25 GARDENING MYTHS DEBUNKED

Gardening tips are found in books or picked up from parents and friends, but are they always right? I found this list of 25 gardening myths and old wives’ tales which takes a critical look at some of this advice. Although the title says “Myths Debunked” it turns out that some of them are actually correct. However some people do not agree that Myth #14 is true.

MYTH #1. Peonies won t bloom if you move them.
FALSE — Peonies can be moved and transplanted. Best time is in the Fall, and only 2 deep. The ancient Greeks claimed that peonies had magical properties, and if you were seen near the plant in daylight, especially if you were trying to dig it up, a woodpecker would peck out your eyes. I’ve moved my peonies before, and I still have my eyes, although they don t work as well as they used to.
MYTH #2. Don t water in the middle of the day – it will damage the plants.
FALSE — There s no evidence that water droplets cause sunburn or scorch the foliage. However, it is best to water in the morning before the heat of the day, if only because when it gets hot, there s more evaporation and you end up wasting water.
cactus2
Yuki Hirano
MYTH #3. Drought-tolerant plants don t need to be watered.
FALSE — It doesn’t matter whether it’s a cactus or bamboo, plants still need water to grow, especially until their roots get established deep into the soil. After that, drought-tolerant plants don t need too much watering, except during a really prolonged dry period, when they need a little water as much as any other plant.

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