With the rise in the popularity of the internet and social media , has derive a wealth of gardening information and hacks . I should say horticulture misinformation ! I believe that the draw in our gild to instant satisfaction has been the driving force behind these hacks . We want an easy , prompt localization for everything . As an experient gardener and master nurseryman , the claims of many of these gardening hacks make me crazy . And that , fellow gardeners , is the motivation behind this clause – Popular Gardening literary hack That Do NOT exercise .
PIN IT
I actualize my estimate may not be the most democratic and maybe you ’ve assay some of these hacks in your garden and you think they function . But hear me out and hopefully , I can get you to rethink why you ’re using these idea in your gardens .
PIN IT
This situation contains affiliate links . If you click onone of the links and make a leverage , I may receive a low commission at no additional price to you .
Why These Kitchen Product Gardening Hacks Do Not Work
Coffee groundsaren’t completely useless in garden soil , but why are you using them ? Most gardening hack say that using them improves the acidulousness of your garden soil . Any acid that was in those coffee grounds terminate up in that cup of coffee you drank and there ’s not much pass on in the grounds . Coffee earth will not improve the sourness or pH of your garden soil . Dump those coffee berry grounds into your compost .
Banana peelsare besides harmless , but also useless buried in your garden or used to make banana peel compost tea leaf . Plus , they take forever to break down . You do n’t have to squander your time or put up with rotten banana peels to improve your garden grime or the health of your flora . Chop those banana uncase up and throw them in the compost bin .
Baking sodais another one you ’ll see being used over and over in gardening hacks . Garden filth or garden plant life do not profit from sodium bicarbonate ! In fact , it can work up up in garden soil and become harmful to plants . The crazy hack I ’ve seen is to habituate baking soda in your compost to make it less smelly . If you ’re doing compost correctly , it will not smell . Just skip the baking soda water gardening taxi and save it for the cleanup hacks .
Why Using Eggshells in Your Garden is a Useless Gardening Hack
I will take some heat for this one , but in my judgment egg shells are useless in the garden . They do n’t deter slugs and they do n’t add calcium to your garden soil . Plus , they take year to break down . Go onwards and toss them in the compost , but even there I do n’t believe they do n’t impart much benefit .
Have you see the pictures where eggshells ( or orchis cartons ) are used for begin seeds ? Oh my , where do I even start ? Neither eggshells or egg carton are idealistic for seed starting . First of all , they are too small and your little seedling will chop-chop outgrow the confines of these small container . shell offer no drain unless you ’re lucky enough to be able to stab holes in the bed of your shell without cracking them into piece . Do n’t waste your time with this horticulture hack ! If you want to start come indoors , this articleis full of stair - by - step instruction manual and smashing lead .
Ugh! Dawn Dish Soap is The Worst Gardening Hack Ever
While we ’re in the kitchen , rent ’s not draw a blank about Dawn dish soap . I ’ve seen so many “ constituent or instinctive ” weed - sea wolf recipes using Dawn dish easy lay that it ’s becoming nonsensical ! First of all , the ingredients in dish soap are not organic or natural – they are chemicals . If you do n’t believe me , go read the factor list on the bottle of dish soap in your kitchen .
If you ’re using dish soap for garden hacks , it does n’t have to be “ Dawn ” . I keep waiting for a Dawn commercial to derive out indicate all the way you could use it in the garden . 🤪
The idea of using dish soap in these concoction is to thicken the mixed bag so that it clings to the plant or dirt ball . That ’s it ! It is NOT organic or natural ! Confession prison term , I do use a mix of dish soap and water to kill boxelder bugs and yes , it work . But , I would never apply this to spray in my garden or desire it in my garden soil .
PIN IT
take this forpractical ways to contend with insects in your garden .
Why Using Vinegar as a Weed Killer is a Bad Idea
Gardeners , if you care at all about your soil , please do not habituate acetum as a weed slayer . Without going into too much of a rant , the DIY homemade mixture of tabular array salt , vinegar , and dish soap is a very bad gardening nag . It ’s by all odds not natural , nor is it constitutional . Do n’t use it on sidewalks or patios either because it can break down the concrete over time . If you use enough to obliterate the roots of the weeds you are spraying , you are also killing your garden ground . There are so many betterways to combat weeds in your gardens .
Bad Gardening Hacks Using Items From Your Medicine Cabinet
Using Epsom salt in your garden for your roses , tomatoes or any other plant is not necessary and can harm your garden ground . Epsom salts are magnesium sulfate . How do you recognize your garden soil or plants need magnesium sulfate ? Yes , it ’s true , if used in the garden , that Epsom saltiness adds magnesium and sulfur to the land . But , wait a minute , how do you know if your garden soil or plants demand those thing ? They likely do not .
The only place this gardener will be using Epsom salts will be to add them to my bathtub to soak in after a hard day ’s work in my gardens . Seriously , this is a great direction for gardeners to employ Epsom salt .
Another gardening plug is adding a few Tums ( calcium carbonate ) when you implant your tomatoes so they do n’t get blossom destruction rot . Or inter a few Tums around a tomato flora with bloom end buncombe and it will bring around it . If you experience flower ending moulder on your love apple or any other veggie in your garden , it is due to irregular watering . Give your veggies space and ensure they are consistently water and I ’ll count your problems with blossom death bunk will go off . Save those Tums for your indigestion .
