Gardening folklore and myths , stories and lead pass down from generation to contemporaries . We ’ve all get a line them before .
Planting marigolds around our vegetable to dissuade pests . Getting potatoes in the ground on Good Friday . Using beer as a come-on trap for slugs .
Is there any true statement to these recommendations ? Are marigolds really effectual at deterring annoying critters , and does n’t the date of Good Friday change yearly ?
And , most gross of all , have I been wasting perfectly o.k. beer as slug bait ?
We link to vendors to help you find relevant products . If you buy from one of our links , we may take in a commission .
We ’re going to get to the bottom of some popular myth , legend , and garden folklore .
We ’ll explore which ones are accurate , which are partially inaccurate and need some additional information added , and which are downright false .
Here ’s what we ’re get into :
Garden Folklore: Fact and Fiction
It ’s impossible to capture everything in one article , but we ’ll do our best to take on the most democratic garden myths float around out there . permit ’s start with the Just Plain Wrong .
Many Garden Myths Are Just Plain Wrong
These myths should get tossed by with last year’sgardening gloves .
If you add sugar to the soil around your tomatoes, you’ll grow a sweeter vegetable.
Nope , sorry , it does n’t work that means , but I sure wish it did . The only means togrow a honeyed tomatois to take a sweet variety .
mostly , you want tochoose a small cultivarif you like them to be sweet-scented .
you may still improve the overall flavor and taste of any tomato you grow by beingconsistent with your wateringand the sun it have .
Tomatoes benefit hugely from steady nurturing , and if you arrange yourplants in healthy grime , with careful lachrymation and persevering care , you ’ll be rewarded with a harvest of tasty fruit .
I have one earthworm. I will cut it in half and have TWO earthworms!
No ! No , no , no , it does n’t make for that way .
Sure , you ’ll technically have two earthworms , but one will be dead and the other will need to lead off repairing itself immediately . This is a braggy , bad garden myth .
Earthworms are comparatively simple organisms and they can reclaim after ache severe damage , but they still have a brain , a circulative system , and nerves .
If you cut a dirt ball in half , the top end ( the side with that big bump on it ) could hold out and repair the damaged tissue , but it ’s insufferable for the other half to do much of anything except moulder in the earth .
It ’s unacceptable to avoid injure earthworms when we ’re dig into the soil ( believe me , I ’ve seek ) , but the least we can do to aid outour favorite aerator and compostersis to forefend injuring them whenever possible , especially by not intentionally cutting them in two !
Plant your potatoes on Good Friday.
I heard this one recently for the first time and was confused by the assumption . Does n’t Good Friday fall on a different date each year ? What if it ’s an peculiarly cold flow of the year , or a very wet one ?
This is a garden myth that originates in Ireland . When the overweight and delicious veggie was first introduced to this area of the world , legend has it that superstitious denizens were mistrustful of this new plant that uprise underground .
To forestall any devilry from affecting their craw and their wellness , the hoi polloi planted on Good Friday .
Whileplanting potatoes in the springtimeis ideal in some theatrical role of the creation , others are cover in coke or they may experience sudden cold snap .
Just to be safe , embed your potato when the peril of knockout frost is behind you , and do n’t worry about this garden myth .
Plant three crops of parsley: two for the devil, and one for me.
Parsley can be a hard semen to begin growing . It germinates slowly and benefit from lovesome soils .
Conditions can be understandably unforgiving out-of-doors , with semen wash away by springiness rains and sudden variety in the weather condition .
We ’ll have to forgive sure ethnic music of yesteryear for thinking the devil himself was snagging their crops of parsley , and go away it at that . This garden myth does n’t hold any weight in its abstract thought !
Don’t water your plants’ foliage on a hot day or they’ll burn up!
I diligently follow this garden myth for years . And age . And years .
I even told people , “ Don’twater your hostawhen it ’s sunny out ! Those H2O droplets form itty - bitty magnifying lenses , and they ’ll combust so many holes in your Funka you ’ll cogitate you ’re growing Swiss Malva sylvestris ! ”
Researchers from Eötvös University in Budapest , Hungaryperformed the researchand fly the coop reckoner models that debunked this garden myth .
Here ’s the truth of the matter : the urine droplet can not concentre the sun ’s push so much that it damages the leaves .
However , cold water on a hot leaf could cause some of the damage nurseryman may witness , whenwatering from the hoseon a hot Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , for instance .
As a ecumenical guideline , it ’s good to water the soil – not the plant – to prevent damage to leafage and flowers , and to minimize excess moisture that can lead tofungal trouble and the spread of disease .
Some Green-Thumbed Legends Offer a Grain of Truth
The next garden myth have a food grain of truth stuck in them somewhere , but they ’re also in indigence of elucidation or refinement . Some of these are anecdotic and do n’t have grounds to support them – except for the results themselves .
Is it safe to plant seeds? Sit on the ground with your bare rump to find out.
