New forums and a little discussion

The results are in from our vote we took yesterday on new forums. I have launched the 6 most popular ones this morning, and the other 20 are still in the "thinking about mode".

Here's the complete list. The number to the left is the "score" for the forum. I scored the forum like this:

0 points per member who said that they wouldn't read or post to it.

1 point per member who said they would read but not post.

2 points per member who said they would actively read and post.

115 = Annuals (LAUNCHED)
106 = Climbers (LAUNCHED)
100 = Organic Gardening (LAUNCHED)
99 = Tomatoes (LAUNCHED)
97 = Pests and Diseases (LAUNCHED)
90 = Conventional Gardening (LAUNCHED) (As opposed to Organics)
124 = Tips and Techniques
94 = Newbies
90 = Wildplants
88 = Landscaping
86 = Campanions
85 = Harvest
82 = Hostas
77 = Soil
70 = Moss and Ferns
65 = Bamboo
58 = Hybrid
55 = Gourds
54 = Deep South
51 = Orchards
49 = Conifers
46 = Hydroponics
46 = African Violets
44 = Machinery
44 = Buildings
32 = Carnivorous plants

I've opened a couple other threads in this forum to discuss some of the comments we received.

What I'm wondering on this thread, is which forum should I create next? Let me hear the forum that you're dying to have!

Dave

[ Removed by member request. - Admin ]

I would like to see both the Wild Plants and the African Violets forumed opened next. I love them both.

Thanks for allowing all of the DGers to have a voice in shaping Dave's Garden!!

Karma,

We're not going to have a newbies forum, I've already decided on that.

Regarding the conventional gardening forum... If you don't like that forum, just don't go there. I created the Organic Gardening forum, you know. Just because I create a forum doesn't obligate you to post/read there.

Some folks have no choice but do conventional farming. These people need a safe and friendly place to chat with other conventional farmers.

Dave

Holy Smokes! I'm sidelined for a few days due to an ear infection and I come back to all kinds of new gardening forums! Cool beans, Dave! You dah man! :)

Terri

[ Removed by member request. - Admin ]

KHT : I do agree that we Hard Core Freaks are a difficult bunch to deal with , but such is life . My problem is more about LACK OF TIME than not wanting to help a Newbie , so I hope most of you can understand my situation .
REGARDING CONVENTIONAL FARMING :
Once again TIME ( and $$$$ )is a major factor regarding agricultural practices so I find erosion control is MORE important than producing organic food for the masses .There is no economic beenfit for me to put in even more farm hours than I do now . It is way easier to just leave the farm and make REAL money ; not the BELOW minimum wages the farm populace receive .
Give me some real money and a market THEN maybe things can change ??? ...until then , Crane Operating looks really good until retirement hits .
Have a GREAT DAY , Gardening Freakazoids ...ROCK ON !!

[ Removed by member request. - Admin ]

Sorry, I didn't mean for this thread to turn into an Organic Vs. Conventional thread.

Let's go back to the top, where I was asking for feedback on the forums not yet created. Thanks, Happy_Gardener for your feedback. That's the kind of feedback I'm looking for. Anyone else?

Dave

Hi Dave,
I like the idea of new forums and the ability to subscribe to the ones that I choose. I would think that many people, including myself, subscribe or will subscribe to new forms, making the list even longer to peruse. Is there a way for an individual to organize their subscribed forums to keep them managable into their personal catagories, instead of having all the forums in a singular list fashion? I like the setup you have when a person goes to subscribe to forums and you have them under catagories...can we do something like this ourselves to manage the growing list of things we want to read? What's happening, in my case..and perhaps others, is that I'm finding these new forums that I want to subscribe to and participate in, however, my logistics in adding to the forums would improve if I could keep my subscribed forums in groups..therefore keeping my thoughts organized for like-forum participation.
..stopping the rambling now..lol..
Trish

Dave, as a newbie to both gardening and Dave's Garden, I just wanted to mention something that surprised and delighted me: no "New Gardeners" forum. I did vote that I'd read and post to that forum, and my reasoning was that I didn't want to bother experienced gardeners with stupid questions. Now I see that this you don't want us new people to be intimidated by the regular forums...I'm tickled! How cool.

Thanks, Dave, for the opportunity to vote for new forums and to discuss add-ons we would like to see on DG. Good choices overall although I would like to see one on Soil Management (including management of organic materials.)

I agree with the sensibilities that conventional gardeners ought to be given a "safe voice." I am, however, concerned about the polarization you already recognize between the organic types and those (for whatever reason) still using conventional products. A little netiquette is suggested here IMO to be respectful of other folk's choices.

