Call For Frequently Asked Questions ..FAQ.

19 years ago

Hello everyone !!

This forum is starting to pick up quite a bit ... we are building a FAQ section and need your input. What we are looking for are fundamental / simple questions to give those new to this forum and / or botany a starting base of information.

I would suggest questions we can really nail down in a paragraph or so ... save the philosophical more involved material for the forum ... so start brain storming ... we will repost individual questions later so everyone can give in their input on how to answer those questions selected ... I will then edit and enter the answers into the forum database for future reference ....

It looks like this forum is going to be quite a nice addition to Garden Web. I'm very excited about it ..

Good Day ...

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (27)

simplelife
19 years ago
Hello,

Just browsing through the forums and I stopped here to check it out.

I believe the following questions/answers could really help new users:

1) This one stumped me for awhile when I first got into orchids! Explain how the plant world is divided into family, sub families, genus, species, etc

FAMILY (end with suff "aceae") has SUBFAMILIES (end with
suffix "eoideae) has GENUS has SPECIES has VARIETIES

2) Explain how plants can benefit from foliar feeding

3) explain how plants grow- different types of tissue (ex. meristem) and why pinching/pruning helps a plant

4) explain what a nitogen-fixing plant does (ex. legumes used a green-manure)

5) explain how some plants are day-neutral and others are affected by the length of darkness they get each day (ex. christmas cactuses and pointsettias bllom during long nights, and tomatoes bloom during short nights)

6) explain the difference between roots formed in water and those in dirt and why some plants might die if water-rooted and stick immediately into soil.

I am sure I can think of more things that could be used for the FAQs, but I cannot right now.

Thanks for listening to my input.
shelley_r
19 years ago
OK, here's my list. One sentence to a short paragraph should be sufficient for each of them.

What is Botany? Definition and list of major subject areas it covers.

What is a plant?

Define some of the basic words of botany. Examples: Nomenclature, taxonomy, herbarium, type, phylogeny, etc. Provide links to online glossaries and recommended books.

How are plants classified? A VERY short history starting with Linnaeus' sexual system, the changes that came about with Darwin, the currently accepted taxonomic scheme, and future directions.

How are plants named?

What organization(s) are the official authorities for plant nomenclature?

Is classification a part of nomenclature or is it a separate thing? For example, does an official name include the classification, or do we have official names, but varying methods of classification?

Why are plants renamed and reclassified? I get the feeling that the current trend is to try to classify plants according to how they evolved, but still try to make it fit into the division, class, family system. Sort of like trying to pound a round peg into a square hole, but the square hole with the best fit. Or am I way off-base?

What are the basic parts of plant structure? Roots, stems, leaves, etc.

How do plants reproduce? Just a list of the different methods with a one-sentence description of each.

Some appropriate question about plant growth & development.

How do plants obtain nutrients?

A little something about ecology and plant communities.

How do you prepare a plant specimen for preservation in a herbarium? I'm thinking of the personal do-it-yourself-at-home type of preservation.

That's it for now. Again, I suggest simple, short answers to questions. Just get the words and concepts out there with lots of links to online references. Also, a list of recommended books would be great.

