Myths exploded

**alldigging** · 30-03-2014, 10:39 AM

Charles Dowding said his next book was going to be dealing with dispelling gardening myths

"Don’t cut the foliage after bulbs have flowered (They say the energy returns to the bulbs but I doubt this, what are the roots for? Don’t they supply the bulb with all its needs?)
"
No, plants need to make energy using chlorophyll and the sun.

**alldigging** · 30-03-2014, 10:40 AM

Don't water when sunny - water beads can make great magnifying glasses on bits of leaves.
Also the water is more likely to evaporate when it's warm and thus you waste more.

**WendyC** · 30-03-2014, 11:03 AM

Carrot fly only fly below 18". I've tried the "fence method" to keep carrot fly off my carrots but they still got in. Covering is the only fail safe method.

Potato planting on Good Friday, I believe, stems from when this was the first day off in the Spring for many people. It is very variable both in date and weather conditions. Mind you could be used a good excuse not to be visiting the outlaws over Easter.

**bearded bloke** · 30-03-2014, 11:41 AM

Originally posted by Bill HH View Post

Lunar gardening/ bio-dynamics

Planting things on certain days such as Good Friday. (How do plants know what day it is?)

They sort of go hand in hand

plants might not be aware of what day it is,but for me some days are useful gardening reminders

Shortest day .... plant onion sets & garlic
Longest day .... harvest onions & garlic
St.Patric's Day . plant spuds
Boxing Day ... plant pepper & aubergine seeds

**Capsid** · 30-03-2014, 12:18 PM

Originally posted by alldigging View Post

Don't water when sunny - water beads can make great magnifying glasses on bits of leaves.
Also the water is more likely to evaporate when it's warm and thus you waste more.

The possible burning effect of the sun through water droplets has been examined. It's only a possible problem for hairy plants.

Water Drops Magnify Sunlight and Burn Leaves | LiveScience

**Glutton4...** · 30-03-2014, 12:30 PM

Most of the 'myths' as you call them, are actually based on fact, research and trials.

Many trials have been carried out into Lunar Gardening, for example, and many gardeners have greater success following this method. So perhaps you should conduct your own experiments?

In respect of the sayings regarding planting on particular days. These 'days' were habitually used as a guideline, in days gone by, for those that couldn't read or follow a calendar.

**Nicos** · 30-03-2014, 12:54 PM

Lunar gardening
There are a lot of people on here who do follow this having read all the research and decided to see if it works better for them.
I personally don't do it because I have too many other commitments which take priority. My plants get planted/sown when I have time and that doesn't usually fall on a particular time of the lunar phase.
Lunar planting has been and still is- exceptionally popular over here in France. There are loads of books on it. I doubt those books would sell if it hadn't been proven to work by generations and generations of gardeners???

Not watering when it's very sunny?
I've managed to scorch or kill plants doing precisely that!

Hormone rooting powder?
This is the first time I've tried using it with rosemary cuttings- and the first time any have survived!...Yup 100%!!!!...I'll be using it again for sure on things I struggle with.

Not cutting off leaves from flowered bulbs?
Hmmm...I can understand where this is coming from, but never trialed it.

Rock dust?
Never used it...can't comment.

Compost tea?
Anything that smells that bad must be good for the garden surely???

Hmm...as mentioned above- dates like Good Friday came in really handy for me when I was working a 60hr week...cos it's the only time I had an extra day off to concentrate on my lottie/sowing seeds! Bank Holidays are exceptionally handy for that!!

Mumbo jumbo

???...Grain of truth perhaps ???

**bearded bloke** · 30-03-2014, 01:03 PM

Originally posted by Bill HH View Post

Lunar gardening/ bio-dynamics (1)

Don’t water when it’s very sunny (2)

Using hormone rooting powder (3)

Don’t cut the foliage after bulbs have flowered (4)

Rock dust (5)

Compost tea (6)

Planting things on certain days such as Good Friday. (7)

Now I have a bit more time

(1) Sadly I shall never know as it is both too complicated & too time consuming for me to fully investigate.
(2) If you are watering foliage rather than the roots,then deffo do it morning & evening,before dew evaporates or after dew starts to form.
(3) No Idea as have never needed to use it.
(4) As alldigging said earlier
(5) That is useful to supply trace elements that get washed away during heavy rainfall
(6) Not used it so no comment
(7) See earlier post

If all "myths" were to be dispelled out of hand just think how many children (of all ages) would not get a present from Santa or a gift from the tooth fairy

Each to their own I say

**Bill HH** · 30-03-2014, 02:48 PM

Originally posted by alldigging View Post

Charles Dowding said his next book was going to be dealing with dispelling gardening myths

"Don�t cut the foliage after bulbs have flowered (They say the energy returns to the bulbs but I doubt this, what are the roots for? Don�t they supply the bulb with all its needs?)
"
No, plants need to make energy using chlorophyll and the sun.

I will reluctantly give you that one.

**Bill HH** · 30-03-2014, 02:54 PM

Originally posted by WendyC View Post

Carrot fly only fly below 18". I've tried the "fence method" to keep carrot fly off my carrots but they still got in. Covering is the only fail safe method.

Potato planting on Good Friday, I believe, stems from when this was the first day off in the Spring for many people. It is very variable both in date and weather conditions. Mind you could be used a good excuse not to be visiting the outlaws over Easter.

I meant to add the carrot fly myth, despite it being generaly accepted that they can fly higher I still see people advising a low fence to keep them out. Myths are hard to bust.

**Bill HH** · 30-03-2014, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by bearded bloke View Post

If all "myths" were to be dispelled out of hand just think how many children (of all ages) would not get a present from Santa or a gift from the tooth fairy

Each to their own I say

Are you saying those a myths!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm gutted.

The thing is I have honestly believed in some of these gardening myths, it rather annoys me to find out many of them have no scientific foundation whatsoever.

**AllInContainers** · 30-03-2014, 03:13 PM

I don't take anything in gardening as an absolute. I had quite a bit of success with things in my garden that shouldn't have worked last year. I also had stuff that should have thrived but didn't. My neighbour has hanging baskets with sun loving plants in the shadiest spot in his garden, and generally has good success. All I do is listen to peoples opinions in real life, in books, or on-line, then I bend those suggestions to suit my growing conditions. Sometimes the myths hide an element of truth, but as my garden is primarily for enjoyment I don't complicate stuff by getting too "sciency" about it

**Potstubsdustbins** · 30-03-2014, 03:24 PM

For me its a case of 'each to their own' as long as folks enjoy what they do and don't try to tell me its the only/best way I am a happy bunny.

The problem with folks like us Bill is we both come from a very practical back ground and therefore we find it very easy to debunk the more esoteric side of things, some times without good reason.

Potty

**Bill HH** · 30-03-2014, 03:43 PM

Originally posted by Potstubsdustbins View Post

For me its a case of 'each to their own' as long as folks enjoy what they do and don't try to tell me its the only/best way I am a happy bunny.

The problem with folks like us Bill is we both come from a very practical back ground and therefore we find it very easy to debunk the more esoteric side of things, some times without good reason.

Potty

Sometimes with good reason.

But you are quite right I have ledd a life where practical matters and logic are most important and the esoteric side of things such as ghosts and fortune telling for instance are contrary to my own beliefs which are based on scienenfic fact.. I certainly have no problem in others believing these things but for myself I find I am being told these things as fact and not opinion or belief.

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