Growing plants is one of the oldest and best hobbies in the world. We can get closer to nature, grow our own food, make beautiful places, and relax after a long day. Watching your plants grow is the best feeling in the world, whether you’re taking care of a small balcony garden in the city or a huge veggie patch in your backyard.
But like many other hobbies, gardening has a lot of advice out there, and not all of it is right. Some of this advice has been passed down for generations, which has made it into strongly held myths. Some myths are safe, but others can keep your plants from growing as much as they can. It’s important to tell the difference between facts and lies, no matter how much experience you have as a gardener. Let’s look at some popular gardening myths, dispel them, and get to the real story.
Myth 1: You Should Water Your Plants Every Day
This may be one of the most popular pieces of gardening advice you’ve heard, but it’s not quite right. A lot of people think that plants will grow better if they get more water. You can see how this idea came about: plants need water to live, so why not give them as much as you can? It turns out that watering every day can hurt plants more than help them.
The Truth:
If you water your plants too much, they can get diseased roots and dirt that is too wet, both of which can kill them. Most plants don’t need to be watered every day unless they’re in very hot weather or are very thirsty, like ferns. It’s better to water deeply but less often. This makes the roots grow lower to find water, which makes the plant more resistant to drought in the long run.
Putting your finger a few inches into the ground is an easy test. It’s time to water if it feels dry. Don’t do it yet if it’s still wet. To keep your garden healthy, you need to know when to water it. With a little practice, you’ll get the hang of it.
Myth 2: Talking to Plants Helps Them Grow
This is a fun myth that has been around for a long time. Some farmers even swear by it! You might even be able to play music or talk to your plants to help them grow faster and stronger. What about science? Does it back up this claim?
The Truth:
It would be great if plants could reply to positive words, but they can’t. There is some proof, though, that plants can sense vibrations from sound. For instance, some studies have shown that plants that are introduced to music or soundwaves may grow a little faster. Still, it’s more likely that the real benefit comes from the farmer paying more attention to their plants. If you talk, sing, or play music while you work in the garden, you may notice problems like pests, diseases, or dry spots earlier and be able to fix them before it’s too late. Even though talking to your plants might not make them “listen,” it can help you pay more attention in the garden!
Myth 3: All Insects Are Bad for Your Garden
It’s only natural to think that bugs are up to no good when you see them moving all over your plants. A lot of gardeners grab the poison that’s closest and start spraying right away. But wait! Some bugs aren’t trying to hurt your garden, and using too many chemicals can throw off the environment of your garden.
The Truth:
Many insects are good for you and are very important for keeping your garden healthy. As an example, ladybugs are known for eating aphids, which are bad for plants. Earthworms make your soil better by breaking down organic matter and letting air into the ground as they move through it. Pollinators like bees and butterflies are very important for flower and veggie fruit production. Instead of spraying bug spray as soon as you see a bug, try to figure out if it’s a friend or foe.
If you do find bugs like aphids or caterpillars that are bothersome, you might want to try natural ways to get rid of them. Good bugs, like ladybugs, can often keep bad bugs in check. Growing certain plants close to each other, also known as partner planting, can also help keep bugs away.
Myth 4: Bigger Pots Mean Bigger Plants
If you put something in a bigger pot, you might think it will get bigger. Roots should be able to grow faster if there is more space, right? This isn’t really how plants work, though.
The Truth:
Putting a plant in a pot that is too big for it can actually stop it from growing. If you put a plant in a pot that is too big for it, the dirt may hold more water than the roots need. This can cause mold on the roots and other problems. The plant may be spending too much energy on its roots instead of growing up and focusing on leaves or flowers. The key is to pick a pot that is just a little bigger than your plant’s root ball. This helps the plant grow in a healthy way without giving it too much room or water.
For instance, if you want to plant tomatoes, begin with a small pot and move them to bigger ones as they get bigger. This way, they won’t get “pot-bound,” and you won’t have to worry about over-potting them either.
Myth 5: Add Sand to Clay Soil to Improve Drainage
Clay soil can be hard to work with in the garden because it tends to hold on to water and get compacted, which makes it hard for plants to grow. A common tip is to add sand to clay dirt to make it drain better. But this method might not work.
