Popular Garden Myths We've All Fallen For

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Popular garden myths are shared throughout the garden world but much of it is folklore and misinformation. Find out why things like Epsom salt and other household remedies often do more harm than good.

You can avoid a lot of disappointment in gardening by applying some healthy skepticism when tips sound too good to be true and understanding why anecdotal evidence is unreliable.

Popular Garden Myths

When I was starting out as a gardener, I remember feeling so impatient to cram the knowledge into my head so I could grow the garden of my dreams. And, with that impatience comes the reflex to grab quick tips to fast-track success.

But, as you gain experience with each growing season, several transformative things happen.

With experience and learning, we discover the true fundamentals of a healthy, thriving garden, including the importance of healthy, nutritious soil.

We realize that plants grow in their own time, and trying to force things will come back to bite us.

Nature has its own timing.

We realize that so-called pests and problems are part of the circle of life, and often symptoms, not causes. Insects and caterpillars are actually vital food sources for other living things and become wonderful things like butterflies. And they can’t survive without eating leaves.

And, if any quick fixes (a.k.a. popular garden myths) really worked—and were good for the garden—they’d be promoted by experienced gardeners and professional growers around the globe.

But they’re not.

I laugh when I think of the shortcuts I tried way back when, and cringe at how long it took me to take fundamental things like soil health seriously.

Now, although I’m older, and the rest of my life is shorter (simple math), I stick to the basics, and give the garden all the time in the world. I’m in no hurry. I have no need for gimmicks or remedies.

Where I was so focused on the ‘end result’ in the beginning, now I’m all about the journey. Yet, things grow better with this approach and I am feel a much greater satisfaction than I did when I was in such a hurry.

Here are some common garden myths that just never seem to fade away.

1Epsom Salt

Read More: Are Epsom Salt Good for Plants?

There are so many claims about the powers of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate). Some say they make tomatoes grow better. They make roses bloom bigger! Plants grown with Epsom salt are taller, greener, better!

This may be the most-shared garden myth of all time.

I heard this so often when I was a beginner gardener that I assumed there must be truth to it.

But, no. Just because you added Epsom salt to your soil or water does not mean it gets credit for successful growth. If anything, the plants did well despite it.

And, unfortunately, excess magnesium sulfate is not good for the environment.

2Eggshells

We humans seem to have this need to find quick fixes and clever hacks for everything. And we’re willing to believe them even if they defy logic.

There are claims that eggshells do spectacular things for the garden. Some people even put whole eggs in planting holes before adding a plant.

I’m guessing the obsession with eggs and calcium comes from years of advertising where it was drilled into us that we must have as much as we can.

When you hear “calcium” you think strong bones and —healthy plants? I know, it’s an odd jump but presumably the gardener is thinking, all living things must need this vital nutrient, right?

But it’s not so simple. First, plants and soil are rarely calcium deficient. And, if there is an issue, it’s with nutrient uptake, meaning the plant can’t take up the available calcium for whatever reason, not that calcium is not there in the soil already.

The idea that we need to add eggshells to our gardens for healthy plants is, well, chicken scratch. The article explains in greater detail.

It’s not that they’re harmful. But neither are eggshells doing the wondrous things some say they are.

3Vinegar

Read More: Does Vinegar Really Kill Weeds?

You’ve probably seen the recipes for “natural” weed killer that include vinegar, salt, and dish soap, or some combination of these. If you love organic gardening, they will haunt you.

I don’t know why we think because we have the stuff in our cupboards that it is somehow okay to dump it in our gardens, but we humans are strange creatures sometimes.

Bottom line, vinegar is an acid, and an acidic liquid does not distinguish between plants, weeds, or a toad who happens to be sitting nearby. All will be burned when you spray, but the chances of it actually killing the weeds at the roots is slim.

4Earthworms

We’re always told how great worms are for our gardens, but it’s not as straight forward as we’ve been led to believe. While not a garden myth per se, there is an interesting history.

The worms currently enriching our gardens in North America originated elsewhere. The worms that were native to our land thousands of years ago are all gone. Species brought from the other parts of the world are now our wormy friends. It was an invasion we never noticed! But fortunately, they are okay in our gardens. Although, they do alter the eco-systems of forests.

Other parts of the world, including the UK and France, are now experiencing the takeover by invasive flatworms, as they out-compete native species, and brings great concerns.

So, while worms have long been welcomed to North American gardens, not all worms are created equal, and there are some new, destructive invasive species spreading faster than we can stop them.

5Talking to Plants

I saw an ad for IKEA featuring two similar houseplants. They had school children speak nicely to one plant, and harshly to the other. The point was to show how bullying affects living things. After a month, the poor belittled plant was wilting and dying. The other was thriving.

But was this a real experiment with valid results or an advertising campaign with a forced message?

Spoiler alert: it’s a gimmick that ignores science and assumes people are idiots.

We can do better.

6Dish Soap

Read More: Is Dish Soap Safe for the Garden?

Along with vinegar and salt, dish soap is often recommended for garden pest control and weed killing. It’s so frequently touted as “natural” or “harmless”—two things that are often not synonymous—that I start wondering if it’s the same stuff used for washing dishes! Just a glimpse at the ingredient list and it’s pretty clear it’s neither natural nor something we should put on our plants or into garden soil.

