Contents
Today we will look into 10 interesting gardening myths, ideas, misconceptions and scientific facts like whether we can use grey water or black water for plants, Does Planting by the Moon affect plant growth and yield?, the biggest myth on crushed egg shells for plants, talking to your plants to increase growth and yield and many more interesting facts.
Introduction
Now, let’s begin with the ten common gardening myths that have been debunked by scientific research.
Myth 1: Saplings or Seedlings Need to Be Supported to Protect Them? True or False?
This is False! Many people recommend you to provide support to these young slender plants due to the risk of wind blowing them and things like that. Unless it’s a strong wind, tying a sapling or young plant to a support stick or any kind of support will actually do more harm than good. Research has shown that trees without support, over a period of time, will develop thicker trunks, more supportive roots, and more resistance to breakages.
Myth 2: Watering Plants on a Hot Sunny Day Will Magnify the Sunlight Through the Droplets Acting as Convex Lenses and Burn the Leaves Badly? True or False?
No doubt, watering plants early in the morning or late in the evening is great! Because less water will evaporate during this time. This advice to “never water your plants in full sun” has been followed by generations of gardeners – But! New research has contradicted this belief that watering in direct sunlight can cause leaves to suffer from “leaf burn”. This theory that water droplets on leaves can act like mini magnifying lenses, focusing the sun’s rays and causing leaf burn has been completely disproved by physicists.
Myth 3: Talking to Your Plants Will Help Them Grow? True or False?
People who really love plants and gardening will often tell you that talking to plants or even music has a beneficial impact on their overall health and growth. Despite many different scientific studies on this theory, there’s still no conclusive evidence that talking to plants helps them grow. One theory says that since plants take up carbon dioxide, talking to plants releases carbon dioxide when we exhale. So, that’s it.
Myth 4: Does Potting Mix Cause Legionnaires’ Pneumonia in Gardeners? True or False?
Do not worry! This is not true. Legionnaires’ Pneumonia is a severe form of pneumonia or lung infection mostly caused by inhaling the bacteria. Though these legionella bacteria survive in outdoor soil, it rarely causes infections. But still, prevention is better than cure. Better wear a mask while handling potting mix, especially people with weaker immune systems.
Myth 5: Can We Use Grey Water or Black Water for Our Plants or Farming? True or False?
Firstly, let’s look at the difference between grey water and black water. Grey water or sullage water is the wastewater coming out from kitchens, laundries, and even bathroom showers. Black water is nothing but sewage water. So can we use these for our plants? Well, this depends on the country you live in. Many countries ban the use of these untreated waters and also sewage farming. This is because they contain a lot of chemicals, toxins, heavy metals, and bacteria which are harmful to plants and also for humans consuming the yields produced by such plants.
Myth 6: Can Harvested or Collected Seeds Be Stored in a Refrigerator or Freezer? True or False?
This is not correct! Most seeds that are stored in seed banks are first dried up so that the moisture content is reduced to about 10 percent and then these can be stored for several years. But if you freeze freshly collected seeds, the moisture content in these seeds will form ice crystals within and can destroy the seed viability.
Myth 7: Garlic Is the King of Companion Gardening? True or False?
It’s a fact! Garlic deters pests, including fungus gnats, moths, spider mites, beetles, and even ants. The pungent flavor of garlic is due to sulfur compounds which are natural fungicides. So companion gardening with garlic planting is certainly beneficial to your garden.
Myth 8: Does Planting by the Moon Affect Plant Growth and Yield? True or False?
The idea that the Moon affects plant growth is an old one that is believed by many people. This is a myth! No study has proven the effect of the moon on plant growth. And the only plants that use moonlight for photosynthesis are certain types of phytoplankton which are not normally found in gardens.
Myth 9: Crumbled Egg Shells Added to Soil Is a Good Source of Calcium? True or False?
This is False! Eggshells take many years to decompose and release that calcium into the soil and make them available for uptake by plants. Many studies have proven this and have recovered intact shells after many years of burying them into the soil. However, finely powdered eggshells might help, but again as a slow-release source of calcium.
Myth 10: Growing Fruit Trees in Containers Is Not Possible Due to Limited Space? True or False?
This is not true. You can grow them but you need little larger containers or fabric bags like more than 18 or 24 inches.
You can check out a detailed post on the top ten terrace gardening myths and facts.
Please Watch this video below on Common Garden Myths.