Shelley
Related Discussions
10 Most Frequently Asked (FAQ) questions
Q
Comments (32)
Soilent Green, I agree with about want lists having an updated date on it. It is very helpful to know when looking at a list. I have one on my trade page and change the date as I update my trade page for trading, which I usually don't start doing until then end of October every year. At the same time, I continue to add seeds to my list as I have them available for the upcoming year, but leave the old updated date until I am ready to trade. That doesn't stop people from emailing me for trades with a date that is 6 months or more old that states when the trade list was updated. As for wasting time pursing trades with people that are no longer trading or interested in trading, there are some members that do not like to be "cold emailed" from other members to do trades, especially with members that are new or fairly new to the seed exchange, or "cold emails" for trades from members that they have never traded with. They may still have trade lists posted that are old because they will have the same seeds available every year and they just leave the list posted and when they are ready to trade again, they post on the seed exchange about trading. I've been a GW member and trading seeds for more than 7 years now, and I, personally, don't "cold email" members for trades unless they are members that I have traded with in the past, trade with frequently every year, or a member that I trade specific seeds with every year and I let them know in advance of posting for trades and BEAP seeds on the forum, what seeds I have specific for them and what I'm looking for. As for GW deleting members have not be active in the last 2 years, that is not a good idea. GW has various forums on the site, and just because someone is not actively posting on the seed exchange forum, doesn't mean they don't post and participate in many of the other forums on GW. Some members just to private trades between certain members only and they leave a trade and want list posted for those specific members to see. Some people have their trade and want list posted and only do round robin trades, but leave that list posted for those on the round robin exchanges to see and use. And yes, there are some members that have trade and want lists still posted that have been banned by GW, have passed away and just are not on GW anymore. Expecting GW to try and figure out what members are and are not active on the seed exchange forum but are posting on other forums on the site, vs don't post at all, is really just a waste of time on their part. There are far to many members on GW and the time it would take is nothing more than a waste of time on their part. I suggest that if you have been wasting time trying to trade with people by sending "cold emails" to them, that you just work with the members that post on the seed exchange with trade offers, BEAP/SASBE offers and if you have seeds for trade on your own trade page, then post on the seed exchange yourself with the seeds you have to trade and what you are looking for. Experience has shown me that the easiest way to trade seeds is to use the seed exchange forum and the posts on the seed exchange form itself and to post myself with offers and what I'm looking for. There is always room for improvement on any site. And Welcome to the wacky world of seed trading. Fran
...See More
Questions to be placed into the FAQ
Q
Comments (36)
Well, OD, you didn't answer. May I post a polished version anyway? First, restate the subject as a question: How do I calculate the costs of running a greenhouse? Answer: The question is best answered by using an example, but first some formulas: Watts=amps*volts 1 KWH = 3,413 BTU 1500W electric heater produces 5120BTU Propane is 91,600BTU/gallon Q=deltaT*A/R Q=BTU heat requirement per hour delta T is the difference between outside temp and desired inside temp A= the surface are of the greenhouse is square feet, not including the floor; ie, the roof, side walls, and end walls R= the R value of the glazing Two important points about this last formula...some heating calculators use "heat loss value" (HLV) instead of R-value. Don't get confused, the HLV is just 1/R. The formula using heat loss value is then Q=deltaT*A*HLV. The other important point is that you use a different temperature when calculating your average energy costs over a month than you do when you you calculate what size heater you need. Heater calculations are used to determine how much heat you will need on the coldest night of the year. For this, you use your coldest winter temps, for example the colder end of your zone. For calculating heating costs you need the average temperature for the month. Here are some typical R-values for common glazings or coverings: 4 mil polyethylene 0.83; 4 mm (5/32") twinwall polycarbonate 1.43; 6 mil polyethylene 0.87; 6 mm (1/4") twinwall polycarbonate 1.54; 6 mil poly double layer (inflated) 1.43; 11 mil woven polyethylene 0.95; 3 mm (1/8") glass (single layer) 0.88; 16 mm (5/8") triplewall