We’ve all been told things since we were kids. You know, things like “don’t walk with the pointed end of scissors sticking out,” or “don’t go out side barefoot because you’ll step on glass.” And so it is that we come to some gardening adages.
We’ve heard these adages since we were kids, too. But are they true? Let’s examine a few of these gardening facts … or fallacies.
– Beer will trap and drown snails. Don’t waste beer on this fallacy. The way it’s supposed to work is you pour beer in shallow pie tins or saucers and scatter them throughout the garden. Snails are attracted to beer, drink it, fall in and die with a smile on their faces. Only problem is, it’s mostly a waste of good beer. Sure, you may catch a few, but it’s not worth it.
– Planting smelly garlic, onions and marigolds in the garden will ward off insects. Now, this one’s a gardening fact – at least when it comes to warding off aphids and a few other flying insects. Garlic, onions or marigolds will do nothing, though, against snails, earwigs and other crawling insects. So, go ahead and plant some smelly herbs or flowers next to your roses because it will help some.
– Watering on a sunny day will burn plant leaves. You know the routine: Don’t hit leaves with overhead water on a hot day or else the leaves will “burn” and turn brown. This is a gardening fallacy. Any holes “burned” in leaves are due to fungal or bacteria diseases rather than the method in which you water. However, a good reason not to water at midday is that the moisture you apply will be lost much more quickly due to heat (evaporation) or wind. Of course, you should water promptly whenever you see plants in need. But the ideal time is in the morning when there’s less heat and wind, and higher water pressure. Plus, any water that does sit on leaves or flowers will quickly evaporate, lessening the chance of fungal or bacteria diseases.
– Epsom salts is a good, cheap fertilizer. Chemically, Epsom salts is made up of hydrated magnesium sulphate, which is about 10 percent magnesium and 13 percent sulphur. So, yes, Epsom salts will help provide plant growth, leaf color and even produce fruits and flowers since magnesium and sulphur are key fertilizer elements. Epsom salts can simply be sprinkled at the base of plants or diluted at one tablespoon to a gallon of water for use as a foliar spray. Mark this one down as a gardening fact.
– Remove grass clippings or they’ll produce thatch on your lawn. Mark this down as a fallacy. Thatch is a layer of dried grass clippings that builds up on the soil surface. As long as this layer is less than a half-inch, it’s harmless and, in fact, has some of the same benefits as mulch. So, go ahead and use that mulching mower without any worries.
Hopefully, this helps clear up some gardening facts or fallacies. It’s a rough world out there, so be careful when you’re in the garden.