Finally (?, yah, right), at some point DG might become unmanageable with way too many narrowly limited forums. Dicentra speaks to this issue by wanting to limit viewing to selected forums easily accessible -- saves having to browse around and I can appreciate that goal. The more we go that way, the less community at DGs there will be.

There is a good article in the technology section of the NY Times this morning "Adding up the costs of cyberdemocracy."

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/02/technology/02INTE.html

You have to register in order to read it, but registration is free.

“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” (George Orwell)

To all: i say, anyone who is growing plants has the right to do it their own way, and i have no time or energy to try to change them,or worry about it, after all this is supposed to be the land of the free and home of the brave. i let catepillars eat my plants, they seem to rejuvate nicely, except incarta passiflora, and fill my yard with flying flowers, but it sure isn't up to me what my neightbors do. i voted for conventional gardening as there are roots in it and i am sure i will be interested in what people have to say.
arlene

Ok, I said a bit on one of the other threads, but I can't keep my mouth shut!
I would be very interested in the wild plants and companions, as well as a couple of the others. Thanks for letting me off the hook on the newbies thing, I felt guilty checking no interest, because I know that there are a ton of things as an experienced gardener that I have learned here and I am willing to share, but in a general way. There are no dumb questions. The only dumb thing is not to ask.

Somehow I missed the voting, but I'm thinking that a Landscaping forum might be helpful. Some of my questions don't have anything to do with plants, but are more of a big picture thing - like questions about how to improve drainage across an entire yard or what to do with an old busted up driveway. I'm thinking arbors, walkways, benches, lighting - things like that might fit in a landscaping category.

Just my 2 cents worth,
AnnMarie

I too would like Landscaping but also Tips & Techniques (can they be combined?)
I like the Conventional Gardening as sometimes I think Organic gardening smacks of hysteria in some parts of the world. Just my 2 cents worth (worth about 3/4 of a cent in the USA!!)

This isn't about a new forum but more of a new feature--sometimes, when I go to a member's home page, I really wanted to compliment or comment on something they've written or a site they've designed but I feel like I might creep them out if I email them directly. And sometimes, I'll see postings where someone is posting a thread specifically for someone, and one never knows if they got it or not. Is it too much work (or even a good idea) to have a place we can post messages to the person on their home page?

Hmm, interesting idea pukeGreen. I'll give it some thought.

Dave

This morning I launched the Companion Plants and Wild Plants forums.

Dave

I almost hate to suggest new forums at this this point but I just realized that for me a Shady garden forum would be much appreciated!

also am glad you decided against isolating the newbies! They comprise so much of our community as it grows that we would all be losers if they didn't jump in with the rest of us!

Several are wanting a shady garden, and I'd like one, too.

Consider it done.

Dave

Dave,

perhaps it would be intresting to see a forum on medicinal (uses of) plants?? I would very much like to hear your opinion on this, please
Dimitri

Dimitri,

We have two forums that may already be what you are looking for.

One is a "Health" forum, and the other is the "Herbs" forum. Check those out and see if they have what you're looking for. If not, let's discuss!

Dave

I may be the odd man out but i use both organic and conventional gardening methods organic when i can and as much as possible conventional when not i don't want to kill the worms in my soil will use green manure as much as possible to build soil and organic spray if i can and good bugs when i can but i'm not going to lose 1/4 acare or more by not using chemicals the two groups may need to apart but for myself i want both ideals and i thing both groups will be ahead if they will recongize this fact and teach safety and good sold methods i think we can all agee the the chem companys never made a bad or dangeress product [if you'll buy that i 've got a bridge to sell you]and they aren't going to tell us how to use them any more than there made to
dave

Removed by member request

I reealize that you wonderful gardeners in the South have sifferent climates from us northerners but I would sure miss Ya all if you were hiding out from the rest of us...!

Thanks Dave for both the Wild Plants and the Shady Garden forums.

I also like pukeGreen's suggestion. And like Zanymuse I don't want the Southern gardeners to go hiding from the rest of us.

Removed by member request

LOL MzMunchken, I promise not to attack you just please do not secede from the North (we don't want to war no more!)

I vote for the soil forum. Without good soil you can't grow much.

The soil forum is up.

Dave

dave: It would as sweet as honey to have a bee forum up. I bought 8 hives at a auction first of May to just add to the look of the backyard/garden and I got a swarm of bees in a group of hives now. I did not know how important bees are to gardeners until I started reading about them from the internet. It is a amazing the work that they do for us in the flower/garden bed for us please consider this forum.
Cash from the garden spot of Okla, Bixby

Cash: Interesting idea on the bee forum. Would you mind posting a new thread about that and see what kind of interest we have?

I'd love to see that forum. Let's get a couple others and we'll be on our way.

Dave