polycarbonate 2.5; Polycarbonate/fiberglass (single layer) 0.83 OK, let's say we are contemplating an ACF 10 x 12 Cottage Greenhouse. We first need to calculate the surface area of the greenhouse. Using the diminsions found on the website and some simple geometry, we calculate the surface area of each sidewall to be 55 sq ft, each roof side to be 64.6 sq ft, and each end wall to be 75 sq ft. Therefore the total area (A) is sq ft is (55*2)+(64.6*2)+(75*2)=389.2 sq ft. The website tells us that this GH comes in 6mm twinwall polycarbonate, so the R-value is 1.54. A quick search shows that in this particular zone 7a, the average January temperature to be 28.4 degrees. We want to keep our greenhouse at 50 degrees. So the "delta T" is 50-28.4=21.6 degrees. Now we can calculate the BTU per hour necessary to heat the greenhouse in January. Q=deltaT*A/R. Substituting the numbers, Q=389.2*21.6/1.54=5459 BTU. To figure daily use, multiply by 24 hours to get 131016 BTU/day. To figure monthly use, multiply again by 30 (days in the month) to get 3,930,480 BTU/month. Now, lets say we heat with propane. Knowing the BTU in a gallon of propane, we can take our BTU/month and divide by the number of BTU in a gallon of propane. 3,930,480/91,600BTU/gal propane to get 42.9 gallons of propane we would expect to burn in January. We just bought propane at $1.69/gal, so this would mean my January cost would be 42.6*$1.69=$72.52/month. Let's say we heat with electric. Take the same BTU value and instead of dividing by the BTU/gallon of propane, divide by BTU/KWH. 3,930,480/3413BTU per KWH=1151KWH. If my energy cost is 7.169cents/KWH, then heating electric should cost about $82.52 for the month of January. OK, well, our hypothetical DW says that the winter costs are too high and she cannot be convinced to go ahead with the greenhouse. Let's look at what we can do to lower the winter costs. Let's insulate the north wall...no sun comes through this wall, and if we insulate it with foil-backed polyisocyanurate 1" board, which has an R-value of 7.04, we raise the R-value of the north wall to 1.54+7.04=8.58. We can recalculate Q using the same formula, but adding together the BTU lost through the north wall and the BTU lost through the rest of the greenhouse. The formula would be Q=(deltaT*A/R)+(deltaT*A/R). Our greenhouse is oriented north-south, so the north wall is an end wall with a square footage of 55 sq ft. Our BTU formula changes: Q = (334.2*21.6/1.54) + (55*21.6/8.58) = 4826 BTU/hour This equals a monthly use of 3,474,720 BTU, equal to about $72.99/month heating electric. What else could we do? Well, we could add some thermal mass. Let's put 8 black 55 gallon drums in the greenhouse. One BTU is defined as the amount of heat required to raise one pound of water one degree F. The water will warm during the day and release this heat at night. One chap we know has measured the temperatures of his water at dawn and at dusk. The temp is 74F at dusk and 66F in the morning, a drop of 8F. Eight 55 gallon drums hold 440 gallons of water which is 3520 pounds of water. A 1F drop in the water temp releases 3520 BTU. An 8F drop releases 28120 BTU overnight. Over the course of a month, this is 844,800 BTU. Therefore, the total monthly BTU could hypothetically drop further to 3,474,720-844,800=2,629,920 BTU. This is 770.55KWH heating electric. At $0.07169/KWH, this is $55.24 for the month of January. Our calculations assume 100% efficiency. Some heaters, particularly vented heaters, are not 100% efficient. If you know the efficiency of your heater, you can adjust the calculations accordingly! Now on to summer costs. The greenhouse in the example will need an exhaust fan and HAF fans. First the exhaust fan. The greenhouse is 900 cubic feet in volume. Therefore, we need an exhaust fan that is rated at least 900 cfm. A 16" exhaust fan at Charley's is rated at 1095 cfm. The website tells me it draws 1.8 amps. Remember that watts=amps*volts. So when it is on, the fan uses 1.8*120=216 watts. If this fan runs 16 hours per day in the summer, it will use 216*16=3.456KWH/day. This is 103.68KWH/month, which, at the same price of energy we have been using above, amounts to $7.43/month for the exhaust fan. Let's say we use two 8" long life HAF fans. This may be overkill for a greenhouse of this size, but you will get the idea. Each fan draws 0.6 amps, and at 120V, this is 72 watts. Running 24 hours a day, each fan uses 1.728KWH/day, or 51.84KWH/month. Total use with the two fans is again 103.68KWH/month or $7.43/month. Know the usage pattern and amperage draw of each electrical appliance in the greenhouse allows us to calculate the cost of running each item. OD, I cleaned it up a little and also reinsterted the line breaks in the formulas. Thanks. SB
...See More
Frequently Asked Questions
Q
Comments (19)
