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Garden Myths

There are many myths associated with gardening. Some of them are fun or just plain funny: Whip a fruit tree to make the sap rise and increase yields; hang a horseshoe in fruit trees for more fruit; red headed gardeners grow hotter chilies. Some myths, however, cause all kinds of confusion. Let’s discuss a few we hear a lot at the nursery.

Myth No. 1. You can’t plant now because it’s too_____ (early, late, cold, hot, wet, dry - you get the idea). While you might choose not to plant because of some extreme, the truth is, as long as the soil is not frozen solid and you take the proper care, you can plant. If you’re worried about it, check with a Sky nursery person for helpful hints for your situation.

Myth No. 2. Plants (especially trees) have a height they grow to. Plants (except some annuals) do not have a pre-programmed size they grow to and then stop. The older a plant is, the bigger it will get. You may be able to control its growth through pruning, but the plant will only stop growing when it dies. “Dwarf” or “compact” REALLY means “slower growing”.

Myth No. 3. If a tree gets too big, I can just top it to stop it. While there are some formal pruning techniques to control height, topping trees is NEVER a good practice. You can call it crown reduction, view pruning, hat racking or whatever you like - it leads to disease, hazardous conditions, and ugly trees.

Myth No. 4. Newly planted trees should be staked. This stems from age-old practices that assume new trees are “weak” and need to be braced like a broken leg. Trunks get strong by flexing. Giving them artificial support doesn’t give them the chance, plus the strapping can interrupt the sap flow and cause problems. We can show you how to stake a tree if it needs it.

Myth No. 5. Planting certain trees or shrubs in wet areas will dry the area out. Some plants will survive in wet soils, but they won’t fix it. A sub myth would be that adding sand (or gypsum) will correct clay soils. In fact, clay and sand mixed together with water makes concrete, and chemicals won’t change your soil texture.

Myth No. 6. Wilting leaves mean plants need water. Leaves can wilt for a number of reasons - including disease, or TOO MUCH water. If a plant wilts, check soil moisture first and then proceed.

Myth No. 7. Never water in the full sun on a hot day. You’ll burn the leaves. When I was in high school, coaches forbade drinking water during games because it bloated you and caused cramps. Now we know that dehydrated people benefit from getting water. Same with plants - drought-stressed plants need water NOW! Yeah, it’s better to water early in the day - but if you see your plants need water, water them!

Myth No. 8. If a plant is stressed, feed it. Plants under stress usually can’t use food. In fact, trying to force feed an unhealthy plant is likely to create new problems. Solve the problem that’s stressing it, then check if it needs fertilizer.

Myth No. 9. Plants don’t grow under evergreens because the needles make the soil acidic. Well, let’s think about it. If dropping needles keeps making the soil more acid, wouldn’t they eventually cause the ground to smoke? Kind of like a localized Superfund site? The truth is trees are hogs for water and nutrients. Large conifers not only drink most of the water around, they also shed most of the rain water outside their canopy (to their own feeder roots at the drip line). The soil directly under a large conifer can be so dry it can repel water! It is also very shady. We need to treat these areas like shady containers that need high maintenance, or stick to the drip line for planting.

Myth No. 10. Organic pesticides are safer than chemical pesticides. There’s a common misconception that organic = safe. This is just not true. Pyrethrins can be toxic to bees and fish. Rotenone has been linked to Parkinson’s disease. Vinegar and citric acid based weed killers are highly concentrated and can burn if used improperly. The bottom line is, as gardeners, we want to use the most effective and least toxic solution. All products have side effects. Read the label. Follow directions and safety precautions exactly. Wear and use appropriate equipment. And before you reach for any spray, organic or otherwise, remember that nature tolerates minor imperfections quite nicely - maybe you can too.

These are a few of the many myths that abound in the garden. Next time you’re in, why don’t you share some of your favorites!

By Charlie Shull, W.C.N.
Skylights Spring 2005, Vol 19, No. 1

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