Digging for the Truth: Gardening Myths that You Should Stop Believing

A lot of people have a lot to say about gardening. Unfortunately, the advice you hear from your next-door neighbour about trimming your plants might not be the most helpful. Most gardening advice you hear can be completely false. Just take a look at these popular gardening ideas that are nothing but myths:

You can only grow a plant successfully if you have a green thumb

Most people believe that their gardening ability is an innate gift. You either have it or don’t have it at the time of your birth. The truth is that gardening is an activity that can be learned. It’s really a matter of teaching yourself about things to look out for to make growing plants possible. One of those elements is the planting environment. You need to provide healthy soil so that plants will get nutrients and have a solid base for their roots. It’s also important to pay attention to the amount of light they’re getting. Follow the instructions that come in the label when you bought your plant or ask experts from the local garden centre. A lot of people buy a polycarbonate greenhouse so that they can better control the planting environment. You might want to do the same. Again, gardening isn’t an inborn ability; it’s a skill that can and must be learned.

You should water the trees that lose their leaves

Although wilting and falling leaves are signs that you should water your plants more, that’s not always applicable to trees. If you notice your tree losing leaves, especially during fall, it usually means that they’re at a state of rest, and watering will disrupt that process. Leave the trees be. That way, they can avoid new growth spurts and withstand the extreme temperatures of winter. When late autumn comes after the leaves have fallen, you should water the trees adequately. Do this before the ground freezes. Otherwise, the soil might prevent the tree from absorbing the water and nutrients. The fundamental principle in watering trees is that the soil should only become moist, not soggy.

You must use organic pesticides over synthetic ones

Organic has become a buzzword in almost all aspects of modern life, especially gardening, precisely because people have become more eco-conscious. Although it seems beneficial to use natural substances, like snake venom or poison ivy, these have toxins that are particularly harmful to plants, pets, and other living creatures in your garden. According to one study, mineral-oil based and fungal products kill ladybugs, insects that naturally keep plants safe from pests, which then causes the need to use more pesticides. With that in mind, organic doesn’t always mean good. Remember the rule when using any product on your plants: check the active ingredients and do a little bit of research on how dangerous they are.

In the end, you should know the truth behind every piece of gardening advice. Otherwise, you might just be doing more harm to your plants or spoiling a supposedly fun hobby.