7Banana Peels

I think this is how it goes: bananas are a good source of potassium, and plants need potassium, so they must do something special in the garden, right?

Spoiler alert. Yes, they are fine in the compost pile, but no, they do not have plant-growing superpowers. And they take a long time to decompose.

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8Coffee Grounds

“I dump my coffee grounds right in the garden and everything grows like crazy!”

“Coffee grounds keep snails away!”

The claims just keep coming! Probably because we have such a surplus of coffee grounds and would love a happy ending.

But the fact is that while coffee grounds are fine in moderation in the compost pile, they do not have extraordinary powers in the garden.

9Avocado Seeds

Read More: Are Avocado Seeds Safe to Eat?

There are all sorts of claims online saying avocado seeds can cure thyroid issues, cancers, and more. But hold on! Is there any science behind these claims?

No. Just use them to grow new plants and ignore the dangerous tik tok trends.

10Salt

Read More: Is Salt a Good Weed Killer?

Have you seen those recipes for a ‘natural’ weed killer using vinegar, dish soap, and salt? Does it kill weeds? Are there any negative side-effects? Read this before you head to the kitchen to mix up a batch.

Basically, these recipes are telling you to through a bunch of inorganic gunk into your garden. Don’t. Just don’t.

11Houseplants and Air Purification

We’ve all heard it said that one of the many benefits of houseplants is how they purify the air in our homes. But is this true? We read the research and, spoiler alert, you would need a jungle of plants to make a difference.

Yes, plants make some of us feel happier but no, they don’t change the air quality in your home.

12Walnut Trees

It’s long been said that you can’t grow anything under or near a walnut tree due to the juglone in the soil. But is it really toxic and detrimental to other plants? Turns out we know much less about this than gardeners tell us.

As someone who has a massive, old walnut tree dominating the entire garden, I suspect it’s competition for resources (root space and water) that is the issue, not a juglone issue per se.

My point is, don’t let the naysayers deter you.

13Pine Needle Acidity and Soil

Have you been warned to watch out how pine needles can make soil too acidic for some plants?

Or, have you heard that if you are growing plants that like acidic soil like blueberries that you should add pine needles to their soil?

Well, it’s not what we thought. Pine needles are acidic while growing but once they leave the tree, that acidity rapidly decreases rendering them just fine as mulch in the garden.

14Gardening by the Phases of the Moon

The idea of gardening by Moon phases has been around for centuries, but does it really help? Find out what we know about the Moon’s influence on Earth and why this gardening advice remains anecdotal.

Yes, the moon has tremendous effects on life on earth but it cannot micro-manage tiny seeds and plants in our gardens.

15Do Sunflowers Follow the Sun?

There are plenty of garden memes claiming that sunflowers turn to face the sun as it crosses the sky each day. But is this true? Find out what we know about heliotropism.

Turns out, sunflowers may grow facing the direction of their morning sun but the influence stops as the plants mature.

16Compost Tea

Read More: Should I Use Compost Tea?

Lots of gardeners make compost tea to feed their plants, but does it really help? And is it better than just using compost?

While some compost teas may help, with each person making their own brew with different inputs, it’s impossible to replicate or compare.

17Cinnamon as a Fungicide

Read More: Is Cinnamon A Natural Fungicide?

Cinnamon is commonly recommended as a natural fungicide for gardeners wanting to avoid various fungal diseases. Let’s look at whether there is any science to back up the claims and if it has other benefits in the garden.

This is one of the few bits of garden folklore we have researched that may have some merit.

18Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is frequently recommended as an organic pesticide for the garden, but is it a practical, sustainable option? Is it a good resource for pollinator-friendly gardens? Let’s have a look.

The most important thing to note is it can cause lung damage to mammals including you and your pets.

19Mosquito-Repelling Plants

There are so many claims made about various plants and essential oils that can repel mosquitoes and prevent bites that we decided to see what the research says.

After all, if you can plant a few things in your garden or light some candles to keep from getting eaten alive, why not?

Well, don’t waste your money. Even if a plant might repel a mosquito, how far do you think it will go?

20Old-Fashioned Folklore

Have you ever heard the advice to plant beans when apple trees are in bloom or sow peas when daffodils are in flower?

These bits of old-fashioned garden advice do have some wisdom in them but will they really help us time our seeds, right? Let’s have a look at these sayings and see if they work.

21Hitting Trees & Other Odd Ideas

Does hitting a tree help stimulate growth? Should you shampoo your lawn? These are just a few of the questionable tips shared over the years by popular TV personality and garden book author Jerry Baker.

We researched this topic after seeing countless Jerry Baker books at thrift stores. Sadly, they are filled with countless weird, made-up tips obviously made to sell books while ignoring science and common sense.

22Baking Soda

Baking soda is recommended for all sorts of garden uses including sweetening tomatoes and boosting plant growth but much of this advice is rooted in folklore not science.

Let’s look at what baking soda is and if we should be using it on plants.

I wish I could say that’s it for the misleading garden tips but there’s always more.

And perhaps our only remedy is to remain healthy skeptics who ask does this make sense and is this true? And does this concoction even belong in nature?

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

PS: 10 Beginner Garden Tips That Avoid Bloopers (Great & Small) has practical ideas for eco-beneficial gardeners.

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Popular Garden Myths We’ve All Fallen For

Popular Garden Myths