The Truth:
Mixing sand and clay soil can make the soil feel like concrete, which makes it even harder for plants to grow. Small pieces of clay and bigger pieces of sand mixed together make a dense, compact mixture that can trap water and stop air from moving. The best way to make clay dirt better is to add organic matter, like compost or manure that has been broken down. Organic matter breaks up the heavy clay and lets earthworms and other helpful bugs naturally open up the soil. Over time, this will help the dirt drain better and hold its shape better, which will help your plants grow.
Myth 6: Coffee Grounds Are a Miracle Garden Amendment
In the past few years, coffee grounds have gotten a lot of attention as an eco-friendly way to improve gardening. So it makes sense that people think coffee grounds are good for plants. They are organic and full of nutrients like nitrogen. There is more to this story than meets the eye, though.
The Truth:
If you use coffee grounds the right way, they can be good for your garden. Because fresh coffee grounds are acidic, they can lower the pH of your soil, which some plants don’t like. If you use too many coffee grounds, the soil can get too packed down, which stops roots from getting enough air. But coffee grounds that have been recycled are a much safer choice. They can give your soil a small boost of nutrients if you put them in a waste pile and let them break down.
If you do decide to use coffee grounds, make sure to mix them with other types of waste and not pile them up around plants, especially ones that like neutral or alkaline soil, like tomatoes or beans.
Myth 7: Planting by the Moon Improves Plant Growth
Some gardeners still like the idea of planting by the moon, even though it comes from ancient times. The idea is that the moon’s pull on the earth affects the water in the soil in the same way that it affects the tides. Planting during certain stages of the moon can help plants grow better.
The Truth:
There isn’t much scientific proof that putting plants near the moon makes them grow faster or slower. The moon does have an effect on oceans and other big bodies of water, but not much on the moisture in the soil. Anyway, planting by the moon is kind of poetic, and it can be a fun way to plan your farming time. If this practice makes you feel closer to nature, there’s no harm in doing it. Just don’t expect magic to happen.
Myth 8: Pruning in the Fall Is Best
Fall often feels like the perfect time to prune trees and shrubs. The weather is cooler, the leaves are falling, and the garden is winding down for the year. But pruning in the fall can actually do more harm than good.
The Truth:
When you prune, you encourage new growth, which is not what you want right before winter. Frost damage can harm or kill a plant because new growth is soft and easy to hurt. It’s better to prune most trees and bushes in late winter or early spring before they start to grow. In this way, the plant can get better and grow quickly when it gets warmer.
Myth 9: You Can’t Grow Plants in the Shade
A lot of new gardeners think that they won’t be able to grow much if their garden doesn’t get full sun. Even though most plants need sunshine, there are many types that can do well in some shade or even full shade.
The Truth:
In places with little sunlight, shade-tolerant plants are your best friends. Some plants, like spinach, kale, and lettuce, do well in partial shade. For color in a shady garden, hostas, ferns, and astilbes are great choices. You can still make a beautiful, healthy garden even if you don’t have much sun. Just make sure the plants you pick can handle the amount of light your garden gets.
Don’t Believe Everything You Hear
When you get down to it, gardening is a process full of mistakes, learning, and a lot of patience. It can be tempting to follow every piece of gardening advice that has been passed down over the years, but it’s important to remember that gardening is also a way to learn. There is beauty in the fact that each garden is unique and each gardener has their own unique experiences. It’s okay if a tip or method that works great for one person doesn’t work as well for someone else.
The myths we looked at can help you remember that not all advice is good, even if a lot of people believe it. We get angry sometimes when we believe these myths and wonder why our plants aren’t doing as well as we had thought. However, planting is a process that doesn’t always work out. Like people, plants have their own specific needs, and it can be very satisfying to learn what works for them. Every mistake you make is a chance to learn more about your plants and make your methods better.
As you garden, know that it takes time for both you and your plants to grow. Take your time, be kind to your garden, and don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper (both actually and figuratively) as you follow your gardening journey!
