Generally disheartening...............

[WendyC]

It's the posts which suggest that the pests and diseases are set on persecuting the poster, that get me. No acceptance of poor technique or growing conditions and advice just thrown back. If you're not interested in the answer then don't ask the question.

[bearded bloke]

I think its more a matter of pride in wanting to produce good healthy vegetables as a hobby, in most cases, it certainly isn't to save money.

That & the convenience in my case of being able to walk 50yards to the "fresh veg' shop" as Mrs.BB calls it "Oh & can you pick up a couple of fresh eggs on the way past" is often added to the I need list

[Noosner]

Well... it IS a gardening forum and the way most people are drawn to a gardening forum is when they go to tinternet to look up what's wrong with their crops.

And then it becomes clear that there is so much expertise amidst the more experienced Grapes that us newer ones become tempted to run to you with all our crop-related problems. As Shadylane said, we lack the experience to know enough not to worry.

Plus some of us are certified hypochondriacs... and over-react to hints of disease, even if it's only in our plants

[arpoet]

Yer know, one year we will have perfect growing conditions and have nowt to moan about.

[bearded bloke]

Spoilsport ^^^^

[Raybon]

If any of the above applied to our loved ones, we'd know they were poorly. And we don't want our loved ones to be poorly, we ask the Doc how to make them better.
(I have a very close relationship with my spinach.)

[sparrow100]

Reading down the titles of threads is so depressing at the moment.
Its all doom and gloom - , why is this .... .(xxxxxxx)...floppy, droopy, saggy, spotty, wilting, dying, yellowing, nibbled...........

We've spent months getting things growing at home/on the plot - a bit of worry is only natural. Multiply that worry by the number of posters and the variety of plots grown - I think it's a pretty healthy sign of veggiedom.

A fox has jumped about in my spuds - and there was me congratulating myself on the best spuds ever...This is the first year I've had to stake spuds!

[Potstubsdustbins]

VC have you seen my pic? cos you have just given a very good description of Potty.

[Two_Sheds]

Its all doom and gloom - ...floppy, droopy, saggy, spotty, wilting, dying, yellowing, nibbled...

I now tend to ignore those particular posts. Not the genuine posters that can be helped, I mean the ones that just want to whinge

[Shadylane]

Funny thing is its the same threads on the Breast problem forum.

Really? You just couldn't help yourself could you? *shakes head sadly*

I think it's only natural to worry especially when you've worked so hard. Can't say I've seen many ungrateful, refusing advice, the world hates me and it's not my fault type posts but...Anyway that's what this forum's for - to tell people to chill and have a cuppa, or to say yes basically you're crop is screwed. Sorry. I really don't get the impression that people posting with these queries are being picky princesses, just that they genuinely don't know if what they're seeing is normal or something Hideous Which Needs to be Killed Before it Lays Eggs.

[Raybon]

Wheelbarrows at dawn.......

[mothhawk]

I think it is an indication of how many TOTAL non-gardeners who have never so much as touched the soil with a naked finger are really trying to give it a go and learn how to grow clean healthy food. They don't have the fall-back of older gardeners in the family and so really and truly have no idea what is normal and what is not.

I say good for them, and let's encourage them all as much as we can.

[Raybon]

Hope this thread has not put anyone off from asking what they need to know....fear not, you will get lots of support from sympathetic folk who would love to help you out and be generous enough to share their know-how.

[Mikey]

This year I have anticipated losing at least 50% of everything I grow, mainly because we didn't have a winter cold enough to kill the slugs and I simply don't have the time to pander to my veg my day is long enough already.

I haven't noticed the threads you are referring to, but wondered what can I do about my cucumbers they are a little yellow looking. I think its possibly the pot size has been outgrown but could it be a deficiency in the home grown compost perhaps? Is a 2" pot big enough for a 3 foot cuc?

[veggiechicken]

It was never my intention to put anyone off asking questions - we're always here to help.
All I was saying is that its depressing when so many of the threads are about problems. Where are the happy posts - the ones about eating the first ever strawberry or seeing the first tomato. There have been a few like that and they make me really happy. Thank you to those who share their successes.
We all have failures, sometimes you just have to accept them and move on. I don't actually think you want to read about my woody turnips, or the carrots that failed to germinate, or that all the cucumbers except one have died so I keep all that to myself. However, I will tell you that my onions look set to be my biggest ever and I'm delighted with the trailing tomatoes.
Accentuate the positive etc etc - life looks so much rosier when you do