an open letter to gardenbanter.co.uk posters and the gardenbanter.co.uk site operators

   (not that i think the latter even read this newsgroup,
but hey...)

  first, this is a usenet newsgroup called rec.gardens.
it is not a website forum.  the gardenbanter site acts
as a go between and makes it look like a webforum, but
it is not.  please read up on usenet, ettiquette and
basic how to ask questions on usenet before asking a
question.  thank you very much!  it would be appreciated.

  second of all.  questions are great, and most people don't
mind helping when asked a question.  the trouble is that
the questions that don't contain enough information
tend to spend a lot of peoples time in asking for more
information.  after a few hundred rounds of "Please
tell me more" it gets old.

  next, you can improve your site (gardenbanter.co.uk) by
educating your users on how to ask questions so that
they will get the answer they seek on the first
few rounds and save others time in having to ask
the same questions repeatedly.  that will improve both
gardenbanter and rec.gardens for everyone.

and last for those who are unable to figure out
how to find information on usenet newsgroups or
how to ask a question here is what i can think of
that would help a lot:

  - give your location (general is ok, but a microclimate
    can make a difference)  country, county, state, province,
    USDA zone or other reference common in your area

  - give the plant name (scientific and common name, both!)

  - describe the plant and the problem use as much
    as you can.  the more you write the first time
    around means that if someone later has to ask
    a question they can ask a better one in return

  - size does matter, if you are using measurements use
    metric, describe the size of the plant

  - describe the planting location and surrounding
    plantings that might influence it's growth

  - describe the drainage of the area in general

  - describe how much water it gets

  - if you use watering devices describe them

  - describe the soil

  - describe any use of fertilizer (what kind, how
    much, how often, how applied) or other amendments

  - describe how the plant was planted

  - describe anything else you are doing to encourage
    (or discourage in the case of weeds) growth


  anyone else have anything to add to this list?


  songbird

 

As FarmI said, uk.rec.gardening, seems to be where British gardeners are.
--
- Billy

Dept. of Defense budget: $663.8 billion
Dept. of Health and Human Services budget: $78.4 billion


Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in
the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are
cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is
spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of
its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the
clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 16 April 1953

 "songbird" wrote


They apparently filter out notes like yours.  By editing, this one *may* get
through.

I'd love to see them able to actually chat with us.  There's no problem that
some prefer to pay for an access type they like, after all, I pay for my
newsgroup feed.  It's not much a month but I like the level of service over
the free sites and if I have a software problem, I can call them for help.



Mostly they do nothing wrong except the common mistakes all of us make at
the start.  It is irrlevant to me if they 'think this is a web forum'.  They
catch on fast that it's a web forum linked to other sources.  From their
POV, it's a web forum they use to access information.


If you are asking their web site to do this, I think you will fail.


Sorry, but one should just make it clear which is being used.  The average
person is perfectly capable of a rough translation.  Always specify 'type'
if talking temps.  Huge difference in 32 degrees between C and F scales.


While these are good ideas, I don't think the average question will come
with that much detail.

Here's one that doesnt need it.

I have 2 apple trees.  Just as they hit bloom a huge storm came through much
of the USA of which I was part of the path.  Now most of the blooms are
gone.  Do you know if the tree will sprout more blooms?  They are a yellow
Delicious and a Granny Apple.  Both are about 6feet or 2M tall and get full
sun in zone7B.  Rainfall is right for them so added watering isnt needed.

 

As you see songbird, no good deed goes unpunished :O(

You had 82F? Oh, I am so jealous.

Rain tomorrow.



If you like weekends (8 hr./day & 40 hr./week), then thank a labor union.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haymarket_affair>


===
--
- Billy

Dept. of Defense budget: $663.8 billion
Dept. of Health and Human Services budget: $78.4 billion


Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in
the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are
cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is
spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of
its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the
clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 16 April 1953

 Billy wrote:
...

  actually, the question was well put.
i have no answer as i only know a
little about apples indirectly from
readings here or there.



  only for the one day and now i have
forgotten what it feels like.  the
last few days have been rainy, windy
and cold with some snow.

  we needed the rain, but the wind
has been tough.



  i just hope for no snow or ice.


  songbird