I'm prolly gonna get in trouble, but here goes. The Victoria County, Texas, MG has just gone through the most aggravatin' time over these background checks. It was presented to our board that it was mandated by the state, everyone had to do it, and that was that. One member was not happy, and is very knowledgdable about getting what info she needs, and talked to the guy who runs the program in Texas. He told her where to get a copy of the mandate, which she did. Since she was not allowed to share this material, I had to get one of my own, but it was easy enough to do. Long story short. The state does NOT mandate that all MG have a background check. It is voluntary, and you do not have to do it, unless you are going to work with children in certain settings. And this does not include a 2 hour tour through the Children's garden. Also, we were told the cost was $10.00. It is $6.00, and the remaining $4.00 was to be a "cushion" for the 4-H. This is not going to be all that confidential, files will be kept in the Extension office, and we just had an email come in wanting to know who had the file of the last years applications, as someone wanted to look at it, and the Secretary didn't know who she had loaned it to last. I thought that info was 'confidential'. I don't know about y'all, but donkeys will do the chicken dance before I will willingly give them my SS#, DL# etc. As it turned out, the motion was made by Pres. that all MG had to do the checks, and the assn. would pay for all of them. A secret ballot was asked for, and the motion was defeated by an astounding number! We are old, don't want to work with kids, or just resent having to share my personal info. I am not going to do that. WE did pass a motion that those who wished to do so could, and the assn. will pay for it. Did not make some people happy, but it is a lot better than watching membership drop to nothing because of it. Down here, we are just trying to get through this year, hoping that the next will be better. This year has been the pits. ItCollins, if you will email me, I will share where to get a copy of this mandate. You will be interested in it. Janie
...See More
Electrical Wiring FAQ Introduction - Read this first
Q
Comments (0)
Welcome to the THS Electrical Wiring FAQ (Frequently asked questions). Before getting started, here are a few questions and answers about the FAQ and forum: Who uses this forum? The Electrical Wiring Forum members are a diverse group of all ages and geographic distribution ranging from electrical novices through professionals in the industry. This diversity has created a great atmosphere where anyone can learn more about electrical systems and at times, be entertained as well. One note of caution: On occasion some of the topics on the forum go beyond the abilities of the average DIY'er. It is important to understand one's limitations and to know when it is time to call for a professional. Why use the FAQ? The Electrical Wiring Forum limits the number of active threads to less than 300 with older threads being lost as new ones are started. Because of this limitation and the amount of activity on the forums, informative threads are all too quickly deleted from the server. Who created the FAQ? Although my name (big_jim) is at the bottom of every page, I'm just the guy entering the topics into the database. Every member of the forum is invited to participate in the FAQ creation process and without their help, none of this would be possible. Suggestions for new FAQ topics should be posted in the Electrical Wiring Forum with the subject beginning with "FAQ suggestion". Then members can discuss the best way to answer the question and ultimately it can be added to the FAQ listing. What is the NEC? The NEC is the National Electrical Code which is updated every three years by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). Unless specified otherwise, all references in this FAQ will be to the 2005 edition of the NEC. How do I find an answer to my question? For some simple questions the FAQ can provide an answer quickly without having to wait for a reply to a new thread. Another resource is to use the forum search function to find questions similar to yours. However, if there is any doubt about anything or if your question is not fully answered, feel free to make a follow-up post on the forum. When asking a question, try to be as descriptive as possible to make it easier for others to give good answers. Small details that may be obvious to a person looking at the problem are much harder to 'see' when reading about it on the internet. For this reason, don't be surprised if your question is 'answered' with a question. Your replies will help the posters better determine an answer. Is there anything else I should know? Yes. Before doing any type of electrical work you should take the time to learn how to do it in a safe and legal manner. You can find other FAQ topics addressing these issues on the main FAQ page. Thanks to Sangan, Mizzou_KX, Normel, DavidR and Tom_O for their help on this topic. Once again, welcome to the Electrical Wiring Forum. We hope you enjoy your stay!!
...See More
The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author
19 years ago
... a good start ... ?!?! LOL .. Keep it rolling ... this forum is going to be great !

