By John Green, Orange, Texas’ Certified Expert Gardener

Gardeners another week has served us well and delivered more rainfall! Fortunately, rainfall has been plentiful during spring and continues into summer, perhaps an indication normalcy has returned to SETX weather patterns. Our hottest months are yet to come so let’s all hope for the best!

People frequently ask plant specific or gardening-related questions (which I always enjoy answering) while about town or through email. Recently, a few gardeners (novice and seasoned) have shared ‘bits’ of information with me that, well…simply put just “doesn’t hold water”, bordering on misinformation! Listed are some of the more common local gardening myths. After speaking with several readers, it is apparent to me clarification is needed to debunk some of the ‘distorted’ information circulated in our gardening community.

Myth: Compost piles are malodorous

FACT: Compost piles will have a pleasant, earthy smell when properly worked. Odiferous smells are indicative of anaerobic composting which means there is a lack of oxygen in the pile. The compost will ‘eventually’ break down, very slowly retaining foul, “swampy” odors. Turning the pile frequently introduces oxygen and alleviates foul odors. Note: animal protein (scraps) should not be added to compost piles.

Myth: Green tomatoes ripen quickly on a sunny windowsill

FACT: Sunlight is not needed to ripen tomatoes. Ripening fruit releases ethylene gas which speeds tomato ripening; conversely to slow ripening, individually wrap green tomatoes wrap in newspaper to slow the ripening process, and place in a cool area of the home.

Myth: Nothing can grow beneath Black Walnut trees

FACT: While it’s true Black Walnut trees release an allelopathic chemical called juglone which inhibits the growth of some plants, many others can grow beneath them such as Zinnia, daylilies, phlox, Shasta daisy, begonias, purple coneflower, and many other.

Myth: Paperboard and newspaper are superb weed barriers

FACT: These materials can be used as weed barriers and should be covered with mulch. Unfortunately, both can impede water penetration and gas exchange when they become too wet or too dry. The key to using either is application: less is more- meaning never use more than 4 sheets of newspaper or a single  layer of cardboard before mulching.

Myth: Tree wounds require ‘painting’ after pruning

FACT: This was a common practice of tree care that has fallen out of favor with Arborists who don’t believe painting a wound serves a purpose and could negatively affect the tree. There are exceptions: if a tree being pruned is threatened by disease-carrying beetles attracted to a fresh wound, and some oak trees are susceptible to oak wilt, then painting is necessary.

Myth: Garden soil must be cultivated regularly

FACT: There are times when some cultivation is needed for heavily compacted soil but over cultivation can turn the topsoil into a powdery dust which repels water, becoming inhospitable to root growth. Tilling frequently dries out the soil, exposing the soil to sunlight, which drastically diminishes the microbiome (beneficial microbes) it contains.

Myth: If garden soil is too rich pepper plants will not set fruit.

FACT: This is true for many plants, overly rich soil will favor foliage over flowers, though plants will bear fruit. The lack of flowering is often due to the weather since most plants drop flowers if the temperature falls below 55F or is greater than 85F. Pepper plants are temperature sensitive.

Myth: The best mulch to use is wood chips

FACT: Hold on a moment, as this depends on the intended use. It’s true they make a wonderful mulch for a natural garden but hold too much moisture for cacti and succulents. Don’t spread more than 3 inches thick and don’t pile against plant stems as this can cause problems with disease and insects.

Myth: Plants require daily watering

FACT: Container plants obviously require frequent watering- often needing water daily but in ground landscape plants do not. Typically, deep watering to 2 times per week is adequate but only necessary when rainfall is scarce. Shallow watering encourages roots to grow near the soil surface meaning more frequent watering is necessary. Deep watering forces roots to grow deeply allowing the plant to become self-sufficient during dryer periods.

Myth: Allowing grass clippings to remain on the lawn causes thatch buildup

FACT: Short grass clippings will not contribute to thatch. A thick layer of dead plant debris (leaves) will make it difficult for new turf to emerge. It is always best to leave clippings in place rather than bag them especially if using a mower with mulching blade. The clippings are ‘free’ fertilizer (nitrogen) for the lawn.

Myth: Coffee grounds are good for plants

FACT: Coffee grounds are beneficial to the soil and do not lower pH. When adding used coffee grounds directly to garden soil or the compost bin, a small amount of nitrogen is added. Disperse the coffee grounds into a thin layer when adding them to the compost bin or garden soil. Coffee grounds contain the three major nutrient components for plants – N (Nitrogen), P (Phosphorus) and K (Potassium).

Myth: Eggshells add calcium to the soil quickly

FACT: it depends on the way the eggshells are applied. Plants require Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium which are macro-nutrients, and the most vital building blocks for healthy plant growth, and calcium is essential for building healthy cell walls within plant. Eggshells are composed of calcium carbonate mostly and can easily be added into your soil. Prepare the eggshells by drying them thoroughly in the oven or outside in a sunny location.  Once dried, break the shells into smaller pieces and place into a blender, adding about one or two cups of water, then pulverize. Another option is to use a spice grinder (my preference is by mortar & pestle) creating a very fine powder which will decompose into the soil faster than simply tossing shells onto the soil.

Myth: Epsom salt prevents blossom end rot on tomatoes

FACT: After some research, it is my opinion that Epsom salt-magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) which is unfortunately touted by many experienced gardeners as a ‘common garden cure-all’…shouldn’t be! Sadly, it’s simply not true. Epsom salt does not prevent blossom end rot, in fact adding too much magnesium to the soil can prevent calcium uptake into plants, making blossom-end rot worse. Further, adding Epsom salt to soil that already has sufficient magnesium will harm the and inhibit calcium uptake.

So long for now fellow gardeners! Let’s go out and grow ourselves a greener, sustainable world, one plant at a time! Thank you for the questions & kind comments. Please continue sending gardening questions to: jongreene57gmail.com