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I built a set of drystone steps last year for which I have extensive before, during and after pictures. We don't get many hard landscaping questions here so I'm not certain whether it would be relevant to do a how-to-build blog entry.

Thoughts and comments?

And where is the Gardening blog?

Okay I put a first draft up here and realized that this could be a large post with many pictures, People write books on this and this Q & A post will be lengthy.

Edit 2: excellent points! I will try and break it up into several questions. I only scratched the surface for what is a project that can go well or horribly wrong depending on your preparation and experience. More to come during the week. Thanks

If this looks like good content I will take the draft off blogger and put up a longer version here.

Comments please.

Edit 3: I started posting and now I feel embarrassed at seeing all the questions asked and answered by me

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  • I read your draft and it does look like it'll be a long (but good) post. I presume there's more to be added to your draft? Another possibility would be to break it down to meaningful questions that are easy to search. For example, with the material you've put up, — "What factors should I consider before digging to lay stone steps?" would be a question where you could post those bullet points. Similarly, smaller questions could be asked and answered that cover the the topic. (contd ...)
    – Lorem Ipsum Mod
    Commented May 27, 2012 at 3:33
  • Eventually, when we get a blog, you can wrap it all up into a pretty post w/ pictures. Your effort will also be spread over several days and questions instead of in one post and sitting... I can ask this question too, if you'd rather someone else ask and you answer.
    – Lorem Ipsum Mod
    Commented May 27, 2012 at 3:33

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Wow! Very topical!

Asking and answering canonical questions has always been encouraged and now is officially supported by the engine. If you click the "Ask Question" button, you'll see a box under it asking if you want to answer it yourself. This allows you to write up useful, frequently asked questions on topics which should be asked and answered on this site, but there is no one to do that (due to lack of expertise).

http://blog.stackoverflow.com/wp-content/uploads/AnswerYourOwnQuestion.png

So if you, in your experience as a landscaper know of certain things that are common pit-falls or must-knows, by all means, please do ask and answer the question.

As for the blog, we have had a couple of meta posts on the scope and participation, but quite frankly, there isn't that much of an interest in supporting it (and by that, I mean more than 4 users who volunteer).

Maintaining a personal blog is hard, and maintaining a community blog is harder. Even if someone volunteers today, there is no guarantee that they will have the time to write a topic 4 months from now. Things happen in life and people get busy and all that. In the end, the blog ends up looking like a dry place. For example, see the situation at DIY, a site similar to us in many ways.

When a site gains enough momentum to keep the wheels turning even if a few regular members take time off, that's probably a good time to start a blog. I'm not sure we're there yet.

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