I'm thinking that the very detailed monthly climate data suggestions are more like database features than "Profile" features.
It would take a large and complex database to hold and display that much climate information. I doubt that one record per participant would be enough! One per participant per month might be enough, but those would still be BIG records!
Our public profiles probably need to stay fairly simple and easy to understand. They might still benefit from a "regional description" or "climate" screen with fairly simple info - some annual or seasonal stats plus some check boxes plus some text fields.
But a public profile should be a "quick read" and very easy to fill out or update.
Proposed Stats: auto-populated by ZIP but editable by the member
- - USDA Hardiness Zone - average winter low temp, also display avg low temp
- - Sunset Climate Zone
- - first & last frost dates (50% and 90%)
- - length of frost-free growing season
- - rainfall (per season or per year)
- - avg. summer high temp.
?? - degree days based on 50 degrees
?? - % Cloud cover days (per season or year)
?? - % Rain days (per season or year)
Several of the very detailed fields suggested for month-to-month data entry might be summarized in the profile by members, using optional checkboxes or text fields.
Things like:
- humidity extremes,
- highly variable daylight hours,
- pronounced wet and dry seasons
- sometimes requires protection from rain
- sometimes requires irrigation or hand watering
- high winds
- flat or steep terrain
- valley, mountain, plains, semi-desert, desert, boggy
- urban, suburban, rural, forested, farm country
- soil type (include an option meaning 'I only grow in highly-amended beds or containers"
Going beyond climate & region, there might be a profile screen for checkboxes & text fields describing member's interests & practices, like
- grow in containers, raised beds, in-the-ground,
- grow-for-market, propagate cuttings, sell plants, save seeds, trade seeds, sell seeds
- primary interests like crops, perennials, annual flowers, specific plant types, etc .
But that opened yet another wish-list topic .
Detailed Climate Data base (per month per participating member):
- length of daylight hours (on the 21st of each month)
- avg humidity & extremes
- # or % of cloudy days, sunny days, rain days
- # of frost days
- # of high wind days
- precip total & daily extremes
- need for irrigation or protection from rain
- temp average & extremes
- degree days per month or week & cumulative
I'm still trying to list ALL suggestions or daydreams ... a list that would probably need to be whittled down.
