Anyone Interested in a new forum: Square Foot Gardening?

I like Maximizing!

You're a sweetie!

I prefer: "Raised Bed Gardening"a term that encompasses any size bed in any sized space. The "Maximizing" term could imply "in ground" gardening as well as "above ground gardening"

HoneybeeNC,
From a review of the posts above, the operative seems to be getting the most out of whatever space we're growing in, whether in raised beds or in ground -- hence, "maximizing" or "intensive".

Did I misread our thrust?

Gymgirl -

Oh, dear, perhaps I have!

Are we looking to raise as many vegetables in the smallest space, be it in raised beds or in the ground?

Are we looking to raise vegetables using only the "square foot method" calling it something else because of possible copy write issues?

Are we looking to raise vegetables in "raised beds" using whatever methods we pursue?

One word of caution: forum names need to be short and sweet.

Most of our forums are two- or three-word names: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/

This message was edited Feb 17, 2011 12:32 PM

My two proposed titles are shorter than the longest existing forum title by 1 and 7 characters, respectively...minus the quotation marks...

"Intensive Gardening in Raised Beds & Small Spaces"
"Maximizing Raised Bed & Small Space Gardens"



Thanks!



This message was edited Feb 17, 2011 12:30 PM

I too like the maximizing. Less intimidating than "intensive". Isn't a raised bed generally a small space? So is the "raised bed" part necessary? Would Maximizing Small Space Gardens work?

"Raised bed/square foot gardening" or something along this line would draw my attention.

I spend a lot of time on the "Container Gardening" forum. I have 5 raised beds and 28 containers (13 and 25 gal). I also have four dirt rows. There are plans for two additional raised beds and about 15 more 13 and 25 gal containers.

I have to say that I am not sure how topics in a new forum about raised beds and or square foot gardening would draw discussions that would include information that has not already been discussed in the "Container Gardening" forum.

Would we be better of renaming this forum to be more inclusive of other techniques? That would mean a built-in audience, as opposed to creating an audience (which may include drawing some away from an existing forum.)

Container Gardening gets a lot of flower based containers in my opinion. Beautiful arrangements, but they also tend to talk a lot about pots and pot mixes.

TRock,
I see your point. However, I believe the thrust of the new forum would be how to maximize our growing productivity. The Container Gardening forum is about the vessels -- the new forum would be about getting the most veggies outta those vessels!

As I was reading about "French Intensive" gardening, I ran across topics such as succession planting and intercropping. These are techniques employed to get the most out of available growing space, and wouldn't necessarily be covered in the "Container Gardening" forum...

I'm sure there are other relevent topics that would be shared on threads in such a forum. Like, "verticle growing", or "Constructing a tomato table over your raised bed or small space", or growing on a rooftop (cause that's someone's available space)!

Trust me. If someone could tell me how to make use of my patio cover as a growing space, I'm IN! My only barrier is bracing it to handle the weight of wet dirt!

Linda

This message was edited Feb 17, 2011 1:42 PM

MaypopLaurel -

My raised beds are 36 inches by 25 feet. I don't consider them "small".



I'm happy with either of these, but lean more to "maximizing"

I like the idea of this forum explaining successive planting and interplanting vegetables.

Maybe we should call it: "American Intensive Gardening" (LOL)

As for me, I think the whole thing has become way too analytical-

45 days later.. we still here... and spring is almost here.


This message was edited Feb 17, 2011 4:11 PM

^^_^^
Don't yah just LOVE the Democratic process? Hasni Mubarak would've made the call by now...

Perhaps the name should include "for the 2012 season" !!!

Just remember a camel is an animal put together by a committee. :>)

I went back to the beginning, reread the thread and see that Susie is interested in a specific gardening method using a specific type of container (raised beds). I probably should not have entered this discussion since we don't generally use these methods.

Honeybee, I consider 3' by 25' small. Likewise any container or bag regardless of how many a gardener gardens in. Ten acres of containers and raised beds still leaves you with ten acres of small spaces. I have a kitchen garden and raise a few spots when needed for veggies that benefit from that treatment. Right now the kitchen garden is a quarter acre, which we consider small. I maximize the space because we grow a lot of food to give to food pantries. Every inch counts because it feeds us and folks who might otherwise go hungry. So what is my small space? I think it's the quarter acre that we garden but the salvaged concrete ring with the carrots is also a small space and the raised strip bordered with logs that contains beets is also a small space. But this is not what Susie was looking for. From what I understand she is seeking information on raised bed, intensive gardening.

Nobody responded to Terry's consideration of being more inclusive. I agree with that suggestion. And, by the way, no reason to criticize Administration. They are people (with feelings) trying to be supportive; not vague entities.
Laurel

Do we really even need "small?"

"Maximizing Gardening Space?"

Or just to throw out something else..

"Maximized Yield Gardening"

Some forums don't even have "Gardening" in the title. (In an attempt to shorten title) We know by context that we're talking about gardening.

"High Yields/Small Spaces"

"Raised Beds/Small Plots"

"High Yields/Small and Raised Beds"

Did they specifically tell you that?

I think I will "unwatch" this thread while the nitpicking is going on, and will return when it gets a name! Please don't take it personally- I just have better threads to read-

Terry in Admin gave an explanation in an earlier post on this thread. I'll try to scroll up to find it.

Edited to say:

My goodness, it was TODAY! Twenty-seven posts ago! In one day!

