Was the compost thread intentionally sent off to cyber compost? I don’t know if other threads have just vanished that way, but I couldn’t help noticing that one disappeared. I was posting a comment to the thread and the submission received repeated messages that the thread had been closed or deleted.
If it was intentionally deleted, why was the option to delete preferable to simply locking the thread? I’m asking because I considered quite a bit of the information in there helpful. Even the internal tiff had me laughing. I felt it played like a comedy for those who knew the characters. I’m just asking because I’m curious what factors play into making a choice of closing and deleting a non-spam or commercial hype thread.
@alan - On your recommendation in that thread, I ordered the Arboriculture textbook by Harris. I wasn’t ready to justify dropping $190 on the last 2003 edition, but found that I could get the 1982 edition through Amazon Prime for $5.58. I realize that many many changes will probably have been made in the interval, but at least I won’t feel any guilt over spending that little bit, and expect that even the early edition will help give me a better grounding in the academic understanding of arboricultural principals.
Muddy, actually, you probably aren’t missing much with the early edition. The most important stuff is still as current now as in 1982. I had that edition and sprang for for the third and there wasn’t a lot of difference. I’ve read the book cover to cover 3 times- guess I’m not a fast learner.
I think you will love the book. You don’t have to be a professor emeritus to write a good “gardening book”, but I think it may improve the odds a bit. That is a great deal.
Thanks, Alan. It’s good to hear that clothing and hairstyles may have changed for people in the interval, the fundamentals of choosing, establishing, and caring for woody plants remain basically the same. I think of growing things as more science than art, and appreciate having at least a basic practical library on hand.
I thought the price was a bargain, too. Having put 7 kids who had mostly had science and engineering majors through college, I’ve suffered plenty of textbook sticker shock. Some of those books cost as much as an entire semester of tuition did when I was in school!
Another useful book is “Tree Fruit Production Guide” from Penn State. I believe its about $30 in print. They also have a free on line version: http://polk.uwex.edu/files/2014/02/Tree-Fruit-Production-Guide-Penn-State-2013.pdf Covers Apples, Pears, Peaches and Cherries. Its more of a “how to” book than a text book. Useful information on IPM and chemical controls.
Thanks, blueberry! That sounds like it could be helpful to many. Would you mind putting a copy of that post in the Helpful Book Suggestions thread? That way more people (including me) are likely to be able to find it and take advantage of your good suggestion in the future. It sounds good!
