey carried out by Whitby Seafoods, found that many Brits thought bananas were grown in the UK.
Future generations are set to be just as confused as more than 30% of parents said their children had asked questions about food, and they did not know how to answer them.

What a sad state of affairs I thought.

Re: Losing gardening skills

If global warming continues Mups the bananas might be
growing in Whitby
I have noticed a lack of education in the youth for years now.
I often thought if a disaster occurred the golden oldies would
survive with the knowledge we have.

Re: Losing gardening skills

It is sad and you see so little of basic veg growing in our gardens these days. Growing from seed is also dying out.

Re: Losing gardening skills

I agree it's a shame, but I suppose affluence is nainly to blame as growing veg used to be a necessity as much and the pleasure of doing so just a by product. Now I grow veg just for the pleasure if doing so

Re: Losing gardening skills

Now that amuses me, I know one thing I was in Whitby on Tuesday and I didn't see any bananas, but I did have some super fish at Quayside Fisheries.
My gardening is now limited by the state of my health, I can't do what I used to, in my younger days it was great to grow veg on my allotment, but much better eating it.

Re: Losing gardening skills

I think it said a lot when M&S had to move the daffodils away from the food section because some people thought they were edible

My grandchildren go to their other nanna's allotment to potter around and they have a gardening club at school which the 5 year old twins attend .
Little Hannah planted the runner beans with me this year and helped to keep them watered.

I am hoping they will all grow up as gardeners .

Gardening club...




...you can see my granddaughter pink Wellington on the back row left

Re: Losing gardening skills

I have a lovely garden and would love to grow my own veg ..However due to neighbourhood cats (a multitude) who use local gardens as toilets my garden is gravel with a few plants.
I know this doesnt explain everything but maybe a lot of people who would grow things are put off by it.

Re: Losing gardening skills

I grow 'em for the taste plantman!

Savings don't really amount to much but I do love growing things from seed.
You learn a lot from your mistakes and start to understand more about plants and even the insect world too. stevmk2

Re: Losing gardening skills

Growing your own takes time,I fear many want it yesterday.

Re: Losing gardening skills

I think that's a good point OG.