[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

Nothing against UF, heck I bleed orange and blue, but a horticulture degree can be obtained from most any college in FL or the US, and the Master Gardener's program though fun and informative, is far from a degree in horticulture and very light in the palm information category.

My suggestion is find someone with extensive palm tree experience and a true higher education, and have them look at the tree. Not ask a person with a couple dozen hours learning about a wide variety of horticulture subjects and 40 hours of volunteer service.

Palm trees are expensive, the wrong diagnosis could cost you the tree.

This is the annual report of the statewide master gardener program.

You appear to belittle the best research-based answer machine in the state.
Not sure why you offer yourself as an expert, but I do know UF trainees are under tight oversight in extension agent Jim Davis, who is usually present with the volunteers while questions are answered and is himself extremely, utterly knowledgable.

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.e...013_report.pdf

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

This is the annual report of the statewide master gardener program.

You appear to belittle the best research-based answer machine in the state.
Not sure why you offer yourself as an expert, but I do know UF trainees are under tight oversight in extension agent Jim Davis, who is usually present with the volunteers while questions are answered and is himself extremely, utterly knowledgable.

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.e...013_report.pdf

You misunderstand me. I think the MG program is great as well as the UF Agriculture and Horticultural programs. You said the poster should ask a Master Gardener, not Jim Davis. Jim's credentials are degrees, not certifications.

My opinion is that if Master Gardener's cert. is the highest degree the person holds on the subject of palm trees, the requirements to hold this certifications provides only a base of general knowledge about palms, not expertise.

In no way have I or do I belittle the Master Gardener's program, it does a lot of good for UF , their sponsors, and those in the program. But I stand by my statement....someone with a problem with an expensive palm tree, should ask an expert, and MG cert. alone, does not make a person a palm tree expert.

Could you clarify what you mean by "utter" knowledge? Not extreme knowledge, I understand that meaning.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

You misunderstand me. I think the MG program is great as well as the UF Agriculture and Horticultural programs. You said the poster should ask a Master Gardener, not Jim Davis. Jim's credentials are degrees, not certifications.

My opinion is that if Master Gardener's cert. is the highest degree the person holds on the subject of palm trees, the requirements to hold this certifications provides only a base of general knowledge about palms, not expertise.

In no way have I or do I belittle the Master Gardener's program, it does a lot of good for UF , their sponsors, and those in the program. But I stand by my statement....someone with a problem with an expensive palm tree, should ask an expert, and MG cert. alone, does not make a person a palm tree expert.

Could you clarify what you mean by "utter" knowledge? Not extreme knowledge, I understand that meaning.

Yes, I will clarify utter knowledge. One who would likely be accepted in the judicial system as an expert witness, meaning the person is credentialed with the best available and most extensive education in the field, is recognized as a professional of high standing by recognized institutions, has multiple years of experience in the exact subject of study, and can show evidence of continually updating knowledge from an appropriate program of researched study.

That would be Jim Davis, who trains, oversees and continally updates knowledge of MGs.
I am quite confident that an MG will not give an answer that will kill your palm tree, as you imply.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Yes, I will clarify utter knowledge. One who would likely be accepted in the judicial system as an expert witness, meaning the person is credentialed with the best available and most extensive education in the field, is recognized as a professional of high standing by recognized institutions, has multiple years of experience in the exact subject of study, and can show evidence of continually updating knowledge from an appropriate program of researched study.

That would be Jim Davis, who trains, oversees and continally updates knowledge of MGs.
I am quite confident that an MG will not give an answer that will kill your palm tree, as you imply.

I agree that Jim is an expert. "Utter" implies absolute, perfect, complete. I know Jim's good, but is he actually all knowing in all realms of palm information ? Heck, I still learn, experiment, question conventional dogma
Had the expert's never been questioned, we would still be draining blood from people to "get the sickness out".

The only thing I am trying to get across to the OP, was that showing a picture may not give the expert all the information needed for a correct diagnosis. And though I am sure no MG would intentionally give an answer that would kill the tree, there are solutions to some issues, that could kill a palm with some common issues.
I stand by my suggestion, that the OP should have an expert look at the palm, in real life, if all the fronds on the tree have brown tips, and not just the lower fronds.