Feel Free to divvy up !
I have seen a lot of myths and misinformation touted as gospel on the internet for garden tips and tricks.
Many are harmless , but others are not . Though ingredients of DIY spraying and concoctions may seem innocuous , when broken down and examined they emphatically can be harmful to the environs .
Garden myths and misinformation are rampant on Pinterest and other social media canal . Many call them gardening hack .
I always advocate avoiding insecticides , also known as pesticides , even organic single , as they can disrupt the natural counterbalance of your garden and may cause more damage than good .
Though this post will be controversial , I feel it is necessary to inform people of the danger or just plain misleading call you find on Pinterest , YouTube or the net . And now with AI need , it has puzzle worse !
I ’ve mostly ignored it until now , but when friend began using risky garden hacks , I had to step in — gently but firmly — to help them sympathize how those tips could harm their garden or local wildlife . As I explain what those method in reality do ( or do n’t do ) , I realized it was time to speak up and direct the effect here .
First , you do n’t take to addstarter fertiliser , spray , or other productsto your garden if you bank on a sound foundation .
How to commence a Gardenis a skilful spot to begin .
I can not believe the proliferation of really bad garden advice even on some top - range ‘ garden ’ websites and YouTube channels . There is no backup to the title at all , they just are recapitulate spoilt advice , and it is irresponsible .
And with the proliferation of AI - generated info ( which scratch tough advice from the internet to serve to you as fact ) , the horticulture internet is plethoric with damaging information that is shove to the top of hunt .
Yes , that include PINs on Pinterest and Instagram reels or TikTok TV promoting potentially harmful practice to newbie gardeners and they are so democratic . People want to believe they can take out ingredients from their kitchen or larder to solve issues in the garden , but they have no idea of the damage they can cause .
I will believably add to this clause as I regain more and more poor advice gaining popularity , so be certain and do back from metre to clock time to see what is new .
Epsom Salt for Plants?
This one is huge across Pinterest ! This is one people aver by , and I will credibly get hatred ring armor for busting this garden myth . People cling to this as if it were the holy grail . They base their faith in this chemical ( yes , Epsom saltiness is a chemical substance ) on anecdotal evidence and not on true skill .
Not certain what anecdotic means ? Here is the definition : anecdotical ( of an story ) not necessarily unfeigned or honest , becausebased on personal explanation rather than facts or research .
To show the danger of anecdotal upshot just think about bloodletting . Do you know it was used and sworn to be the remedy - all for over 3000 years ? Only in the 19th century was it called into question . Bloodletting was a deadly practice that killed horde of citizenry but it was used because it “ seemed ” to ferment . Some recovered from the unwellness after being bleed so it must ’ve cured the disease .
You may be saying to yourself , “ hey Pam , you often break garden regulation because you have tried methods that are not typical and you stick with them because they work out for you ” .
You would be correct , but Ialwaysdo my inquiry to make certain what I am doing is n’t something that will potentially cause trauma to me or the environment .
So if you want the existent soap on Epsom Salts read this article . I have delineated the claims of using it in the garden and tell you why it is not the miracle product as touted . Not only is it not the miracle garden proletarian but it can become toxic to the surround .
Interesting fact : myth proliferate and one may storm you . Did you sleep together that the 10,000 dance step shibboleth for honorable health is not a recommendation from health master but was a merchandising scheme of a pedometer manufacturing business ?
Vinegar in the Garden, why not?
This is another one that pervades Pinterest . You will see Pins that interpret “ 10 Ways to Use acetum in the Garden ” or “ lily-white Vinegar is a Gardener ’s Best Friend ” .
Do n’t buy it !
Vinegar is not the weed cause of death they claim . It will kill topical development and minor seedling but not the roots . To kill the intact plant , roots and all will take recapitulate use .
It will take a portion longer than you think and you will need to utilise a lot of acetum . ( remain away from horticultural vinegar , it is highly sulphurous and can make hard injury .
