Gardening Myths Busted

Gardening and landscaping are great ways to improve both the curb appeal and the livability of your home and yard. But getting started — or keeping your landscaping going — can be a challenge for many homeowners. All the gardening myths out there don’t help. These are the things you might hear from a neighbor or see in a viral post on social media, but they don’t turn out to be true.

Have you heard any of these garden myths? If so, let’s bust them!

You Don’t Have to Water Drought-Tolerant Plants

Some gardeners buy drought-tolerant plants with the expectation that they don’t need watering, but this is a pesky gardening myth that needs to die — before your new plants do!

Drought-tolerant plants usually don’t need as much watering as other plants, but they do need some water. Especially in their first year, the root systems are weak and still developing. Water any drought-tolerant plant according to the guidance given by your nursery or plant provider, especially the first year.

In future years, you can be a little less attentive. But you’ll still want to water from time to time, despite the drought-tolerant label.

Trees Need Square Holes, Not Round Ones

If you’ve ever pulled a tree or large shrub out of the planter it came in, you’ve probably seen a mess of roots doing something called girdling. The roots run out of room in the planter and start growing in circles, knots and all sorts of unpleasant patterns. If you don’t un-girdle the roots before planting, the plant will almost certainly die.

There’s a gardening myth about trees growing better in square holes that’s related to girdling. The thinking goes that when the tree’s roots get to the edge of the round hole you dig, they won’t easily penetrate the soil and will start girdling again. But that’s just not how it works.

Trees girdle in planters because there’s nowhere else to go. They’ll have no problems growing into your soil, no matter what shape you dig the hole. So stick with the much simpler round hole, and don’t worry about it.

Organic Pesticides Are Completely Safe

In recent years, there’s been a huge push for more natural and organic products in landscaping. Organic pesticide does have some strengths, but it’s not safer just because it’s organic. Think about some other organic things: black widow spiders, poison ivy, radon—you get the idea. Something being natural doesn’t make it safe.

Whatever kind of pesticides you use, make sure you read the label carefully. One popular natural poison that’s derived from chrysanthemums can be highly toxic to bees, pets and even you if used in improper doses.

Trust a Worm to Know Good Dirt

Gardening can be an intensely rewarding hobby and a great stress reliever — especially now that you’ve busted these top gardening myths. As you continue working in or planning your garden, the team of experts here at Keleny Top Soil is here to help. Whatever landscape supply needs you have, including specialty soil and landscaping projects, Keleny is your destination.
We’re  always excited to help our clients get a new project started. Give us a call at 608-833-4835 today!