Everybody tells you that plants need to be fed. Thousands of gardening books and blogs confirm the fact. Fertilizer companies certainly continue to make you feel as if you are letting your plants down if you don’t fertilize. And most nurseries try to push their products at checkout.
I have good news for you. In most garden situations, you do NOT need to fertilize.
The idea that ornamental gardens need fertilizer is a big myth.
A recent report about a new genetically modified (GMO) houseplant that purifies the air in your home started me thinking about the social acceptability of GMO plants. The general public is mostly against them and yet 85% of scientists see no problem with them. I think that the public is against GMO for a couple of reasons; they don’t understand them and there is no direct benefit for them.
But what if a GMO hit closer to home? Would the general public accept it, if it provided some real benefits?
The genetically modified houseplant seemed like a perfect candidate to try a little social experiment. Would people use the plant if it removed toxins from the air in their home and there were no possible health or environmental concerns?
Mushroom compost is used a lot for gardens, but it comes with a warning: don’t use too much because it contains a lot of salt. I have been aware of this for a long time, and I have even cautioned people about using too much. Salt can harm plants, and it only makes sense not to use a product loaded with salt.
I always wondered why mushrooms would be grown with high levels of sodium. Are the fungi that different from plants? Do they need high sodium levels? A little online research started to make things clear. It turns out to be a good example of the confusion caused between salt and salt—something every gardener should understand.
I walked outside a few days ago and immediately spotted my monster foxglove. It is a cream yellow, growing in a fairly shady spot where the color just glows. But what made it really stand out is the large uncharacteristic flower at the top of the inflorescence (flower stem).
After a bit of work on the computer, I learned that this is a rare peloric mutation.
Algae is probably the pond owners biggest problem and people try everything to get rid of it, even barley straw. This is becoming a common method and companies are even selling bags of it for small back yard ponds, but does it actually work?
If you think about it for a minute, it does not make any sense. Why would barley straw work? Why not some other kind of straw?
Even if it does work, it seems a shame to use it in a pond rather than make beer out of it!
Corydalis ophiocarpa is an unusual corydalis that is evergreen all year. Its blue-green ferny leaves make a nice display in spring. It flowers in late spring and becomes more upright in growth to form a very airy plant.
I am sure you have seen the memes on social media; Dandelions are the first food for bees. “Don’t pick dandelions and save the honey bee”. How important are these dandelions to bees, and which bees are we talking about? Is it their first food? Do bees actually use the pollen and nectar from dandelions?
Just because social media says its true, does not mean it is. Lets uncover the truth behind this new craze to save the dandelions.
What is the difference between green beans, string beans, pole beans, and runner beans? I sort of know which is which, but when I tried to define the terms, things got very confusing. We use a lot of different terms for beans.
After a little research, things got even more confusing since there are also French beans, snap beans, and snaps. And what about those yellow wax beans? Are soybeans real beans?
This post is full of beans!
I just returned from the grocery store and they had blue orchids for sale; both dendrobium and phalaenopsis. These colors are not natural on orchids so I decided to find out how they are produced. How long will the colors last? Do they need any special care?
Growing food in plastic containers is on the rise, but is this a safe practice? What about the chemicals that leach out of plastic – are they absorbed by the soil or the food? Do they cause a health risk?
There is a great movement towards organic gardening to grow healthy food locally, and for smaller back yards and balconies it’s attractive to grow food in small containers. I’ve even seen pictures of people grow vegetables right in the bag that contained the soil they bought. This is all so simple but is it a healthy way to produce food? Is it still organic if you grow in plastic?
Social media is convinced that gelatin powder is a great fertilizer for plants. It is easy to use, organic, and has a high level of nitrogen. Seems perfect for houseplants and the garden.
Is this just another myth, or is there something to this advice?
Praying mantis egg cases are now being sold in many locations. The eggs are easy to hatch allowing you to add this natural pest control system to your garden.
Are these native praying mantis? Do they stay in your garden? Are they a good option for controlling pests in your garden? Before buying a praying mantis egg case read this post and get the facts.
