The veg growing movement gains momentum

[zazen999]

I'd still prefer newbies to ask the question and be shown previous threads, and then learn things in time from the searches and in turn, in time, they will help others.

I'm also still learning and have seen some 'newbie' threads that have been answered with good ideas that I hadn't thought of and have since used.

Plus, don't forget, some newbies are also new to the computer and may ask questions that seem rude because of lack of skill in IT...not necessarily because they are bad people.

But then again, some really are just rude, and the recent seed swap incidents have made people a little wary of sending to people who they haven't heard of...who turn out to be ok in the end.

We're all here [hopefully] to grow stuff, harvest stuff, eat stuff, cook stuff and preserve stuff and our knowledge varies - and that's what makes this forum so great.

Loving you all

xxx

[Pumpkin Becki]

I’m regretting my stupid questions about my paper pots and chitting potatoes now - on the up side no one has sent me away with a flea in my ear and no rolled eyes (on screen anyway)
I have to say this forum is a little bit addictive (my wife calls me sad) and I really enjoy reading most threads - Eyren’s suggestion would be a great idea, now after a couple of months I am able to navigate my way around the forum to look up questions. I am sure there are others like me have little experience at gardening (always tried in my yard in SE London) and suddenly find a forum like this where you can ask away and sooooo many of you know the answers – If on day 1 I had realised the depth of information I could have searched for then I certainly wouldn’t have needed to ask a few of the questions which many of you kindly answered often with encouragement.
I am desperate to know why my tomato seeds haven’t germinated and how long before I should try again but I will search the forum first.

Regards
Pat

Hi Pat,

I agree entirely, the vine is addictive, and heaven knows I've asked some 'stupid' questions in my time here. Although I will quickly add that no question is 'stupid', as others have said here, everyone's growing situation is different and I would never chide a member for asking about something just because I know is a regular topic. (Parsnip growing can rub some members up the wrong way - which is why I mentioned it (have a quick search and you'll see what I mean), and it was meant to be funny but can see why it has been read in a different light.

To all - If you read my first thread in this post I hope you will see that I am
enthusiastic about 'grow your own' and don't ever want to put a member or visitor off.

[FionaH]

How to grow spring onions and how to germinate parsnips may well be well travelled paths, they may well get rolled out every single year. However if one is a complete newbie to growing and terms like pricking out are a new language, how on earth would one know that?
The search facility is very useful but many of us find logging on enough of a challenge!

As the queen of numpty questions I beg your indulgence as I will continue to ask them.
How do you grow parsnips anyway?

[Alison]

I think there is a balance to be struck, as already said, no question is stupid and should be encouraged but there are also times when there are already half a dozen live threads on a particular topic and then somebody posts the same question. The mods do a pretty good job trying to amalgamate posts but it must be difficult and hard work for them. By the way, this isn't a newbie issue this is all of us (myself included), most of us are a bit guilty of not checking the current threads before posting. Doesn't take long as if it's a, say cabbage query you only really need to check the veg and lottie sections.

[pigletwillie]

dont ask me, I'm new here.

[Alison]

dont ask me, I'm new here.

Impressive post rate for a newbie..................

[Flummery]

dont ask me, I'm new here.

And your pants are on fire too!

[piskieinboots]

How do you grow parsnips anyway?

well, it's not too difficult really - see all you do is.....oh hang on, phone is ringing

I love to see all sorts of questions coming through this site, I am also guilty (as per Alison) of not always checking before I post something - but you know what, you can always ignore 'me'

[Two_Sheds]

that's twice i have read this thread now, and i have to say, both those comments i would find very offputting if i was new here.

I think i may need a break, i fail to see why new faces should be a 'problem' nor why any question deserves a rolleyes sarcastic smiley.

Neither comment was made maliciously, and nobody said new faces were a "problem"

Now put the big wooden spoon away Bridie, there's nothing to see here

[Banana]

I don't want B&Q staff to have proper training ... I get loads of half-dead bargains because they don't realise they have to water their plants

When I was a teenager, I briefly worked at Do It All which had a garden centre attached. We worked out pretty quickly that if we did a bad job of watering the plants then the management would give us them for free.
My dad took advantage of this on his allotment

[Nicos]

I have to say that the search works esp well and is easy to use on this forum...some are just awful to try and find and I get so frustrated at asking a simple question which must frustrate others...yet again ( can I use the roll eye smilie yet???)

So hats off to you GYO for providing an excellent search facility!


Veg seeds in more demand ( original post)....well then- shouldn't they be dropping in price a little???

[Flummery]

Veg seeds in more demand ( original post)....well then- shouldn't they be dropping in price a little???

I do like a woman with a sense of humour!

[gojiberry]

If the normal supply and demand thing works then we can expect an increase in the cost of seed. Heard on the TV today that nationwide there is a list of 100,000 people waiting for an allotment, glad I'm not one of them. I have never minded passing on experience to anyone on any subject and as I have the patients of a saint I don't have a person asking the same question over and over again.

Ian

[sharonr]

I try to save some seeds each year off the plants. I got quite a few from my runner beans last year I`m hoping they germinate.

[Eyren]

I've started saving seed, but you can't do it for all veg. Peas, French beans, tomatoes and lettuce are all good as they tend to pollinate themselves, but most other veg are promiscuous and the results of self-saved seed can be a real lottery. Either that or you have to be a real fanatic and set up physical barriers to prevent cross-pollination...