Techniques Archives - Page 2 of 4

Fabric Pots (Grow Bags) vs Plastic Pots – Which is Better?

Fabric pots (aka grow bags) are becoming very popular in home gardens as some gardeners are moving away from plastic pots. Manufacturers of fabric pots claim a number of benefits like better root growth, and cooler conditions for roots, but are these claims valid? The plants you buy at nurseries are still being sold in plastic pots and that industry is always looking for ways to grow plants faster. If fabric was better for plants would the industry not use them?

Will your plants grow better in grow bags? Should you stick with plastic or move on to fabric?

Fabric Pots vs Plastic Pots - Which is Better? — Fabric Pots vs Plastic Pots – Which is Better?, credit: Gardenuity

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Best Way to Fix Root Bound Plants, Before Planting

Many plants purchased from nurseries are root bound, also called pot bound, and the internet provides a variety of suggestions for dealing with this problem. Slice the sides, cut the bottom off, butterfly them or don’t do anything at all. Which method is best?

Is the best fix for this problem different for different kinds of plants? Should trees be treated the same perennials or annuals?

Let’s see what the science says.

Best Way to Fix Root Bound Plants, Before Planting

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Should You Prune Suckers on Tomatoes?

To prune or not to prune suckers on tomatoes – the age old debate continues – until now!

There are two distinct camps here. Some people prune suckers on tomatoes so that they end up with a single stem and they claim that is best. Others don’t prune suckers at all and they claim their method is best. And then there are the ones that sit on fence and sucker to two or three stems. In this blog I’ll tell you the best way to prune tomatoes.

Should You Prune Suckers on Tomatoes?, source: Sixteen Acres

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Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting – Book Review

I have written about companion planting several times and have concluded that most recommended companions, either don’t work, or there is no scientific support for them. When the book, “Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden” was released I was definitely intrigued because all prior books on the subject are mostly myths and definitely not based on science.

Jessica Walliser, the author, was kind enough to provide a copy for review. Does this book finally provide a sound set of recommendations for companion planting?

Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting - Book Review — Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting – Book Review

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Is Bokashi Tea (Bokashi Leachate) a Good Fertilizer?

Despite its name, Bokashi composting is a fermentation process for handling kitchen scraps right in the home. It is fairly easy to do and produces few odors. The majority of the material ends up as fermented kitchen scraps and some is drained out the bottom as a brown liquid, commonly called Bokashi tea or Bokashi leachate. Advocates of this process claim that the Bokashi tea is a good fertilizer, full of all the nutrients your plants need.

In my previous discussion about Bokashi, I speculated that the tea contained few nutrients. At the time I found no chemical analysis of Bokashi tea, not even from proponents of the process. One of my readers has now found such a study and I will have a close look at the data in this post.

Nutrient levels in Bokashi tea, compared to synthetic fertilizer, by Garden Fundamentals, based on research by Håkan Asp

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Floating Seeds in Water – Is This a Good Seed Viability Test?

How do you know if your seeds are still viable? Simple, do a seed germination test. Place the seeds in some water. The ones that sink are still viable – the ones that float are dead.

This advice is all over the internet so it must work? But how reliable is it?

Floating Seeds in Water - Is this a Good Seed Viability Test? — Floating Seeds in Water – Is this a Good Seed Viability Test?; source: Pens & Pencils

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Crop Rotation – Is There a Benefit for Gardeners?

Crop rotation is one of those techniques that seems to be necessary for anyone growing vegetables. Read any book or online source about growing food and you soon run into the recommendation that crop rotation will make plants grow better, reduce pests and prevent diseases. The Alabama A&M Extension Office says, “it’s an essential part of planning a home garden“. It is a common practice in agriculture and if it works there, why would it not also be a good idea for the back yard garden?

As you learn a bit more about this technique you soon realize it’s not a simple technique to implement. You have to know your plant families and you need to set up a 3 year schedule, or is it a 4 year schedule? And every author seems to have different rules for selecting the next crop. If there are many so-called “best” systems, which one should you use?

Let’s have a closer look at crop rotation and decide how it should be used by home gardeners.

Crop Rotation - Is There a Benefit for Gardeners? — Crop Rotation – Is There a Benefit for Gardeners?, photo by Julie

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Potting Up – Which Pot Size is Correct for Potting On?

You have been growing seedlings in small pots and it’s time to move them to bigger pots. Or maybe you bought a small houseplant and it has grown too big for the pot and it needs more space. What size of pot should you use when potting up? Is it better to pot up one size at a time, or go to a big pot right away?

Is there a right answer or does the answer depend on your goals for the plant, the type of soil or the type of plant?

The answer is going to surprise many of you and it’ll show the value of listening to science.

Potting Up - Which Pot Size is Correct for Potting On? — Potting Up – Which Pot Size is Correct for Potting On? photo by Kitchen Garden

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Do Marigolds Stop Cabbage Worms – Is this Good Companion Planting?

Will marigolds stop cabbage worms from attacking cabbage? This was a hot topic last week as the Facebook post shown below made the rounds in many gardening groups, everything from local Canadian groups, to Gardening in Western Australia. Through this one post, thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of gardeners are now convinced that marigolds stop cabbage worms.

That is too bad, since this may just be another myth that has no scientific basis.

In this post I will discuss why you should have been very skeptical when you first saw this post, and then I’ll look at the real science behind the claim.

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How To Grow Moss – Which Method Works Best?

Some of you want to get rid of the moss in your lawn and others want to grow more of it in special places like rocks and logs. Moss is a fairly good ground cover, it can take some traffic, and never needs to be mowed. It doesn’t need to be fertilized because it prefers low nutrient levels.

Moss is also a great addition to shade gardens giving them an aged look that is so hard to get. If you are building a stumpery, you almost have to add some moss to give it a final touch of authenticity.

But how do you grow more moss where you want it? You might be surprised to learn that not everything on the internet works. In this post I’ll review and test several ways to grow moss.

How To Grow Moss - Which Method Works Best? — How To Grow Moss – Which Method Works Best?

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Are Marigolds Good for Companion Planting?

There is a lot of talk about companion planting, especially for the vegetable garden, and marigolds seem to be at the top of most plant lists. They make other plants grow better and their strong smell keeps pests away. They even stop root knot nematodes.

Much of this information is anecdotal and I suspect some of it is just made up to sell some popular books. What do marigolds actually do in the garden?

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Straw Bale Garden vs Traditional In-ground Garden – A Critical Comparison

Straw bale gardening seems to be an “in-thing” to try and I have written about it in Pros and Cons of Straw Bale Gardening. I see people on line praising the technique, but I also see a lot of people reporting failure. What is rare is any side-by-side comparison of straw bale gardening to traditional in-ground gardening. Even proponents of straw bale gardening don’t provide evidence for their claims by making a comparison.

I wanted to see for myself how well it worked, so this year I decided to do a comparison between my traditional vegetable garden and straw bale gardening. Here is what I found.

Straw Bale Garden vs Traditional In-ground Garden — Straw bale garden vs traditional In-ground garden

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