While I think that the "FAQ" as outlined by swanoir was presented tongue in cheek ('the humus'), many of the subsequent comments and/or links to threads that could/should be included in a FAQ were presented in a more serious tone. And maybe they do make sense as a foundation to a real LD forum FAQ. But I've also sensed something else in these comments that may contribute to the apparent lack of communication between new posters seeking advice and those that regularly frequent this forum and offer it. And that is that the long checklist provided by Miss R must be (or should be) answered in detail before posting. Well, of course not! But it is definitely something worth reviewing and giving some thought to. This checklist, or something very similar, is what most designers utilize when first meeting with a prospective client. It gives them a feeling for what the client wants to do with the property, how they intend to use it, what they hope to get out of it and how much effort (time/$$) are they are intending to put into it. Hopefully, reviewing an outline or checklist such as this could help to refine and focus some of those blank slate questions and even educate those new posters totally unfamiliar with the process the degree of complexity, the number of variables and exactly what is involved in the formulation of a landscape design. Even DIY landscape texts intended for the homeowner with no previous design or landscaping experience offer similar checklists to get one started thinking about the process. Obviously, this is overkill for those questions that are more issue-specific, but I think very appropriate for those that are much broader and far less focused.

I use many methods. Most of our dirt gardens start as the cardboard on the ground to smother the grass like stuff and then we do a sort of lasagna garden thing on top with lots of compost, wood chips, mushroom compost, other people's bagged leaves and grass clippings etc. This works will in conjunction with drip irrigation on a timer for growing many things. The squash and cucumbers seem to love it as did all the winter veggies. For higher tech gardening we do Aquaponics. Kinda like hydroponics but growing fish to provide the nutrients for the plants so for about the same cost as a similar hydroponic garden we not only get to eat veggies but fish as well plus we are not dumping old hydroponic nutrient to waste that can pollute the water supplies. It takes a little longer for an Aquaponic system to mature and produce as well as hydroponics but once it reaches that stage, it generally surpasses hydroponics in it's production. It is a balancing act though and not meant for people who won't study up on it a bit before jumping in. It not only requires taking care of plants and plumbing but also taking care of fish and the bio-filter. I built my first barrel ponics system for under $300 (probably far less since those figures were estimating the cost of all the parts brand new and the cost of full 10' sticks of pvc when only a couple feet are actually needed) as my initial learning system. I'm sure a creative person can build a far cheaper small AP system for very little money. I still often start plants in containers and occasionally continue growing them in containers but container plants rarely do as well as the in ground counterparts so one must have strong reasons for container growing if they have any dirt space available. Here is a link that might be useful: Aquaponics

1. Did you FIRST START your home search with an A. Internet search 2. Of the homes you PREVIEWED, did you RESEARCH the MAJORITY of them A. On the internet 3. Of the homes you ACTUALLY SAW, did you FIND the MAJORITY haven't seen any yet, but the ones I want to see I found A. On the internet 4. N/A If your search was MOSTLY targeted by the internet, did you FIND your house FIRST on the listing agent's site? NO I stick with a couple agency websites that perform the best, irrespective of the agency my agent is working for. (Of course, since the listing agent provides the information, the photos and such are only as good as the listing agent.) 6. Were you PERSUADED to SEE a house by 1. The general MLS listing My answer is 1. only because the houses I have been interested in thus far don't have a web presence beyond the MLS 7. Are you searching for/did you buy A. Residential family home YES B. Special residential family home (note all that apply) 4. Urban I hope you realize that this survey's results are no doubt skewed in favor of internet responses because it is being asked on an internet forum.

I need a firm mattress that won't get depressions in it for a good 10 years... I know that regular mattresses have springs. There's so many kinds... the spring ones the more the better? Then there's wrapped springs, horsehair beds, feather beds, memory foam, pillow topped mattresses, air coils... sooooooo many! I am so confused by every product and service these days. I remember back in the 70s (and older obviously) where you had a choice of Bell telephone and that was it! No cable packages to choose from and only three TV channels basically! It was so much better then. You didn't have to spend 20% of your life discussing and researching what to buy! I don't know what to do about a bed. I gotta get that, pick a headboard and a washer/dryer in the next two months and I'm just exhausted. Then I'll need the sheets which is another story. No mattress is the same depth and no sheet is made right and I want a very tight fitting sheet that won't come off at the corners. I detest wrinkles when sleeping; I am bothered by everything! LOL I'm going out this weekend to measure washers and dryers and I'll be trying on mattresses in the places I go that have both... I'm going to need a LOT of luck.