Certainly, we Master Gardeners are not experts in horticultural subjects, other than possibly specific plants that we might propagate and/or grow. Heck, someone with a PhD in a certain field of horticulture has vast knowledge (and sometimes experience) in his/her specific field, but might have little exposure to other horticultural fields. Is there anyone out there who truly expects we Master Gardeners, with perhaps a total of forty classroom hours, to have knowledge similar to someone who has many hundreds of classroom hours?
Many, if not most MG go through the certification process not only to increase their knowledge about many areas of horticulture but also so that they are given the opportunity to give back to their community. I just cannot fathom a MG being rude or snobbish when someone asks him/her a question pertained to horticulture. Ask me a question about tropical plants and more than likely, I can give you an answer, even a correct answer.
Ask me a question about something other than tropical plants........ well, good luck. I have no problem telling someone that I just don't know the answer to their question. I live in a college town with hundreds of folks with PhD's, and I know some PhD's that are very standoffish.
When it comes to using a chemical or a non-chemical when growing plants, I find that MG are just like the rest of the population. Some grow chemical insecticidal-free, some grow organically, some use chemical fertilizers, and some use chemical insecticides.