Even breathe the mist as you spray can cause lung damage , or getting the mist on your skin can cause Nathan Birnbaum ! So what is incorrect with using vinegar ?
Plenty ! Read More Here : Homemade Weedkiller , What You Should Consider !
The whole head of incite away from mathematical product like Roundup is environmental concerns . But did you cognize that using acetum can cause damage to beneficial creatures in your garden ?
It is just as caustic to our organic garden ally like toad frog , lizards , and insects as it is to the plant you are attempt to be rid of .
What about the antifungal properties of vinegar ? Now that would involve you spray it on plants .
riddle : So is vinegar an herbicide to kill plants by spray them with it or is it good to kill fungus on plant life by spray them with it ?
What about adding table salt to vinegar to improve its effectiveness?
Just don’t! Here is why:
Unlike man-made or organic herbicides , which break down over time , the sodium ion does not get around down .
It might be wash away by water to another location , like the land where you mature your favorite plants , or into local rivers and lakes , but it will always be somewhere .
Though we use it all the time , table salt is a toxic alloy ion that will not just go away . It contaminate your ground and then gets wash aside to other seat , itdoesn’tjust founder down organically and become something good .
Here is an interesting excerpt from a research paper on vinegar as an weed killer : If you are not disturbed about the safety aspect but plainly do n’t need to purchase a Monsanto product – do n’t block that vinegar is often made from corn , and most corn in the US has the Roundup Ready trait rise by Monsanto . So the acetum you are using to spray your weeds is plausibly made from corn that was sprayed with glyphosate : the very weedkiller you were trying to avoid . interpret rest of article here
Start Rose Cuttings in Potatoes
Though not unsafe , this myth is just plainly a waste of metre and potatoes . I tried it along with my normal method ofStarting Rose Cuttings .
The potato method never did develop roots on the roseate cutting while the ones I did the normal way , 80 % rooted . So if rooting rose in a potting spiritualist is so much more good why in the world would we get going them in potatoes?Source : Me … through geezerhood of examination
Kitchen ingredients make safe Pesticides
Garlic Spray : Since we can corrode garlic and it is estimable for us what could maybe be wrong with using it as an constituent pesticide ?
safe question because it can be in effect at killing harmful pests in our garden . But is that all it kill ? No !
Garlic - base insecticide is a all-encompassing - spectrumpesticide , it is non - selective . That means it also harms beneficial insects like bee and butterfly .
Interesting fact : Homeowners use approximately 10 time more chemical per unit area of soil than farmers do [ EPA figure ] . In urban areas , this is apparently a major contributor to non - point source defilement
If everyone start out using Broad Spectrum pesticides whether from the kitchen or from the garden centre shelf , what will be the result ? And because masses feel the homemade concoction are dependable , they are much more liberal with them .
Can you see the danger ?
Baking Soda eliminates Mildew on your Plants
dismal , another common myth . While higher concentrations can block the emergence of fungi it does not eliminate plants already infected . And it only showed decorous athletic field results when used in connective with horticultural oil .
And the caveat is that at the higher concentration , it can cause harm to fruit and interveinal chlorosis on leaves .
Coffee Grounds in the Garden
As you note in the photo , there are dissimilar call for usingcoffee groundsin the garden .
Some say “ never ” and others proclaim they recite you how to utilise them decent .
Who is right ? Well , neither actually . The claims about how to practice them by rights let in myths of coffee curtilage ’ power to change the ph of dirt under acid - loving plants , of how it gross out pest all around your garden , and how it feeds the worms who will , in turn , eat other garden pests ( say what ? )
None of those instruction is true . you’re able to employ umber grounds in the garden but sparingly . Use no more than 1/2 an inch on the soil surface , and if used as an accession to compost piles keep it to less than 20 % .
coffee berry dry land can both hinder and /or help plant growth bet on the plant . Unless you do thoroughgoing research on what you are using it for , it is better to be judicious and just add to your compost pile .
Demystifying the use of used coffee grounds in the garden!
Banana Peels for Roses?