Good Day ...
bonpw
19 years ago
This is my fascination. This might go beyond the FAQ, but plants prepare the way for future plants of growing complexity (succession) and have various ways of providing for each other. I'd love to know how to work that into my landscape design, putting interesting things together and watching what happens!
chaman
19 years ago
I would suggest some questions such as:
What is the structure of the seed?
What are hormons and their functions in different stages of plant growth?
What is the influence of sun light on plant life?
What are the pre-requirements of some seeds to germinate such as scarification and refrigeration etc.?
Why seeds be planted at certain depth and why some seeds like lettuce should not be burried?
How plant maintains it's clock?
What is photosynthesis?
How stems and leaves etc. defy gravity ?
Why roots move in the direction of gravity?
Ther will be many more questions from fellow gardeners as we move on.

chiman
The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author
19 years ago
Nice questions ... let it roll.

Good Day ...
nazanine
19 years ago
- The one I frequently encounter on another forum is a question related to root rot. There is a general tendency in that particular forum by some ppl to say that 'when you dont water your plants the roots die and water next the roots rot'. Although I totally agree with this statement, I think not enough effort is made to differentiate between pathogenic rot and decomposition rot. So, many ppl think that - grossly put - the roots are still subject to disease once they are dead. I think there is a need for a better explanation. One that notes differences between water logged roots/ethylen production/anoxygenic conditions ; fungal/bacterial diseases (that are encouraged in moist conditions) and just dead roots that rot off.

- A paragraph on pH and relation to nutrient availability/uptake would be necessary I think

- symptoms of nutrient defficiency and toxicity. Along the same lines a short description of translocation of nutrients could help too.

I'll come up with others later :)
maddy_RSA
19 years ago
Wow, what a list. Great questions, but - are they really FAQ's? By the time you are done explaining all this you will have written a book, and we don't need this forum anymore. You can just post a link and tell us: 'go read the FAQ!'
Which is not really the point of a forum, is it? We could all just go and buy books and read up on the subject.
But it's the interaction we need, and the input of many different people with different ideas and experiences. This is what makes a forum valuable.

I think, for now, to briefly outline the scope of this forum, a short explanation of 'Botany' and a few basic words about classification and taxonomy would suffice.
And perhaps a mention as to WHY it is so important to use the scientific names rather than local common names when talking plants on an international forum! (ok, this is my pet peeve!)

The FAQ should evolve over time, as needed, once you know which questions actually DO keep coming up! By then you also will have enough answers to put together from all the replies...

Just my 2c worth.
Maddy
Rosa
19 years ago
I have to agree with maddy. Mohave, from the looks of the suggestions for FAQ's you will have your hands full and have written a very good botany text as well when all is said and done. A new career for you?!?
Yes, a few words on what maddy mentions and then lets just start at the top and dig in-looks like we've got plenty of items for discussion.
Wasn't sure there would be enough interest in the forum and already pleasently suprised!!
marilou
19 years ago
Sorry, Mohave. I didn't see this post until after I responded to a different one, Shelly's request for someone to write FAQs.

I'm suggesting simple graphics showing plant structure that people can refer to as they read posts.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's the suggestion, scroll to Marilou's message
The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author
19 years ago
"By the time you are done explaining all this you will have written a book, and we don't need this forum anymore. "

LOL ... No kidding ... we will have to import experts just answer our own questions !! .. but then again it's good for folks to get it all out and get excited about a new forum ... we will edit everything and keep it a simple FAQ for you maddy and everyone else ... hey .. How did we know anyone was even going to show up and post ??? It's only what a week old ??

Thanks for the input .... and please stick around.

A gallery would be nice ???

Good Day ...
Rosa
19 years ago
Ok, I like the suggestion on plant terminology. Line drawings don't take much space. Is there a size limitation on either the FAQ's as a whole or individuals?

Maybe one for each of these (only the most common to start with) leaf arrangement, leaf shape, fruit, roots, venation, inforescence, male and female parts and flower shapes.
shelley_r
19 years ago
Yes, we all want illustrations. An absolute must. But I was thinking of making it very easy and just using links to other web sites. I'm sure there are many. Here's a link to one that has basic leaf terminology just as an example.

