Encouraging newcomers

[the custodian]

as a new person to veg gardening and in the 30 - 40 year old catergory i imagine that KG is aiming at attracting people like myself, i must say i choose KG over all the other mags out there because it was clear and understandable with a friendly out look, but i would find a centre pull out that starts from the very begining usefull understanding the language of gardening can be difficult at times like chitting, bolting, tilth etc for a newbie it can be quite dawnting and you feel alittle stupid asking such basic questions, i dont have an allotment yet but i am on the list, my veg patch is only about 8ft sq but i love working it with my 2 kids ages 2 and 11, seeing the faces light up when they pick and eat the strawberries they have grow is all the incentive i need to keep going even when i fail.

[Johnboy]

Hi TC,
Certainly there are some words used in books for beginners that a beginner is bound to find daunting and even some words in a heathen language that I do not understand either. (see a posting of mine yesterday)
The ethos of this forum is that however stupid you might think a question please never be put off to ask it. All questions will be answered and if you ask a question and get an answer that you still do not understand please do not be afraid to say so. It is only the way the words are arranged that you might not understand and another crack at it might solve your problem. On the other hand you might ask a question that you might consider silly but there might be a dozen people who read it and the penny drops for them as well. They in turn may be encouraged to ask a question and that is how we try to operate this forum.
If you do not want to go on Forum with a question I and several others would appreciate a Private Message and give you your explanation privately. I would then put the question on forum mentioning no names so
that other people might want to know as well.
Sincerely,
JB.

[the custodian]

thank you JB maybe my spelling will get better just like my gardening, the other thing i like about this forum is there are so many different views.

[glallotments]

I always told my pupils when I was teaching that there was no such thing as a silly question.

[Colin Miles]

A very simple but effective way of helping newcomers is that adopted by the Sky at Night magazine. On the inside of the back page of the magazine they give brief definitions of technical terms that are used. This varies depending, I think, on the magazine contents.

[KG Steve]

A brief glossary is a good idea Colin. We currently try to explain difficult/unfamiliar terms in brackets in the features themselves as we don't always have space in the mag for a full glossary and I worry that it could be a bit boring for folks who are familiar with the terms if we were to overdo it. However we're probabably guilty of letting things slip a bit for the many beginners that like to read KG.
Lady Lettuce and I will take a look at this and see how we can improve things in the mag. Should be easy enough to strike a balance for everyone.

[Colin Miles]

Another idea you might like to consider borrowing from the Sky at Night, this time for the Forum, is the thread "Ask a silly question". Not only is it 'user-friendly' but it might well give you more ideas as to how to deal with beginners.

I find that one of the things that all 'specialist' groups seem to have in common is forgetting what it was like to be beginner. And there is an enormous disconnect between the 'soil' and the postwar generations. When I moved to a rural location 6 years ago I didn't expect to have a mother knocking on the door warning me about a wasps nest in my front cotoneaster hedge! And many of the questions that I get asked, even by those of my age group - pensioners - well...

As for a glossary, there are many definitions that I think that even the 'professionals' would welcome. Mind you, can't think how you would easily define Organic or non-Organic - perhaps a reference to Garden Organic? But peat, non-peat, mulch, F1 hybid, open-pollinated, chitting, seed compost, multi-compost... the list goes on and on.

The other thing to remember is that for every allotmenteer who sticks at it, a lot - most? - will fail. And most people - 99+%? - I am guessing - will have small KITCHEN gardens, not allotments. If we want the gardening revolution to continue these are the people to encourage.

[glallotments]

What about a glossary at the end of an article? You could pop an asterisk and a little number next to any words that may not be understood. Then either at the foot of the article or in a small boxed area you could explain those terms. This way the explanation is easily available whilst reading the article but the explanations don't get in the way for people who don't need the words explaining.

Something like:
First chit (*1) the tubers ... ... ...

________________________________________
*1 To chit - to place the tubers etc.

[KG Steve]

Many thanks for those thoughts. Some good ideas there - we'll see how we can incorporate them. Much appreciated!

