Gardening is one of the oldest human endeavors, and it may actually be foundational to civilization as we know it—small gardens were probably the basis of the First Agricultural Revolution thousands and thousands of years ago. Gardening is ancient, found in most cultures, and filled with lore, tradition, and history. More is being added to the story all the time, spread at the speed of light by modern telecommunication. Unfortunately, some of these cherished ideas or brand-new revelations are just incorrect or misleading and can cause problems for gardeners who try to follow them. With that in mind, here’s a short list of more gardening myths that we will hopefully debunk for you today.
Myth: Drought-tolerant plants don’t require regular watering
Reality: All plants need water—it’s just a question of how much and how often. Drought-tolerant plants like Rudbeckia, yarrow, and hyssop can survive drought conditions and tolerate less frequent watering, but they still need an appropriate amount of water to survive. So beware over-watering but do some research and ensure that your drought-tolerant garden gets the water than it actually needs. It’s always best to pay attention to the plants, learn the signs that indicate they need water, and respond appropriately.
Myth: Gravel/pot shards/bark in the bottom of a container creates better drainage
Reality: We’ve addressed this before, but with so many new gardeners coming on board this spring we thought it bore revisiting. Filling the bottom of a garden container with anything other than soil can create a waterlogged layer of dirt that harms the roots of your plants. It’s better to use a good potting mix and containers that are designed to drain and breathe rather than fill the base of the container with something other than soil.
Myth: Adding banana peels to garden soil works as fertilizer
Reality: While banana peels are absolutely compostable, they do take a while to break down and share their nutrients with the soil. Typically this myth is phrase as a fast and efficient way to add potassium to the soil. While bananas and banana peels are in fact rich in potassium and other components that are good for the soil, it’s best to add them to your composter and let them break down into a usable compost before adding them to your plants.
Myth: Epsom salts are good for plants/the soil/starting seeds
Reality: This one is really several myths in one, so bear with us as we explain. Epsom salts—chemically known as magnesium sulfate or MgSO4—contain a lot of magnesium which is in fact essential for plant growth. This is where the reality ends and the myth begins; while Epsom salts are sometimes used in large-scale agriculture to address a severe magnesium deficiency in the soil, they do not make seeds sprout faster, improve the soil, or encourage rapid plant growth. Epsom salts are salts, and if added casually or carelessly they can damage your soil or the groundwater beneath it. If you’ve had your soil tested and it needs magnesium, it’s best to use a commercial fertilizer or good compost instead. Soil additives should always be approached carefully and with a full understanding of what they do and how they work.
Myth: Adding sand to clay soil loosens and aerates it
Reality: Adding sand to clay soil produces a primitive form of concrete as the clay particles fill in the space between the grains of sand and harden into a rock-like substance. There are times and places for this—a xeroscaped garden walkway for instance—but if you want to get the most of your clay soil you’re better off tilling in organic matter and compost to loosen and oxygenate it. Contrary to another garden myth, clay soils often contain high levels of nutrients and minerals and just need a little help to transform so that plants can use them. Another quick caveat: it’s best to work clay soil when it’s had some time to dry, rather than right after rain or a heavy watering. Overly wet clay soils are prone to compacting, which can make the situation worse if you try to till or amend them.
We hope that debunking a few garden myths and spreading some good information helps you get your garden off on the right foot this spring. We have a lot of new folks interested in gardening this year, so if you know a newbie gardener please share our blog with them. If you are a new gardener—welcome! Feel free to reach out in the comments or via email if you have any questions and we’ll do our best to help!
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