Here is a link that might be useful: Leaf Terminology Part 1
nazanine
19 years ago
sorry I didnt realize I got that off track :))
Mohave, I started doing sketches/drawings for the Hoya FAQ. What do you think about it?
Its just at the beginning (haven't had much spare time) but I will be completing the drawings. Next will be different leaf shapes (base and apice), different plant parts, etc.
LMK what you think

Here is a link that might be useful: Leaf
Rosa
19 years ago
Nice link Shelley! I have never seen links in the FAQ's and was under the impression it couldn't/shouldn't be done?? Anyone know??
garden_witch
19 years ago
How about a suggested reading list? Or list of other sites with lots of botany info (Floridata, botany dot com, etc.)

Also, a list of scientific terms used in botany (a glossary) would be good.
mdaughn
19 years ago
One of the most FAQ I get personally from the public (I work in an arboretum) is what is the difference between varieties and cultivars?

M.
garyfla_gw
19 years ago
Hi
My two cents. A definition of terms as related to this forum.
Botany particularly in contrast to other sciences such as horticulture,Agriculture,landscaping.Microbiology.
Clear definition of a plant.Would assume most interest would lie in vascular plants?? So a definition of this along
with a note of the exceptions.Fungi,Lichens Commensuls molds mildews and microscopic.Obviously these could be a forum in themselves lol
A guideline for a question within botany rather than Horticulture ,My assumption is that Botany is natural events within the plant world?? Not say manmade hybrids.or culture??
Maybe the basics on how a plant survives and reproduces?
Maybe only vascular plants??
Maybe some references to books??
Since there are so many other forums dealing with many subjects a guideline on what type of question to post here??
Gary
catalina_101
19 years ago
Let's not forget the bryophytes, my personal favourite group of plants. ;o)
The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author
19 years ago
"Let's not forget the bryophytes, my personal favourite group of plants"

They are quite interesting group of plants ... even in the desert .

Good Day ...
catalina_101
19 years ago
That's very true!

I happen to live in one of the mossiest places in the world. I'm very lucky. :)
garyfla_gw
19 years ago
Catalina
Let's skip mildews.I happen to live in one of the "mildewiest" places on earth.I'm very unlucky lol
Gary
catalina_101
19 years ago
I didn't suggest mildews. Not at a fan at all either. ;)

Just bryophytes--I did some work on them and fell madly in love.
weebus
19 years ago
Why do plants wilt?

Whenever we get on a discussion about things, people seem to really take notice when this is explained because it is something they can relate to.

I guess the question which should be asked is who(m) are we directing these FAQs towards? If it is other botanists, the answers are already known, or should be. If it is newbie plant growers without much knowledge, are they stopping by here?
The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author
19 years ago
Good qestion ..."Why do plants wilt? " ... The plan is to cover some basic information so those entering the forum as beginners can have a bit of a head start so questions don't always have to be answered from the ground up ... and the same standard questions don't have to be answered all the time.

Good Day ...
gillmass
15 years ago
it is fair to say that in cultivated plant nomenclature the multiplication sign x is only used for interspecific hybrids.
pineresin
15 years ago
Yes; a hybrid is the product of mating between two different species. Crosses between different cultivars of one species are not hybrids.

Resin

Call For Frequently Asked Questions ..FAQ.

Comments (27)

simplelife

shelley_r

Related Discussions

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

bonpw

chaman

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

nazanine

maddy_RSA

Rosa

marilou

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

Rosa

shelley_r

nazanine

Rosa

garden_witch

mdaughn

garyfla_gw

catalina_101

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

catalina_101

garyfla_gw

catalina_101

weebus

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

gillmass

pineresin

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Call For Frequently Asked Questions ..FAQ.

Comments (27)

Related Discussions

The_Mohave__KidOriginal Author

The_Mohave__KidOriginal Author

The_Mohave__KidOriginal Author

The_Mohave__KidOriginal Author

The_Mohave__KidOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author

The_Mohave__Kid
Original Author