I intend , I ’m all for model down on the ground in the garden , but without my drawers on ?
On the one hand , it seems uncomfortable . On the other , I ideate gardeners around the world discretely sitting their derriere on the reason and deciding if the soil is , in fact , the correct temperature for planting seeds … and all this does is make me chuckle .
If this sound like something you might be into , check out our clause on World Naked Gardening Day . But do n’t reckon on this method as any kind of accurate measure for determining ground temperature .
This garden myth stems from the fact that soil needs to be within a certain chain of mountains of temperature to pop engraft germ without fear of the cold ground killing the roots and cotyledons when they first come forth .
But nowadays , we have soil thermometers , extended weather forecast , and easy replaced seeds and plants available to us if our first attempt fail .
The idea that craunch strong enough to sit on comfortably with a scanty target is guaranteed to also be pleasant enough to plant seeded player that will germinate successfully has some foundation in fact , although one person ’s definition of comfortableness is no guaranty of whether it ’s unfeignedly secure to implant or not .
Pennies in a zip-top plastic bag will repel flies, and compact discs repel deer.
In increase to my own personal anecdotical experience with this , I know enough folks that I trust and respect who assert by these garden myths to give them some credit .
More significantly , I have n’t unveil any scientific consensus to disprove these theories .
Supposedly , if we tie up clear plastic sandwich bags fulfill with water and a few centime , the refracting luminousness will frighten away away flies who suspect this odd presence in the garden could be a predator aiming to hunt them down .
For deer , the theme is that easy spinning , glistening compact phonograph record will disorient or confuse them , andprevent them from nosh on our crops .
Is it true ? I do n’t sleep with , but I ’ve seen answer from using compact phonograph record to keep deer aside .
I ’ve also noted that my friends who apply the penny method acting regularly control cocktail hours on their back deck with zero fly to bother us .
I ca n’t find information to definitively prove or disprove these garden myth , but I know results when I see them .
Talk to your plants and they’ll grow better.
Some scientist , like Rich Marini , PhD of Penn State University , think our conversation can havea electropositive effecton plants .
Marini says plant respond to environmental stresses like farting and vibrations by growing stronger , and that our voices and conversations are fundamentally vibrations too .
Therefore , our voices can have a positive force on our plant life .
Dr. Marini does not agree , however , that the carbon dioxide we emanate when speaking helps flora to produce extra growth .
The amount of carbon dioxide we ’d require to throw out would have to last for hours each 24-hour interval to result in any measurable modification in our flora .
I think the substantial value of talking to plants is thatwe can relax a little spot , and maybe finger a little cockamamy say our tomatoes we ’re lofty of that Modern set of bloom .
And if we garden with others , a simple conversation can be all it takes to see the very real benefits of talk to and among our plants .
We can thresh this garden myth into the “ It ’s got some weightiness to it ” bin .
Set out beer traps to end your garden slug problem.
Does it work ? This one can be resolve with a resonant “ kinda . ”
The barm inbeer will certainly help to attract slugsto a well - placed snare , but the validity of this garden myth has all of its weight unit resting on whether or not the slugs can get back out of the gob again .
If you set out a shallow bowl with some beer in it , the clout can climb up and slurp .
But if it ’s too shallow , they ’ll just turn around and go back to whatever other goodies you have uncommitted in your garden when they ’re done .
The effectiveness of this legendary method rests on how quickly and efficaciously you may nab the slug from these traps and dispose of them in another way .
Occasionally they may drown , but more often they manage to climb up the side of the container and go on their merry way .
Plant marigolds to keep the bad bugs away.
This is a garden myth with a circumstances of accuracy to it , but likewise a lot of misapprehension .
Marigolds do indeed deter some of the bug we do n’t wish in the garden , such as cabbage worms , and they canattract good fliesthat feed on aphids and other nasties .
But we need tremendous amounts of marigolds for this to have a real effect .
A unmarried six - plurality of marigold starts from the greenhouse wo n’t do much for your garden . But if you carpeted the bottom with a hundred plants , you ’d emphatically detect a positive impact .
Keep in mind , however , that those extra marigold will also compete for the same resource our vegetable harvest and other edibles need .
So , marigold can certainly gain your garden space as comrade industrial plant , but only when they ’re grown in sufficient numbers , and there are some considerable drawback to this strategy as well .
If you select toplant some marigold in your garden , I ’d urge you do it with only their lovely appearance and scent as your reward .
Flora Folklore That’s Garden Fact!
Yes , here we go ! Definite garden Sojourner Truth that offers a clear , concise , factual bit of wisdom .
Use eggshells and banana peels in your garden for healthier plants.
shell and banana peels contain pregnant amounts of calcium and potassium , severally , and these common kitchen wastefulness products can be a boon to your garden .
I’dsprinkle crushed eggshellson the surface of the soil or work it just underneath . And I recommendburying banana peelsin the worldly concern instead of tossing them loose on the surface of your garden bed – that ’s a recipe for attracting rodents and other pests .
