Rain Forest - opinions?

[Stonehenge]

Our group of forums has expanded and gotten closer to what we had at the old SPF. Naturally we aren't neccessarily going to end up with the exact same thing, we might have some improvements as we go along. In the beginning of the new SPF, we had green world which was for plants of all kinds. Then came the salvia and desert plants forum. Then the rain forest was added. Now, which one is for general plants? Looks like either one. I seem to recall that in the old days, rain forest, was for plants, and the garden was for edibles. The garden was a subforum of the other. Instead of that, now we have 2 general plant forums with two different names.

What do people think, should we go back to the old way and make the garden a subforum about edibles or should we combine the two and pick one of the names for it? Either way would make sense. Leaving it as it is tends to make people wonder what the topic is of each forum.

[winder]

Having clearly delineated forum headings and purposes seems to make more sense than just throwing it all together.  Whether that was the old way or new way is not the issue.  If we had it that way, then we did.  We should have it now, regardless of the past.  I am not trying to quibble about old or new, just that we should have what makes sense.  It made sense then and it makes sense now.

I cannot imagine someone fussing that we have an edibles forum rather than having it lumped in with the desert.

Sure, on one or two occasions I have wanted to post about cactus fruit, so I might cross post with a link in one forum to the full topic in the other.  That seems appropriate.

Talk about edibles and recipes for the body in one place.
Talk about materials for the mind in another place.
Talk about plants that need dry care in one place.
Talk about plants that are essentially tropical in another place.
Talk about plants that are not really plants in yet another place.

[sunsebb]

I am not trying to quibble about old or new, just that we should have what makes sense. It made sense then and it makes sense now.

I agree

if it aint broke, don't fix it... it's like that in the evolution of anything... there's no point getting wrapped up in wanting something 'new' when you should be thinking about what's best

[Stonehenge]

So it sounds like you are saying, Winder, that the rain forest should be for general plants that don't fit into the salvia or desert plants and the garden for edibles? That makes sense to me. You agree with this, sunsebb?

[winder]

To clarify whether Stoney has my meaning clear...

Weren't there forums for the following (?):

Mushrooms
Cacti
Salvia
Edibles
Other Plants

That was my recollection.

It seems a useful approach to organizing topics here.

[sunsebb]

I think that works best... to be honest, I wasn't a really big fan of the subforums at the old site, because some topics might fit into multiple categories and you have to sort of sift through more things... I'm a big fan of the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

[Stonehenge]

Winder, you are correct.

Mushrooms - forest floor
Cacti - desert
Salvia - salvia plane
Edibles - garden or rain forest
Other Plants - garden or rain forest

We have all those same forums now except edibles and other plants are being discussed in the garden as well as the rain forest. Before, the garden was edibles and rain forest was other plants.

How about if we do this:

Mushrooms - forest floor
Cacti - desert
Salvia - salvia plane
Edibles - garden
other plants - rain forest

That will keep the number of forums the same.

[winder]

I like Stoney's suggestion.

I wouldn't object to something more inclusive than the "forest floor" for the name of the mushroom forum.
Besides the fact that mushrooms grow in pastures, grasslands, and elsewhere besides forests, we have two forum names proposed with the word "forest" in their names.

That can lead to noobie confusion.

[Stonehenge]

Winder, I have to agree with you. The present names I think were made by Eddy. They are OK but we can come up with better ones. How about "third kingdom" for fungi? I too was not thrilled with rain forest for general plants but it was used in the old spf. Many plants grow in the stepps, tundras, plains, grasslands and non-rain forests. I actually kind of liked "green world" which we used for a while. It gets the idea across.

[sunsebb]

or we could have something to do with mycelium for the fungi... mycelial network or mycelial colony or something... just throwing a couple more suggestions in the mix

edit: should this be maybe in the site forum?

[Bongo]

Ok, guys and galls, don't bite my head off and put it in the edibles section, please! :lol:
As Kratom is becoming more popular and questions have already been discussed, any chance of a Kratom forum to discuss growing usage etc?
It certainly seems like it would expand things a bit and possibly bring in some fresh blood. Mmmmm :roll:

[Stonehenge]

I see questions come up now and then about kratom but there is plenty of room in the general plant forum for it at the moment. It's not like the kratom discussions are crowding out everything else. Kratom is an important plant for sure. If it gets more attention as time goes on we could always do that. Right now we are trying to keep the forums we have going. We can always add more later.

[sunsebb]

yeah, I don't think kratom needs anything YET...

even right now, the salvia forum doesn't really get enough activity to warrant its own forum...

I imagine if the kratom posts become overwhelming, a new forum should be created, but for now, I wouldn't call it a priority

[Bongo]

Okidoki....It was just a thought and, I understand well that overextending the site at this stage could rock the boat.

[Cassie]

I totally agree that this needs to be clearer ... not sure just yet about the suggestions so far coz 'the garden' used to be for all garden plants (including those grown for their aesthetic value)
lemme just grab my thinking-cap ...