Ive noticed on other forums when someone gets Off Topic (OT) the results are not always nice. Sometimes someone responds with a mean-spirited, tactless comment which accomplishes nothing but bad feelings. Sometimes the post gets pulled, with a terse note from Garden Web that the post has been moved or removed because it was OT. And sometimes the post is ignored, leaving the original poster uninformed, not knowing why their post received no response. It is oh so true that "People dont know what they dont know." Here at the friendly Winter Sowing forum, we usually jump right in and try to help. There is a really loose scope on what is appropriate for discussion here, probably because at the end of the day almost everything can be tied back to WS one way or another. It might also be because those who have the power to pull posts are just really soft hearted.
Mostly, I dont object to the OT discussions, and I participate. However, theres something thats just not right about extended discussions here about growing under lights (GUL). So instead of one of the options listed above, Im trying something different. Im starting a party! And you are invited!
Ive started a thread in the Conversations section of the forum. I think it will be a great place to discuss all our concerns about growing under lights and I HOPE YOU"LL COME! Its BYOQ (Bring Your Own Question).
Thats it for the invitation. The rest is commentary which may or may not be of interest to you. Id like to emphasize that no one should feel badly for having asked questions about GUL here. Its a safe, friendly environment, and those are the kinds of places we naturally seek out when in need. In fact, if youre like me, you may have stumbled into the Winter Sowing forum quite by accident, looking for information on a GUL undertaking.
The Winter Sowing forum was created specifically to talk about the Winter Sowing Method which is sowing seeds outdoors in Winter. To clarify, the act of sowing seeds during winter isnt specifically the Winter Sowing Method. Without the method, it is just sowing seeds during winter. You may be wondering why Ive taken on this issue in a full frontal posture. So Ill tell you. Winter Sowing as we know it here flies in the face of conventional seed starting wisdom. By conventional wisdom, Im referring to that which is accepted because it is familiar and established. I would postulate that the main reason people try growing under lights is because its what theyve always heard about. It has credibility because "everyone knows about it." Winter Sowing as we do it here is less known, and therefore more frightening. And somehow, it seems to me, that if we have ongoing discussions here about GUL its much the same as saying to someone prepared to jump from a plane the first time, "Yes, youll be successful, but you should also wear 17 additional parachutes, each with an established history of not opening, just in case, for back up."
Part of the challenge is our mixed crew. We have experienced Winter Sowers who also grow under lights. They arent my concern. Its the newbies, who need encouragement to take that leap of faith. The recent thread here entitled, "Hit the back button running and screaming" kind of sums up the fear. When they hear us discussing lights, it dilutes the message of the Winter Sowing method and prolongs the leap. Im not on a mission to convert the whole world to Winter Sowing, and people do things when THEY are ready. However, Trudi has made it her lifes work to spread the word about Winter Sowing. I have benefited from that work, and it seems a very simple way to show appreciation for that work is to not dilute the message. Winter Sowing may not yet be main stream, but it has a footing, and I have no interest in eroding the toe hold. Without Trudi there would be no Winter Sowing forum, and taking my discussion about GUL to another place is an easy way to show respect. Growing under lights is not a dirty little secret and we should all feel comfortable talking about it. Id just like to see it done somewhere where its on topic. Hope youll come to the party!
kqcrna
karendee
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