5 Garden Myths

By Robert Pavlis
Published on April 1, 2018
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The most effective way to water is to fully drench the soil at planting time. Don’t water again until the soil starts to dry out.
The most effective way to water is to fully drench the soil at planting time. Don’t water again until the soil starts to dry out.
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Soil pH levels can largely influence the growth rate of a variety of transplanted plants, from the tiniest berry bush to the largest trees.
Soil pH levels can largely influence the growth rate of a variety of transplanted plants, from the tiniest berry bush to the largest trees.
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Landscaped trees with mulch in a new housing development.
Landscaped trees with mulch in a new housing development.
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Common pests which hinder tomato production include slugs, aphids, and whiteflies.
Common pests which hinder tomato production include slugs, aphids, and whiteflies.

Every hobby I’ve ever undertaken had one thing in common: The information presented by the so-called experts was only partially correct. I’ve found that gardening is no different.

Many of these garden myths started a long time ago, and have been handed down from generation to generation. Each person believes their gardening mentor’s advice and in turn passes that information along to other new gardeners. The web has worsened the progression of gardening myths by allowing anyone with a keyboard and monitor to claim they’re an expert.

Social media is full of garden myths, and in this article, I’ll discuss five of them and explain why they’re untrue. In the process, you’ll be introduced to new information about plants and their environments, and armed with this basic knowledge, you’ll gain a better understanding of your garden. 

Myth 1: Water New Plants Every Day

Plants that are newly planted need a lot of water because their root systems are almost always damaged during planting, especially if they’re divided or moved. The most common advice for new plants is to keep them well-watered. Many people interpret this to mean they should be watered every day. This isn’t the case and is a good way to kill a plant.

A loss of roots means that the plant can’t take in enough water to support the top greenery, which results in wilting leaves. The key is for soil to have a balanced moisture content. Keeping the soil moist will reduce wilting and allow the roots of new plants to grow.

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