These two helpful food scraps are basic element of compost , and they may be put to the best use in a bin where they can contribute tocreating nutrient - full-bodied compost .
However , in a apprehension , append them directly to the garden in their in the altogether form figure out too .
Soak your plant cuttings in a “tea” made from soaked willow cuttings to promote rooting.
I have a admirer who asked if he really could get willow whip to set root in a bucket of water . I severalise him he ’d have a severe time getting themnotto take root .
Willows are fast growers , and this is due in big part to the growth internal secretion indolebutyric Elvis , which they contain . This hormone will indeed help your cutting in get going to set ascendant .
edit out about twenty branches from a willow tree , nothing larger than a pencil in diam . Do n’t worry , your willow tree can handle losing these !
Strip the leaf from the branches you ’ve cut , and then cut the leg into piece 1 to 2 inches in duration . Boil half a gallon of water , remove it from the warmth , and then place the pieces in the water to intoxicate .
In the past tense I ’ve steep mine for 24 hours because I ’m an raring guy , but they can ride in the water for 48 hr . Sieve the mixture and toss the twigs however you prefer to go about this ( throw them on the compost , etc . ) .
Now your homemade alternative to powdered rooting internal secretion or a commercially usable gel is ready to use .
Take whatever plant cutting you wish to propagate , and brook the theme turn out side down , in a small glass with an column inch or two of the tea for about eight hour . Then you may plant them in your favor medium .
I always expend gumption commix with perlite or vermiculite for cutting to reserve for easy transplanting , and to make it easier to check the root development .
Use the afternoon tea quickly , within a twenty-four hours or three at most , for the best results .
Apply coffee grounds to the soil around your azaleas.
I ’m enjoying a nice cup of coffee as I write this , but I am dreading reaching the bottom of my cupful where those gritty grounds rest .
as luck would have it , we ’ve got a use for coffee grounds ! They are deep in nitrogen , take as much as2 percent by volume .
Most plant will broadly speaking enjoy this blast of nitrogen , and the slightly acidulent composition of used umber land isperfect for azalea .
you could spread the curtilage over the control surface of the soil , or well yet , immix them up with something else like grass trimming or compost .
sample to spread the covering evenly around your flora , so you do n’t wind up with a huge ball of chocolate reason in one area , attracting blighter or preventing adequate aerofoil drain .
Like banana Peel and eggshell , used coffee grounds could be best use in your garden as an element added to your compost , but a direct practical software will also do the trick .
study more about using coffee tree grounds in the garden here .
Bury rusty nails, pins, and other metal objects near your plants to aid their growth.
There ’s plenty of truth in this garden myth ! Metallic rust can be beneficial in the garden , as the chemical substance process that ’s taking position releases tiny second of iron into the stain .
That ’s a benefit to some of our edible favorites in the garden likecarrots , tomatoes , andgarlic .
The rusting process itself can increase the acidulousness of soil , a benefit to ericaceous plants likeblueberriesandazaleas .
However , before you bleed outside and try out this one , I ’d care to require you to pause for a 2d first to stop over and cerebrate about this :
Who in their right creative thinker think back in the day that it would be a good idea to urge burying bantam , tart , metal objects in the soil , with the destination of allowing them to corrode in the garden ? !
That ’s a formula for stab fingers and a itchy few moments of wonder when your last lockjaw dig was .
If you try this , opt larger , dependable items like rebar over tiny , sharp metal objects that will get lost in the dirt and wind up wherever you least want them to be .
Garden Folklore Galore!
We ’ve looked at some popular garden myth and have found some that are true , some that need some elucidation , and others that are downright wrong .
Hopefully we can read something from this , even if all we ’ve profit is more of an appreciation for the myths and anecdote that contribute to the full-bodied chronicle of gardening .
On a personal distinction , a major takeaway from this clause that holds system of weights with me is that even ill - inform garden tips and legends still hold some value .
It could be that we maintain some share story with these tips and myth , or that we ’re always out there trying to prove one another right wing or improper .
But I think the real value is that they get us outside and into the garden . verify summit and swearing by the odd spot of folklore , drop metre acquire dirt under our nail as a issue , is one of the well experience man can experience and engross .
And so , I receive crazy new tips or antediluvian bits of pseudo - knowledge , as long as it gives me a reason to get outside .
In researching this article I chance a few unfeignedly loco garden myths , material like , “ Do n’t bring dandelions into the menage or you ’ll wet the bed , ” and it proved difficult to find any additional information or background on those . I , for one , am not about to try out with that blowball one .
Do you have any old garden folklore or anecdotic tips to share that were n’t include here ? Drop us a comment below – we ’d bonk to see it !
And if you are concerned in moregardening curio , give these guides a read next :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right field RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Uncredited picture : Shutterstock .
About
Matt Suwak