PIN IT
More Myths and Gardening Hacks That Do Not Work
Pine needle will acetify the soil . Spread pine needles around plants like blueberries or other plants that thrive in acidic soil . Nope , sorry this is a myth . Even in the south where pine straw is a popular mulch , it does not change or acidify the soil . Pine needle do make beautiful mulch and they are a good chocolate-brown item to contribute to your compost .
rent ’s expose a few gardening myth while we ’re at it .
water supply spots on works from watering in the afternoon Sunday can get burn spots on flora foliage because the water smear acts like a magnifying methamphetamine hydrochloride . NOT TRUE ! I ’ve seen this so many multiplication on gardening forums and garden Facebook radical . I do n’t live how to expose this bunk other than just to say , this is not true . If your plant life call for water , water them , and do n’t allow this crazy myth keep you from it .
you could get free of slug in your gardens by leaving saucer of beer in the garden . This is screaming and in an travail to rid my hosta layer of poke , I tried it . I also attempt eggshell and they did n’t mold either . The slugs laugh at me and continue to chow down on my hostas . I know I will have readers that say this act for them … but , I ’m still in question . Sluggoworks wondrously !
redact stone in the bottom of containers with no drainage holes will help drainage . This makes no coherent gumption whatsoever , but I still see it all the metre , peculiarly on YouTube . Nothing takes the place of drainage cakehole in your containers . Do n’t buy containers without drain holes or utilise a recitation to make some .
Another jade that ram me dotty is how to fill a expectant garden container or raised bottom to save on the toll of grease . There ’s a right way and a unseasonable mode to do this and I will give you a hint – plants do not wish to originate in styrofoam , packing peanuts , atomic number 50 cans , charge plate spate , etc . contain outthis postto see the right way to fill large planters and set up beds .
hold open a pin tumbler to your preferent horticulture plug-in on Pinterest so you may recall this office later !
Just because landscapers do it, doesn’t mean it’s right!
If you hire a landscapist they will belike add landscape fabric before they plant to keep weed out of the garden seam . If you are a gardener who likes to transplant perennial or tot up annuals to your landscaped area , weed textile will become your bad nightmare . Plus , it does not keep green goddess out of your garden beds . See all the reasons not to use landscape material in your garden inthis clause .
Another one that landscapers do all the clock time is what is known as volcano mulching . That ’s where they pile mulch up around the base of a tree or industrial plant in a volcano shape . Please do n’t do this . I ’m all for mulching garden bed , but there ’s a correct way and a wrong room to do it . Volcano mulching or using too much mulch can kill plants and trees . find out all aboutmulching your gardensin this helpful article .
Your Soil is Everything to Your Garden and Gardening Hacks Can Ruin It
Many of these laughable taxicab can alter the pH of your territory ( and the ones that say they do , do n’t ) and wo n’t facilitate or can become harmful to your garden plant , the soil , and the environment .
Always have your garden soil tested by a local serving . Here in Minnesota , we can post soil sample to the University of Minnesota for testing . If this service is n’t available where you live , you’re able to do asoil testyourself . Just know that it wo n’t be as accurate .
Without knowing the food that are already in your soil , you have no mode of knowing which fertilizers to add .
Social Media Gardening Hacks That Do Not Work
The word “ jade ” itself has many different meanings . Social media refers to “ hacks ” as simple or canny wind or proficiency for accomplishing familiar job easier and quicker . The word “ hack ” as societal media depict it is a trend and probably wo n’t resist the trial of time .
There are muckle of awing gardeners on social media and I have some that I trace . That being said , if you are watching a YouTube gardening channel or TikTok , just because they show beautiful garden does n’t mean all of their data is correct . Look for experient gardener or master gardeners . And , if something go kooky or too good to be true , it probably is , so do your research .
Many Pinterest headlines are to get click and that ’s okay . I use Pinterest and Gingham Gardens gets many readers from Pinterest . That being said , I need anyone who comes to the internet site to find it helpful and full of great horticulture pourboire and information they can count on . Just remember if a hack sounds quick or mere , it ’s probably not anything you want to expend in your garden .
Key Takeaways for Debunking Gardening Hacks or Myths
So this situation was n’t about all the pretty gardening things , but I ’ve want to share my thought on crazy horticulture hacks for a longsighted time .
Nobody require to debunk our nan or grandpa ’s gardening advice , but if you find yourself enounce , “ Grandma always did it this way and she had a beautiful garden ” do a slight research for yourself .
If it sounds too well-heeled or a flying remedy , it ’s probably not a good idea to essay it in your garden .
depend for the words “ natural ” and “ constitutive ” in jade claims . Then involve yourself is it really ?
If you see gardening confidential information that have the give-and-take “ machine politician ” attached to them , do your own research . The first place to start is a local university website that teaches horticulture , or your local garden extension service ( see below ) .
Each county within the United States has an Extension authority , which is staffed with factor or master gardeners who work out close with university - ground specialists to deliver answers to your questions about horticulture , agriculture , and pest control . These county extension services are a riches of substantial entropy and a nifty resource for your gardening questions . you could find your local denotation officehere .
Happy Gardening , Julie
More Great Things on Gingham Gardens
More lieu to receive Gingham Gardens :
Save a pin to your gardening board on Pinterest , so you’re able to remember this position afterwards :
