Well. I was not going to say anything about the new Format. Someone at that Forum was forthcoming.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2829153/hate-the-new-layout

I had to change my user name.  :(

Help! Something is wrong with my Ficus Benjamina!

I wish they would add Ficus Benjamina to the Garden Forums list above Figs, because I really couldn't give two squirts about what is ailing peoples Ficus Benjamina trees. I think it's funny how some people are talking about walking from that forum because it is different now. Yes it is different but it looks to me like it is the exact same list of garden forums as before, at least the forum(s) I look at are still there. For example there is Figs...and ummm..well, Figs..already said that...and..oh yeah!..nope said it, dang! Okay, that is pretty much the only one I look at, but I have dabbled in a few others on occasion.

Cavin
People will eventually forget how the original GW Fig Forum looked like but the initial mini shock is like when a child sees for the first time a new unfamiliar stepmother in the house (ignoring the ugliness or prettiness though the looks makes a difference too).

That’s not fare … My GW username is not available on the Houzz :( So now I am purplefig !

Not sure why they did this.  Money?  Anyway, I belong to Houzz, so got to keep my name.  It's different than before, but we'll get used to it. 

I went there yesterday to research pumpkins, and was shocked at how different it all is.  Still didn't find out what I need to know about pumpkins.  If you know, can I plant seeds now for pumpkins in Oct?  We have DG up here, so would have to dig in a lot of compost, but lots of land for them to sprawl. 

Fig forum doesn't seem to be too active at the moment.  And I agree they should separate Ficus Benjamina from Ficus Carica, but the forum is called "Fig," and they both are that.

I like garden web because we have so many different trees on our property, and I could spend hours there.  I've learned a lot.  Now need to learn the new format.

Suzi

Really It sounds like many did not get to keep their GW name. I started to confirm to Houzz and it when it stated my name was already taken I canceled out. I will probably pout for a while then join. I am pretty much strudeldog everywhere. Well Strudel the dog died several years ago, maybe I will  finally have to bury him.  I am thinking the account may already be me if I can figure what else Houzz manages.

Phil
 You may go for "strudelhog" instead of "strudeldog".  The words are visibly so close.

Akram,

LOL, I am not sure I could adjust to being called HOG, but thinking maybe I was referred to in context of swine or pig of recent.

I meant the words look visibly close.

I think "hog" can be a good thing if your avatar is a muscle motorcycle!!  Give us all a masterful impression!  LOL!
Suzi

... or strudelbog, or strudelgod, or...  

reminds me of the question:  Did you hear about the dyslexic agnostic insomniac?  He lay awake all night wondering if there is a dog.

Seriously, if it really is your account already, maybe you can sort it out.  (Try sending a message to strudeldog?)

Mike 

Hahahahaha Michael Tucson!  That was pure funny!
Suzi

Suzi,
About the pumpkins . I planted the seeds about this time last year and they grew nicely by the Fall.
I was going to do this again, along with melons too . Our temps are in 80s every day and the soil is nice and warm.
I have a California gardening book, can look it up

Thanks greenfig!  My neighbor told me yesterday that he's tried pumpkins, cukes and tomatoes, and they won't grow here.  Decomposed Granite.  Well, I'm thinking he probably didn't amend the soil prior to planting, but I'm going to give it a try.  Since he said "It can't be done," I'm going to do my best to prove him wrong with two nice home grown pumpkins on our driveway posts next Oct. :-))

Suzi

The fact that you are talking about growing pumpkins in - October is it, Suzi? - is fantastic. I mean actually, physically growing them. My intentions are currently buried under a foot or so of snow and ice and will be for a few months :) 

But at least I can look at the seed pack of the new one I'm trying this year - Green Striped Cushaw.

I have/had accounts on both gardenweb and houzz.  Do I get to choose which username to go with and which to retire?  I guess I'll found out when I try to log in.  I can't recall off the top of my head what my username is on houzz but on garden web it was 'rhewhton' - don't ask :)  Maybe it will be good to retire that one.

I didn't get to keep my GW user name either. It was okay though because it was one of the few places I used that one so now it is HanburyHouse there too. I noticed they changed the user name everywhere I had posted in the past as well, not just for new posts.

Suzi,
I have grown pumpkins in the past. If you have the seed packet, they usually say the number of days to harvest on the back. We usually grow Jack o lantern types and most are 100-108 days. We have been okay sowing seed as late as early June and still get pumpkins for Halloween, but I also see starts in the nurseries as early as mid March. Like greenfig was mentioning, they like warm soil to germinate. If you plant pumpkin seeds outside now, they might not do anything until the weather warms the soil up. Or are you starting them inside?

Ha no strudelgod for sure:) they put _gw on the end which I will likely accept if I can't hack into strudeldog after I quit pouting and whinning. I knew what you meant Akram just not sure I can live with hog:) 

Suzi,
Here is a page from my book.
You can see the timing as June for the Halloween 

HanburyHouse, it's currently 80 degrees and sunny outside.  Weeds are everywhere!  California poppies are popping up, and nastursiums are also popping up.  Roses never went dormant, and figs that did are starting to bud out.  I plan to start them directly in ground.  Not so good with starting seeds inside.  I may wait for a couple weeks.  My neighbor said they got snow here in March one year, but it's no big deal.  It NEVER sticks!  Pretty falling down, but nobody ever threw a snowball up here!  I'll check the back of the packet.  I know right where I'm planting one seed!  Next to a rose bush in the front yard so those babies will be right in front of my naysayer neighbor's nose when they turn orange!  LOL!  Gonna plant a lot more seeds down the back hill too, but I need him to SEE!  Finger's crossed.  Thanks!

Suzi

Suzi, I grew pumpkins last year in my compost pile. They volunteered in March, from a pumpkin that I tossed in there months before. I ended up harvesting 54 pumpkins in late September, and only had to water them twice all season.  

Wow Gary!  We have a compost bin, but I'm def taking some of that good stuff, sticking it in a hole by a dripper, and gonna give this a whirl for sure!  That's a lot of pumpkins!

What did you do with all those?  Hand em out to neighbors?
Suzi

Yes, Suzi, they all went to family, friends and neighbors. All who visited were happy to leave with some. I've also made pumkin curry with several of them. Yum.