Myths exploded

[bearded bloke]

It just occurred to me - did they give you a great big wooden spoon in your MOM parcel, Bill HH, just so you could stir things up? I realise that you are mostly talking with your tongue in your cheek - I just wonder why?

Just to clarify,Bill is MoM for May Jeanie,this thread was started on 30-03-2014, 11:23 AM (so not during his momship) what Admin send in his pack may surprise us all yet

[dogsbody]

Isn't the world flat? Since when?

It certainly is where I am (otherwise I would fall off)

[Bill HH]

I've only just come across this thread. I love to hear about a variety of ideas and methods so I can browse and work out which ones suit me best. I don't think you can ever explode gardening lore by saying they are myths and unscientific.

It just occurred to me - did they give you a great big wooden spoon in your MOM parcel, Bill HH, just so you could stir things up? I realise that you are mostly talking with your tongue in your cheek - I just wonder why?

I will not rise to your truly awful behaviour.

[Jeanied]

I will not rise to your truly awful behaviour.

Why thank you, kind sir.

[pigletwillie]

Proven science is however not always for the best. Monsanto undoubtedly make the best genetically modified varieties of cereals and veg. The are abundant and prolific if grown per their instructions (sprayed regularly) and will close out anything else that tries to grow. They are also sterile in the main or will not grow true to type next time round. They are world class, scientifically proven to give the best yields but would you want to grow them or eat them.
Mother nature is a strange creature, she doesn't follow the rule book otherwise we would all grow show winning produce every year. Science is only a part of a gardeners armoury, local knowledge, luck, good strains of unscientifically proven seeds and some common sense are all in my humble opinion more helpful things.

[Bal]

I agree, growing stuff for your self and family is as much about the heart as it is the head. I constantly talk to my plants while I am pottering about the garden, despite having a "science"background I do believe there are many forces that we don't know about but can intrinsically feel. If we only followed science and facts we would loose half the pleasure of gardening.

[Bill HH]

Proven science is however not always for the best. Monsanto undoubtedly make the best genetically modified varieties of cereals and veg. The are abundant and prolific if grown per their instructions (sprayed regularly) and will close out anything else that tries to grow. They are also sterile in the main or will not grow true to type next time round. They are world class, scientifically proven to give the best yields but would you want to grow them or eat them.
Mother nature is a strange creature, she doesn't follow the rule book otherwise we would all grow show winning produce every year. Science is only a part of a gardeners armoury, local knowledge, luck, good strains of unscientifically proven seeds and some common sense are all in my humble opinion more helpful things.

I don't disagree with that one bit, I do not trust commercialy motivated science.
The Myths I refer to are things many gardeners do for no other reason than that someone told them to, I just like to ask why? that is not too upsetting for anyone is it?

[pigletwillie]

They may be myths to you but work very well for others. You may not agree not agree with it but that doesn't mean the other person is wrong. Gardening is a broad church with people advocating lots of ideas and theories. There is room for all and ideas that are not necessarily mainstream have their place.

[Bill HH]

They may be myths to you but work very well for others. You may not agree not agree with it but that doesn't mean the other person is wrong. Gardening is a broad church with people advocating lots of ideas and theories. There is room for all and ideas that are not necessarily mainstream have their place.

Again that is true and as it should be, if someone believes in a practice that is their right and choice. But many gardeners practice things thinking it is the right thing to do when in fact it has been shown not to work or even counter productive. For example I always used to add broken pots to new pots for drainage as have gardeners for generations. However having read that this is a waste of time and may harbour slugs etc, I have stopped doing it. My plants are doing fine, and when I tip them out I don't get bits of broken pot in the compost. The fact that I now regard this as a myth in no way means I think other gardeners should follow suit, but if they are made aware they might just try it. Of course some people are so closed minded nothing would persuade them to change anything, again that's their right.

[Potstubsdustbins]

That's better a discussion not a argument. Different folks different strokes.

[Shadylane]

Surely something can only be called a myth if it's disproven can't it? Otherwise it's just something that you choose not believe, ie opinion.

You choosing not to believe in something doesn't make it a myth. For example, water droplets causing scorch has I believe been disproven - hence a myth. Methods such as lunar gardening, planting on certain days, watering while dull etc have not. Many people have anecodotal eveidence that such things work, so while not proven as scientifically effective methods, they also cannot be classed as myths.

[Nicos]

For example, water droplets causing scorch has I believe been disproven - hence a myth. .

Disproven? really?...cor I'd have bet my best set of teeth to say water droplets DO cause scorch...as far as I am aware I have been guilty of doing that very thing several times!
Confusing or what???!!

[Shadylane]

I'm sure someone posted on here a link to an article that it was all baloney. I know I've noticed scorch marks that look like they've been caused by droplets but I know that I didn't get water on the leaves. I've also on other occasions got water on the leaves on a sunny day and had no scorch.

Remember Tomatoking? He grows toms commercially I think and he was adamant that it didn't. He used to go around spraying them with water to keep the atmosphere humid, saying if they're well watered, droplets shouldn't cause scorch.

ETA here y go Nicos The Top 5 Watering Myths: Gardener's Supply

and a Telegraph article here Sunburnt leaves: the myth debunked - Telegraph

[Nicos]

* passes shadylane best pr of dentures.....

Interesting!

[Greenleaves]

I have always been confused by this, especially when in and around Ely where lots of salad leaves are grown. In the hot weather you can see sprinklers going in full sun?

That said, I will still err on the side of caution.