Just shows how much interest there is in this new forum (IMO)



This message was edited Feb 17, 2011 9:29 PM

Yes, they specifIcally did. And I tried to goose us all toward a name for SusieR's forum. But, there's a bit too much polarization going on, so I'm bowing out, too.

I have a blank slate back yard, and I'm interested in getting the most return from the space I design. I'll have raised beds and containers, and will employ intensive, succession, and interplanting methods to maximize yields.

I'll keep my eyes open and will join the dIscussion on the new forum. I'll know it when I see it.

Hugs! ^^_^^

Linda ~ I have no problem with whatever it is called. I was just wondering why one website is allowed to use that name. Maybe they have permission, who knows?

I wish I could come up with a better name actually. Container gardening might be good as they are actually containers, even though not quite so portable than others, as least mine are not.

I did not mean to throw a "monkey wrench" in the works, sorry!

Sorry I have been gone a few days. We are having such beautiful weather, I had to go plant. I Like using the word Intensive and Succession, I have not found many forums on these ideas. Already I have learned of new sources for knowledge from this site. I am still waiting for my book on square foot gardening.

Maximized Yield Gardening

I really like this one. It seems to cover all the bases.

"Maximized Yield Gardening (MYG) "

I like this one, too! ^^_^^

And, we could create respective sub-threads under the broad category like:

MYG in Raised Beds
MYG In Small Spaces
MYG Using Succession Planting
MYG by Intercropping
MYG Using the Square Foot Method
MYG Using the French Intensive Method
MYG in Containers
MYG on the Back Forty! (smile)

where "MYG" = Maximized Yield Gardening.

Those accessing the forum would know the broad topic is maximizing our yields. Then, they go to the subgroup discussion (the Thread) pertinent to them!

I think this could work really, really well.
You -- Me -- Genius!

What say you all?

(I guess this means I'm back...?)


This message was edited Feb 18, 2011 12:17 PM

Hey kids! I'm so confused. So I am re-reading these posts again, and.......MYG.....yes, that has a green thumbs up from me. Mazimum Yield Gardening. Hmm... has a nice ring to it. Certainly, this group of us will know who we are, and I have been totally enjoying this discussion and this group we have going here!

A committee is like a revolving door. Let's get it on before we all lose interest.

Please, Please lets get it going so I can start organizing my beds! I received my book on square foot gardening. It was a real eye opener!. I like the designs for the covers and stuff.

Prior Post deleted...

Best intentions gone awry. Apologies to all!

This message was edited Feb 19, 2011 10:00 PM

I vote for Maximizing Yield Gardening also, go MYG!

Maximum Yield GardeninG

yes please I'm about to do a raised bed and need all the help I can get.

Whoa....hang on a sec :-)

Here's what we recommended to Susie earlier this week:

We cannot allow a multiplicity of threads in various forums - it tends to irritate and aggravate folks to see the same post in each forum they frequent. I've deleted off a few of the threads that were starting to proliferate.

This thread has already homed in on a name, it seems: Maximized Yield Gardening. While I have some trepidations about how intuitive that will be to anyone who comes along after the naming process is long-forgotten, I'm open to it as a name if that's what a large enough group really wants to call it. There's no need to start any other threads with any sort of naming contest.

As I mentioned to Susie above, we are a little slow when it comes to creating a new forum. We don't shoot from the hip as soon as someone asks for it. We know that can be frustrating to those who want to see a new forum immediately, but there is nothing that stops you from starting threads on the subject of square foot or intensive or maximized yield gardening in this forum. If/when the forum is created, those threads can be moved to the new forum.

That activity helps us see that there really are enough facets to the subject, and enough questions and discussion topics to warrant a separate forum, rather than simply having some threads spring up here and there, and then die down seasonally.

Thank you, Terry!

Ya'll go look for the threads.

These threads are up and running for discussions on Maximum Yield Gardening:

"High Yield Gardening in Raised Beds"
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1159640/

"High Yield Gardening in Small Spaces"
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1159599/

"High Yield Gardening: Succession Planting & Intercropping"
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1159596/


This message was edited Feb 19, 2011 11:08 PM

This message was edited Feb 21, 2011 10:39 AM

I guess that this has been decided already but I wanted to put in my two cents..."Raised Bed Gardens- Planned Planting" or something like that just seems more self-explanatory to me for a name.

Beyond that, I got an e-mail with a neat tool for planning these types of plantings-

http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Page-KGPJS

They call it a "Kitchen Garden," but it seems like a cool utility.

What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

As soon as people start frequenting a forum, it will be about what they are interested in, no matter what the name was. (For example: pets, ailments and socializing.)

I suspect that people will eventually find any active forum in their area of interest via "word of mouth" or searches. But an apt or memorable or intuitive name would be good too.

And "brevity is the soul of wit". The name doesn't have to be a detailed definition or a charter or statement of purpose.

Unfortunately, the names I liked best were the least popular!
"Small Spaces"
"Raised Beds"
"Raised and Small Beds"

To me, "Intensive" suggests something commercial and "Maximizing" sounds like a sales pitch or manager-speak.

But don't mind me.

When the time comes, you could name it "Max RootRoom" and I would still Watch threads about raised beds in small yards without many sunny spots.

Maybe two questions - it sounds as if "containers" are not the intent? And you're OK with "flowers" as well as "vegetables"?

Corey