For the past few days big black ants have been crawling on the floor of my office. I have been putting up with the presence of the ants because I thought they were needed to open the beautiful peony buds right outside my office window. It turns out though that it is a myth that ants are needed to open the flower buds on peonies. Ants, while can often be found on peonies, are not needed for the buds to open. Peonies buds can open on their own. This and several other gardening myths will be busted in today’s column.
Myth #1 Newly-planted trees should be staked. Staking a tree that does not need it can do more harm than good. Movement of the trunk helps strengthen it by thickening it and giving it a taper from bottom to top. Trunk movement also stimulates root growth. So although staked trees might grow taller faster than their unstalked counterparts, their trunks are weaker and their root systems are less developed.
Myth #2 For small projects, underground utilities do not need to marked. Digging of any kind requires your underground utilities to marked. JULIE is a free notification service for homeowners to use to request that their underground utilities are marked. JULIE can be contacted by calling 1-800-892-0123. Calling before any digging is required by Illinois state law.
Myth #3 Adding gravel or stones at the bottom of a container will help with drainage. When gravel is added to the bottom of flower planting containers, there is less room for potting soil. Water tends to sit above the gravel or stones. As long as there is a drainage hole(s) there is no need for the gravel.
Myth #4 Adding sand to clay soil helps plants grow better. Adding sand to clay soil actually makes the texture harder, often resulting in a mortar type substance. Instead of adding sand, consider adding a composted material.This will improve the structure and add aeration to the clay soil.
Myth #5 I can’t grow anything under my evergreen trees because of the needles. Needs don’t dramatically alter the pH of a soil. The primary reason for plants not growing under any type of tree are the roots of the tree. The roots of the tree compete with other plants for nutrients and moisture. It is best to allow the tree thrive and not plant anything underneath a tree.
Myth #6 Marigolds will help to repel rabbits, mosquitos etc. This myth was started because the roots of certain marigolds were found to repel nematodes in the soil. Unfortunately, marigolds are not a good repellent of animals or insects.
Myth #7 Tree wounds need treating. For years gardeners used a pink paint type mixture to cover tree wounds. Research has shown that trees, when pruned or injured respond with self-produced chemicals that slow or stop the spread of diseases and insects. There is usually no need to help mother nature.
Myth #8 Drought tolerant plants don’t need watering. All plants need moisture. This either comes in the form of rain, supplemental watering or they seek water on their own through their roots in the ground. Drought tolerant plants, especially if they are newly planted, will need be watered.
Myth #9 If a little fertilizer is good, then more is better. Too much fertilizer can easily kill plants. Fertilizers should carefully be applied only according to the directions on the box or bag.
Myth #10 Water plants daily. Just like too much fertilizer, too much water can easily kill plants. Only water plants when needed. Occasional, deep, thorough soakings are much more effective than frequent surface watering. Plants, typically, do not need to be watered every day. The exception to this would be containerized plants. Those should be checked each day as they tend to dry out faster than plants that are in the ground.
Myth #11 Attracting bees to your yard is bad and should be avoided. On the contrary! Bees are critical to the production of our food. Did you enjoy a fruit or vegetable today? Chances are it was only possible because a bee pollinated the plant which in turn allowed the fruit or vegetable to grow. Attracting pollinators through specific plant choices benefits the environments tremendously.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a landscaping company.She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
