Fact or Fiction

Banana Skins

Fushia — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 15:39:59 GMT

I have been putting Banana skins under my roses for years also in the compost bin.( On the Gardeners World programme many years ago this was recommended) If this is folk lore then it works because I have had great sucess with my Roses and have even won ''Best Roses'' for the past 3 years Banana skins have Potassium(sp?) which is good for the roses.Fushia

Gardening Gene

BB — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:42:50 GMT

I know this may sound strange - but does anyone agree with me and think that the love of gardening can be passed on through the genes. All of my family seem to just love it - and both my brother and sister , like me, garden for pleasure and practically to feed themselves and their family and we have all come to it at different points in our lives and yet, though we now live miles apart, are remarkably similar in our methods and practice. Yes - our parents gardened but we none of us as children really took much notice apart from eating the produce and anyway virtually everyone gardened in those days. My OH's family on the other hand have no interest in it at all. He is one of 7 and all 7 are totally apathetic towards the subject. I may be being very simplistic but could it be in the genes?

Dogs..............

Casey — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 21:33:14 GMT

What about all the Old Wives' Tales regarding cures for brown patches on lawns caused by dogs?

A splendid new invention

Digger — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:59:31 GMT

Well whilst I've been resting and recuperating, I took the time to create yet another fantastic invention that will revolutionise the way gardening can be done, especially in terrible climates like Lancashire. Of course the Airflow Root Stimulation Enclosure is still working well and remains my copyright,

The new invention is my idea and remains my idea and i own the copyright so no one can steal it from me, so here goes. The sunshine is sparse up here even in summertime, so we need to make use of the paltry poor excuse of sun that we do get, the only way to do this is to exploit the little sun we get and amplify it,

To do this we need a sheet of clear plastic corrugated roofing sheet, it must be clear, next we need a few dozen plastic drinks bottles they must be no larger than 500ml, so I use lucosade bottles but coca cola ones will do but they only hold 330ml, next remove the labels from the bottles and clean them proper;ly inside and out, they must have no marks or scratches on them at all, next get a tube of clear silicone sealant, fill all your clean bottles with clean water, the water needs to be clean and crystal clear, seal all the bottle caps up tightly, next apply the silicone sealant to the concave parts of the clear plastic corrugated roofing sheet, then lay it down flat on the ground and apply the water filled clear plastic bottles to the corrugated sheet where the silicone is, put the bottles in a row from edge to edge of the sheet and put the bottles top to bottom to entirely cover the sheet, then put more silicone sealant onto the bottles and place another sheet of clear plastic corrugated roofing sheet onto the bottles, so in effect you have a sandwich of water filled clear bottles between two sheets of corrugated plastic.

Next let the silicone set for about three or four hours, now take the sandwich sheet to your growing bed area and place it along one edge, preferably the edge that receives some sunshine, prop up the sheet with either canes or an angled frame so it leans over the bed slightly, make several of these sheets for more areas, I am using a piece of tubular angled frame to support the sheets, it looks a little like a roof but on the ground, you can make the sheets as tall or short as you like, anyway the sun will hit the sheet the water will magnify the suns rays which will then be hitting your soil growing area, the heat will gently warm your soil to a lovely equatorial temperature, the heat will stay in your soil and seeds will germinate more readily. This idea is my own idea so no one can nick it and claim it as theirs

I call this latest invention : the Sun Catching Radiation Optimum Thermal Enclosure and it goes well with my previous invention, any of my good friends on here can use the idea but don't try to impress your friends by telling them that you invented it, because one day you will get found out and have to pay lots of money in royalties, of course as the RHS is a charity that is dear to my heart they can also use the idea for nowt.

Vi aqua

Digger — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:34:11 GMT

I am reading about a product called Vi aqua, it is claimed that this tool will enhance vigour of plants and roots by passing an electro magnetic charge into the water and this will energise the water by altering the hydrogen withion the water, also they claim that it is a product endorsed by the Royal botanic gardens at Kew? has anyone heard of this tool?

Molehills

sunflower — Wed, 29 Dec 2004 11:37:13 GMT

I had heard that sticking the top part of empty plastic bottles in mole hills deters moles - apparently the sound from the wind frightens them. Anyone know if this is true

How to get rid of rabbits

buttercup — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 21:07:13 GMT

My father used to tell me of this way to get rid of rabbits. Obviously one needs a large pinch of salt. In the veg garden plagued with rabbits - find a brick and wrap it in lettuce, place on ground and sprinkle pepper on the top of the lettuce covered brick. Along hops Mr rabbit, he sees the lettuce and starts to eat it, the pepper sets off a terrific sneezing fit, then Mr rabbit gives one enormous sneeze and bangs his head down on the hard brick!! Which kills him outright! Well it will give you all a laugh anyway

Seaweed makes plants healthier.