[Colin Miles]

Have just had a leaflet through my door. An idea to create new allotments in Llannon on 1.5 acres of Council land, with view to getting a grant and having it ready for Spring 2013. Have emailed the organiser to offer my help and advice and directed him to this web site.

The site is rough grassland but with a stand of Japanese Knotweed in one corner. So rotovation is really a no-no. This leaves just hard graft and weedkillers - bit difficult to blanket cover 1.5 acres. Anyone any thoughts and suggestions? Maybe the KG mag could take an interest? An example project - follow the progress - good copy?

[Stephen]

Colin
I think that would be interesting reading.

[Geoff]

After posting about the "Bentham Garden Food Day" I was roped in to help with the gardening advice desk.

The event was organised by BEST (Bentham Environmentally Sustainable Town http://www.bentham.net/community/BEST.asp) a network of people who believe that to slow climate change we need to think global but that we can begin to limit our impact on the planet by acting local. One aspect of this they have been focusing on for the last two years is local food. This event was organised to demonstrate the most local of local food, that which you can grow yourself, and to encourage people to have a go at growing their own.

Garden Food Display - they collected together a large array of produce from local gardens to demonstrate what was possible.
Crop Swap Stall - people brought in their surplus produce ranging from fresh vegetables and herbs though frozen Raspberries to Sweet Peas and other flowers and people could either swap or leave a donation.
Plant Swap Stall - similarly there were vegetable and herb plants available on the same basis, many raised by another local charity 'Looking Well'. This stall included a display of crops in containers to show 'No Garden - No Problem'.
Bees for Bentham - another local group gave away bee-friendly plants for your garden and gave advice about bees.
Edible Garden Trail - a number of local gardeners opened up their vegetable plots for people to visit to demonstrate what was possible in Bentham even in quite small spaces.
Growing Advice - my wife and I manned a desk offering advice about growing your own and, in the event, about cooking your own - the produce display prompted questions like "what do you do with that?"
When I agreed to do this I contacted "Kitchen Garden" and asked if they had any publicity material I could use. They very generously donated 30 back issues of "Kitchen Garden" for me to give away and a free subscription that I could raffle. This created a lot of interest in the magazine (and hopefully some subscriptions!) and also allowed us to raise some money for the various charities involved. These charities would all like to thank "Kitchen Garden" for their generosity.

It rained heavily on the morning of the event but despite that a large number of interested people enjoyed the event that had to move indoors to the 'Looking Well' premises (http://www.pioneerprojects.org.uk/lookingwell.html). It cleared up in the afternoon so the Edible Garden Trail was well supported. There are some photos of the event on the website (http://www.benthamlocalfood.org.uk) but here is sample showing my poster promoting "Kitchen Garden" and some of the Garden Food Display (unfortunately some had transferred to the swap stall by the time the photo was taken).

I think this represented an excellent way of Encouraging Newcomers by showing what was possible in ordinary gardens. I also learnt that some allotments are planned so that should help keep the interest alive.

[Daisyduke20]

I am a newbie to gardening, and at the moment I am enjoying the learning aspects to it. Where to plant, what to plant and when. But most of all, watching a plant or vegetable that I have sown from a seed, grow.

I would like to say thank you for all the advice columns in your magazine and websites. If I have any issues I always resort to KG to guide me through,

[Smurfy]

I always told my pupils when I was teaching that there was no such thing as a silly question.

I was once told that the only silly question you can ask is one to which you already know the answer. If you don't know the answer how do you know it's a silly question.

I agree with many of the suggestions made above. For me the biggest difficulty is that as i do all of my growing in my garden and none of my neighbours are gardeners i don't have 'plot holders' nearby whom i can ask questions of.

Forums like this are great as it gives you a chance to clarify things you've read in the magazine but put it in your own context or ask questions if you want to try something new. It's also really helpful to find out how other people do things in other parts of the UK. I hadn't fully apperciated the impact a micrclimate could have until i started reading this forum.

[donedigging]

I remember a forum member posting an answer saying that I look my question up on the Internet

Haven't asked many questions since.

I pop in and out to read other people's advice.