What about summate banana peels to your planting hole or around the stain of roses ? Does it help bloom as many title ?
Many of the write up say that adding banana peels will contribute potassium to the soil , therefore , increase blooms on roses .
First of all , it is Phosphorus , not Potassium , that encourages more flush , and secondly , bananas are not that high of a informant of K .
white potato , beet , and tomatoes have a high amount of atomic number 19 . Even a glass of chocolate Milk River is higher . So why are n’t they recommended for purpose on rosiness ?
Not only is it not the high potassium boost you are look for but it takes quite some meter for it to give away down into something usable by your works .
Banana peels are another works - ground grade of constitutive matter , and they do add economic value to your soil but they are not the crack boost many tout . total them to your grime will not have any hurt . You are much good off go with a just organic compost than any one matter .
So toss those banana peels into your compost bin and produce a nutritive , well - round out treat for your full garden .
Gardening by Zone
you’re able to find many cheat sheets or tilt of what you’re able to plant when by USDA garden zone . These are very shoddy to a newfangled gardener .
Garden zones are not an indicant of your horticulture season or when you may plant sealed flowers or veggies in your household garden . Nor do they tell you the first and last freeze engagement , which is alone dissimilar data and has more bearing on when to plant than your zona .
For a all over article that explain why and what you should use to determine your individual planting clock time then hop-skip on over and read here .
Eggshells in the Garden
Another garden myth going around is adding eggshells to the garden to promote atomic number 20 storey in the soil , kill pests or to cure Blossom End Rot .
Sorry , you will be let down but you could read all aboutEggshells in the Garden here .
Tums for Blossom End Rot
Using Tums ( antacid tablets ) is another popular myth I have found making its bout to heal peak destruction buncombe . It is found on the premise that they are primarily atomic number 20 . To understand why they wo n’t form as purpose read …
Find out what really make Blossom End Rot and how you’re able to prevent it . redeem the Tums for your belly .
Pruning Tomatoes to Get More Fruit
This one is even present on many local extension office websites . To find out the facts , ground on a field of study done at Purdue and my own test in my garden read this clause here .
The Bone Meal Myth
Sometimes myths can sound fairish and yet when you deep dive they end up doing the exact opposite of what you want . Such as bone repast being a garden amendment to aid source development and flower production . Find out the facts about using Bone Meal in the garden !
Those are just a few of the tips and advice I have found that are promoted intemperately on the internet and are just pure hokum . I understand that mass require to steer clear of harmful products and methods yet they gravitate towards things that can be just as dangerous because of their seeming safety .
If you run across a horticulture tip or trick that sounds fantastic yet you do n’t know the science behind it do a hunt and ensure you do so with .edu in the hunting Browning automatic rifle .
That will guide you to where there has been literal inquiry done on any cave in method and will give you a better guideline and point out any potential impairment it may cause .
What is the best way to grow a great garden ? Start bybuilding great stain .
Great soil feeds the plants , salubrious plants can ward off pests and disease , and do n’t think every peak or industrial plant has to be complete . Live in concord with nature and see how it care for itself .
Click below to see how you can easily build your soil, naturally!
Seed Starting mix Vs Potting Soil
This is not really a myth but I do see democratic gardening blogger / vloggers stating that you need to use semen get mix to have achiever in start germ .
I really did a side - by - side comparison using both medium to take up seeds and I shared my experience . Many come set about mixes have a peat moss pedestal which is not of necessity an environmentally good choice .
Cardboard in the Garden
Another distressful trend is the consumption of composition board in the garden as a quick way to forget sens and set out new garden beds .
Read this before going there and then decide if it is the track for you .
glad Gardening !
Hi, I’m Pamela
bake sodium carbonate sourcehereSource : Garlic PesticideCoffee Grounds SourceVinegar and saltBanana Peels
Here is an example of ablog Charles William Post from a so call reputable siteand yet it encourages the use of items as DIY fertilizer that science has show are not effective . Many folks would trust this site and be lead down the garden way of life ( punning intended )
