Denny's Soapbox

More Gardening Myths

Today I give you my next five gardening myths. Lots of homeowners have done it wrong and this list should correct any you might have.

Myth #6 – Water Your New Plantings Every Day, Especially During the Heat of summer.

All plants, from annual flowers to trees should only be watered when the surrounding soil is dry. You have to physically check the soil with a garden trowel before assuming that the plants need water. Also, some plants dry out quicker than others. Don’t water the entire landscape because of a few dry plants. More plants die each year from over watering than under watering.

Myth #7 – Full Sun Means your Plant that you have selected needs Sun from Sun-up to Sun-down.

This is a fair assumption that many of you make due to the term full sun. The truth of the matter is any plant that loves lots of daily sun will do very well if that plant gets a minimum of a half day of sun or more. Same holds true for shade loving plants which will do just fine if those plants get morning sun till noon. Shade plants don’t want any of the hot afternoon sun shining on them.

Myth #8 – “Deer Proof” Plants are readily available at any Garden Center.

With the exception of boxwood and daffodils, which the deer know are poison, no other plant is entirely deer proof. Deer, like people, have their culinary pecking order. Taxus are a magnet and tulips are their dessert but every other plant is vulnerable if the deer are hungry, which they are daily and all other food is scarce or non existent. There are lists of their pecking order from Cornell University posted on our web site. This list can help you select trees, shrubs, and flowers that are known to be resistant. But deer-proof, not exactly. There are liquid repellents available that have been successful. These products contain either bitrex, garlic, coyote urine, dried blood, etc. and some come mixed with sticky ingredients that allow the sprays to remain on your plants for one to six months.

Myth #9 – Spray Insecticides as a Preventive Before you See any Insects.

That was the old philosophy promoted by the marketing divisions of the chemical producers who were trying to sell more pesticide. The new and current philosophy is now filled with common sense. Since there are many beneficial insects put on this earth to naturally destroy most of the harmful insects, wait to spray any plant until you see harmful insects. Identify them and only spray with a pesticide that is labeled to treat for that particular insect and only spray those plants that the harmful insects are on.

Myth #10 – You Can Prune Flowering Shrubs Anytime of the Year.

Reality – No you can’t or shouldn’t. Spring flowering trees and shrubs should be pruned within sixty days after bloom. This group of plants: azaleas, forsythia, all Viburnum, lilacs, dogwoods, weeping cherries to name a few, form their bloom buds in late summer and fall. If you prune these spring bloomers in late summer, they won’t have time to grow new branches and set more bloom buds. If you trim any tree or shrub after mid August, that plant’s new growth that will develop from the pruning will not have sufficient time to harden off before cold weather sets in and could be severely damaged during the winter. Winter pruning, after November 15th would be OK, especially for larger shade trees.

You might want to keep the last 2 weeks myths handy. A second read in March will remind you of the Do’s and Don’ts for your landscape in 2010.