To create and maintain the ultimate online social experience, we need your help. The following guidelines apply to all areas of GardenHowTo.com.

DO

1. Fill out your profile. Post a picture. We all want to see you smile. Nobody likes those limited profiles. If you're shy that's ok just tell us about your garden. 🙂
2. Introduce yourself to the community. Don't worry we don't need your life story just quickly tell us who you are and where you're from :).
3. Share! It benefits the whole Garden How To community when you regularly contribute content to the site. Post videos, photos, blogs. Start discussions in the forum. We will feature the best stuff on the main page for everyone to see! (Make sure your photos, posts, videos, etc. have proper title, description, and tags. This helps members locate your content and makes the overall experience much better here.)
4. Get involved. Our community is designed to be more rewarding when you know other members, so make friends. Explore. Engage. Search for other gardeners who are in your city. Check out member profiles simply by clicking on their photos next to the content they add.
5. Treat others as you want to be treated. Simple rule. But makes sense always.
6. Spread the word about GardenHowTo.com. Don't keep it secret. If you think it rocks, tell your friends.
7. Join the conversation. We want to hear your ideas. Yes, really. We do!
8. Be generous and give back - like and comment as much (or more!) on others' content as your own!
9. Join groups. Our groups are there to bring like-minded gardeners together. Browse through the groups and join the ones that interest you. If you have interest in a topic that doesn't have a group, start your own. It's easy and very rewarding.
10. Before starting a new group or creating a new discussion, search at the top right of your screen to see if the subject has been addressed already or a similar group exists.
11. Ask to be added as a friend, and add a note of interest to your request.
12. Check out the profile of those asking to be added as your friend.
13. Use English only. Since this network is primarily in English, we ask that you speak in English on the site to prevent confusion. You are free to speak other languages within language-specific groups as long as you continue to abide by these Guidelines there.
14. Have fun!

DO NOT

1. Excessively criticize an idea/person. Constructive debate is good. Name-calling is no good.
2. Engage in inconsiderate or illegal behavior. To keep the Garden How To community running smoothly and sustain an enjoyable place to visit, we will not tolerate members who engage in any activity that is disrespectful, unkind, cruel, threatening or illegal. This includes:

- No flaming. Flaming includes insulting, belittling, or saying ANYTHING inappropriate, even if it is done in a joking manner.

- No threatening anyone.

- No posting content that is sexually or violently graphic in nature.

- No swearing.

3. Be afraid. We are a friendly bunch. Ask questions. Connect. Be happy.
4. Promote your event too much - simply creating an event will post it up on the events calendar and that will get the word out.
5. Post irrelevant or inappropriate content.
6. Feel like you must add every requester as your friend.
7. Try to game the points system - quality of engagement is often more important than quantity.
8. Feel like you must respond to every comment.
9. Feel personally slighted if not everyone responds to your friend requests.
10. Feel personally rejected if not everyone responds to your comments.
11. Create a Profile that includes a company name or logo. The use of business names is permitted, but please use them within your bio or a text box on your personal page.
12. Create a Group for your company (local Gardening/Horticulture clubs are an exception).
13. Last but not least, please do not SPAM. Spam can be defined as the act of indiscriminately advertising or promoting your own products or services. The purpose of the site is to share knowledge, solve problems, have fun, and make connections - not to promote your products or services. We want GardenHowTo.com to be a safe place for gardeners to collaborate and connect with one another without experiencing a barrage of people making pitches. All content (blog, comment, discussion forum, video, photo, private message, etc.) will be considered Spam if:

- It is a post or discussion that appears to have been created for the sole purpose of self-promotion.

- It appears to be a self-promotion that fails to address the specific topics of an existing discussion.

- It contains outbound links but no content.

- It is perceived to be excessive (the same or similar message being posted multiple times throughout the site) or derogatory by the community moderator.

Any content perceived as Spam will be deleted. Thank you for respecting this. We understand that there are times when promoting your own or someone else's services is relevant and warranted. We want to be careful not to discourage this kind of knowledge transfer. Just follow the guidelines above and use your common sense and you will be fine.

As a contributing member of Garden How To, it is an acceptable practice to include a short bio and your contact information on your profile. The more you add value to the community, contribute content, and be part of the conversation the more exposure and recognition you will receive so be sure to participate wherever possible.

Here are some additional principles that guide our approach to maintaining an awesome community:

1. We reserve the right to remove content that does not follow the guidelines above. If we do, we will contact you as quickly as possible and let you know why there is an issue. We will work with you to resolve any issues so your content can be reposted.
2. We reserve the right to move, edit or de-emphasize content that does not fit into a certain part of the site.
3. We may revoke member privileges for members that continually ignore these community engagement guidelines. Generally, we will use a three strike policy (first infraction results in coaching, second in additional guidance and third time will lead to a temporary or permanent ban from the site).
4. We will remain open to feedback and tell members when we have adjusted content they have posted.
5. We reserve the right to delete members that do not maintain up-to-date profiles.
6. We may encourage deletion and/or consolidation of groups that overlap in their objectives.
7. We may delete an inactive group after consulting with its creator.
8. We reserve the right to change/update these guidelines at any time.

That is all. Now that the serious stuff is out of the way, please go and have fun and start interacting with the awesome Garden How To community! Thank you for being a member!