A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Gardener's Chat suggestion for Bill!

I love this forum! But I wonder if I can suggest something. (Actually, I don't wonder, I am going to!!) And if my suggestion already exists, then I'll suggest that the post be put someplace more prominent. Here goes-- .

An awful lot of new posters/new gardeners begin with "Help! What's [insert something bad] my [insert plant]?" Unfortunately, that's pretty much what they end with, too. And so the first reply is "Can you post a picture? Where are you located?" and so on. Could there be a sticky in the New Members Forum that gives the gentle suggestion that if you have a problem, help is on the way, but it's useful to the helpers if you could post pics, etc?

I'm thinking it must be frustrating to have a problem, and then get a delayed response because there's just not enough information in the original post. If this advise to new posters with problems exists, maybe it could be highlighted in some way.

marica, I've too been wondering about the topic 'what's up with my plant' or 'what is this plant.

I'll say two things here...

first a lot of new members, it seems to me, make one or two posts and then you never see them again. did they give up cause they didn't get an imediate answer or are they out surfing the web and sign up for 3-5 different sites every single day cause something shiney catches their eye?

second, some posts in the mystery plants forum or in another forum where someone has a concern about a plant prob...sometimes the post gets buried. I had a mystery plant a while back and a couple of people popped in and said it looked like something in the family of...???. after a few days, no one else responded at all to the post. I wasn't completly convinced that, that was what it was. SO, I sent a little 'hey, can anyone else take a look' message and others joined in and correctly ID'd my plant.
the only reason I sent the second 'hey anyone else' post was because I"ve been around the forum for a while and I know things just get buried. no one is ignoring me.

So how do people new to the site, know to send a second 'help'?
or is there something we could do on OUR end to get questions answered, or opionions stated to help someone?

I see your concern, marica.

I posted //www.agardenersforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=285242#Post285242 I created for the old forum, to help guide new members through their visit to The Gardener's Forum. I will work on fixing the images and links over the next few days.... Feel free to add other helpful tips for our new members... (Like Cindy's guide to posting photos)

Thanks, Bill. I just looked through it. I wasn't aware that some of these features existed! I'll take some time to explore the site more thoroughly.

Cricket-- on your first point, I bet it's both. Some people are just looking for a quick answer & that's all they need, some may may be more attracted to other gardening site, for whatever reason, some may not come back b/c they don't get a "quick enough" answer.

On your second point, I now what you mean about "bouncing" your own post just to keep it out there. I think a newbie might not be that brazen!! This is the one & only gardening forum I belong to, but I have another interest, and I officially belong to ... 5 (?) forums on that topic. I don't have many questions or comments but when I do post, sometimes I just want to YELL "Hey! Pay attention here. It's a simple question, can someone help?" Participants at some (not all) of these forums seem so wrapped up in chatting amongst themselves that if you haven't posted 1234567890 times, they don't bother with you. (Pretty dumb since everyone starts with 1.) I don't see that here, I think people are very welcoming, but as you said, posts get buried. And given that newbies might have had the same experience that I just described... .



Good question! When I see a post that hasn't been answered in a day or so, I take a look & give it a shot, at least just to bounce it. But there are lots & lots & lots of posts that are beyond my area of "expertise" (haha).

What are your ideas?

I know what you mean. There's a post out there now "Sans with millipedes! " that has been looked at 29 times but not posted on. I thinks sometimes we just don't know the answer. It probably does make new people feel like they're being ignored but I don't like responding that "someone will come along who knows the answer" or something that really isn't the answer to their question. What do you think about that?

If you can't help with an answer, you can help the member by simply replying with "up" and the topic will get a second or third chance. Some days we will get hundreds of posts and a topic can disappear before it is even be seen by the person who can help with the answer.

If you find a topic that is in the wrong forum (problems posted in "new members" forum etc.) try to catch me or a Hostess's attention so we can move it to where it will get a better response.

I hope it is OK to chime in as I am a newbie and I thought it might help give a little perspective.. Not that every newbie is just like me, but I thought it might help a little..
First let me say, I love this sight!! It has helped me so much and I know I couldn’t have done as well as I have without it.. I think a lot of newbies may be like me, first time gardener, no one around to teach them, and the books out there are really confusing when you need to ask a “simple” question.
I also understand why they may feel that no one is listening because they feel intimidated because of how little they know, and feel that if no one responds ~that their question is too small or stupid to matter… I also feel that if they stay with the forum they will find that it is not the case at all and learn to slow down, stop panicking, and someone will help.. I personally had to come to the point that I wanted a garden so bad that I didn’t care who thought I was dumb when it came to gardening and that I was going to just ask anyway, and started being a little “brazen” as Marica put it I started getting so much info!!
I hope this little perspective helps… I know you guys are so awesome and have been gardening for quite a while, but for some of us in our 20’s that have never done a garden before it is really scary… Sometimes it is the greatest help and hope just to know that there is some out there that can help you and you are not alone in your battle of the weeds, bugs, slugs, and disease!
Also, I didn’t realize that there was a tutorial on pix and such.. That is such a big help!!!
You guys are the best thank you so much!!!

That's awesome, Eva! You should feel great about jumping in head first & being brazen!! How else are you going to learn? Learning about gardening is such fun! It never stops, either. Which is very cool, IMHO.

I am probably a more seasoned gardener then EVA but I can still repeat what she voiced. This site has been there for me like no one else could be. I have gotten advice more often then not, but Marica is right, as a newbie I was computer shy and if I didn't get an answer, I felt a bit confused. The second "help' call usually worked though.