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Joe Swift's Research
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Message 1.Â
Posted by LondonStone (U10845856) on Tuesday, 3rd June 2008
I have noticed on two separate occasions Joe Swift say he looked up information, regarding his new allotment, on the internet. The latest incident was regarding his unpronounceable comfrey.
Seems a shame he doesn't use this great resource, owned by his employer. I'm sure lots of people on the Allotment Tales section could have told him just how much his comfrey is going to spread, or how much trouble rotavating mares tail, couch grass and bind weed causes.
If we can't learn anything from G.W. presenters in these dumbed down days, perhaps they can learn something from us!! -
Message 2
Posted by strongpinecone (U681517) on Tuesday, 3rd June 2008
I've only been growing a couple of years so to a vast extent and like Joe Swift the little I know comes from the experience of others kind enough to take the time to explain. I'm very grateful to those people who post on here.
Ultimately however the most forceful lessons are learned the hard way through personal experience. (By way of example, I won't be rushing to try the 'three sisters' method again despite advice garnered on this site!)
I think it's fine that Joe is making mistakes and if people watching are serious about growing veg they will learn with him.
Perhaps the makers of GW will put together a nice montage of his trials and tribulations at the end of the summer with the great Nina Simone singing in the background:
"For myself
I must learn for myself
Not from what someone else
Has said or done
And so I live my life
From day to day
While feeling my way
Just like a child
For myself
I must learn for myself
The future that some else
May say will come
May never be
What destiny holds for me
Let me see
For myself! " -
Message 3
Posted by AndrewB (U11653454) on Tuesday, 3rd June 2008
The comphrey he was planting doesn't spread too much - I have it and it's fine.
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Message 4
Posted by phots-moll (U902248) on Wednesday, 4th June 2008
Bocking 14 isn't that difficult to pronounce.
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Message 5
Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Wednesday, 4th June 2008
Comfrey is a great plant for allotments. It breaks down compost faster and the leaves can be used as a liquid feed diluted 10-1. On the first program Joe asks his friend Cleve and plotholders for advice then did the opposite. He obviously has no experience as he keeps on looking things up which is fine. But completely ignoring good advise from experienced growers in stupid.I can see plots where plotholders did exactly what Joe did for quickness now their plots are a wilderness of weeds. If Joe's is not we have to ask ourselves who has been over there clearing it for him before filming. With all this rain it will be covered in all those rotovated cuttings.
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Message 6
Posted by TallyHo (U2364821) on Wednesday, 4th June 2008
Bet he's glyphosated the lot or a Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú minion has for him. So much for organicness (although I don't have a problem using it when I'm not going to eat whatever's been growing there).
I subscribe to the old adage that it takes as much effort to do things properly as it does to make a mess of things, so you might as well do it properly. -
Message 7
Posted by LondonStone (U10845856) on Thursday, 5th June 2008
It wasn't bocking 14 that he had trouble pronouncing, it was comfrey.
Joe pronounced it like Pomfrey, and his off camera friend said "do you mean comfrey"? (pronounced like humphrey).
I admire Joe for doing research online, it's where I do most of my learning. Just feel like he's jumping on bandwagons to be cool. Got to have goji berries, raised beds, got to have comfrey. No mate, you need to grow some veg, and show new keen viewers how to do it without losing the lot to greenfly, blight, rot, caterpillars and rabbits.
And there's people on this forum with experience of how to do that. Seems such a waste. -
Message 8
Posted by phots-moll (U902248) on Thursday, 5th June 2008
Now you've said (or typed that) I remember the pronunciation trouble. He said it as though he'd read it, but never heard anyone say the word before. Surely he must have if he's been hanging around Monty?
"you need to grow some veg, and show new keen viewers how to do it without losing the lot to greenfly, blight, rot, caterpillars and rabbits."
Yes - that would be good. -
Message 9
Posted by honestGreengrass (U11104227) on Friday, 6th June 2008
Perhaps they'll have that Bug Doctor who told us all about the lily beetles and ladybirds to give Joe some help with his pests
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Message 10
Posted by Yakram (U2443370) on Saturday, 7th June 2008
I wish Joe's invisible researcher mate Mark would SPEAK UP - I would be interested in what the questions are, if only I could HEAR them.
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Message 11
Posted by malanD (U7337386) on Saturday, 7th June 2008
Have you tried using the subtitles?
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Message 12
Posted by Yakram (U2443370) on Saturday, 7th June 2008
Thanks for the tip, MalanD. I am not technically minded.
However, I can hear everyone else but Joe's invisible friend Mark, and was just making a point, ie give the poor bloke a microphone. 
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