Phot's-Moll — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:43:20 GMT

I've read claims that feeding plants with seaweed extract can help them cope better against pests and disease. I know it contains some nutrients and these would help any plant deficient in them, but is there more to it than that?

Hob Nails (Guest post from Chris Beardshaw)

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 12:17:30 GMT

"My favourite practical example of gardening folklore is a tale passed on from my grandmother who would bury a hob nail boot under hydrangeas to change their colour from pink to red. She always kept my grandfathers old boots for the purpose. This works due to the iron released into the soil as the nails in the sole and heal of the boot rusted." [i]Posted on Behalf of Chris Beardshaw.[/i]

No-dig gardening

sunflower — Sun, 02 Jan 2005 12:49:43 GMT

I had heard somewhere about an idea called no dig gardening. I think that the idea is to minimise the soil disturbance? Has anyone tried this? Does this work? Having just cleared part of my veggie plot it sounds very appealing.

Strange Asparagus

Obtaric 1 — Sat, 13 May 2006 09:03:59 GMT

I have a strange mutation in my asparagus plant, has anyone else seen this kind of thing before? One stalk is about 3" wide and flat about 3' tall with twigs sticking out of the side,the head has about 100 to 120 buds - this piece looks like a succulent. I have pictures but can not work out how to post to here.

Stewed Garlic as an anti-fungal treatment for Plants (Guest post from Chris Beardshaw)

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 12:21:25 GMT

"My top science tip for successful gardening is to stew garlic (Allium sativum), or wild garlic (Allium ursinum), in water and mist the liquid onto your plants to keep fungal complaints like mildew and black-spot at bay. This process is successful as Allium species are naturally high in sulphur; an element that is known to combat fungi." [i] Posted on Behalf of Chris Beardshaw.[/i]

grape hyacint under an apple tree

Hyacint — Sun, 08 May 2005 18:40:43 GMT

I was told be an 85 year old gardener that planting grape hyacints under an apple tree are toxic to the tree. ???

Rotten Snails

prentonboy — Mon, 20 Dec 2004 20:55:11 GMT

I was always told that if you collected snails and kept them in a jam jar of water, with the xxxxx top on, until such time that they had died and the liquid turned into a smelly mixture of rotten snails. This could then be used diluted in the watering can on susceptible plants and it would keep the snails away. I can understand the reasoning behind it but as yet I have never tried it.

Weeding.

ken69 — Sat, 18 Dec 2004 14:12:03 GMT

Have also heard about hoeing in the dark or moonlight but somehow think this has benefits.What does the panel think.

Disappearing Warts

dave brown — Fri, 15 Apr 2005 07:28:22 GMT

Is it an old wives tale that if you cut a potatoe in half, rub the cut part on the wart on your finger (or wherever) - then bury that part of the potatoe in the garden, that as the potatoe rots the wart will disappear ? Thanks

Wheat

ken69 — Sun, 06 Feb 2005 09:46:54 GMT

Why doesn't the UK grow it's own wheat instead of importing from the US and Canada.The country would be richer.Also by eating less sugar we would be healthier.So by growing our own wheat on the land released by growing less sugar beet, we would be wealthier and healthier.Does this make sense to anyone else....Ken 68

Ash for gardens?

PumpkinPete — Mon, 14 Mar 2005 20:34:08 GMT

Hi Is the ash from the fireplace (all wood, not coal or anything else) any good for any part of the garden? Currently I put it in the bin. Should I put it in the composter, around rhododendrons, on rhubarb, spread it on the veggie patch before I plant anything? Or continue putting it in the bin? The wood I burn in the fireplace is various, silver birch, oak, elm, walnut, pine. Basically whatever I can get. I guess it does not matter once it is burnt. Does it help with acid/alkaline? Is it good for any plants in particular? regards Pete.

Powers of Invisibility (Guest post from Chris Beardshaw)

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 12:19:16 GMT

"A favourite old wives’ tale I’ve heard is that anyone walking naked and bare foot on the fronds of ferns on mid-summers eve will be rendered invisible. This is thought to arise from the fact that until the early 19th century the reproductive process of ferns was believed to be invisible due to the absence of flowers and seeds." [i]Posted on behalf of Chris Beardshaw[/i]

Human Hair as an animal repellent

anthemis — Sun, 16 Jan 2005 18:11:53 GMT

Is there any truth in the theory that hanging human hair around the garden will deter animals like deer?

Rhubarb to control clubroot

newgardener — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 17:24:49 GMT

My uncle told me that putting a few small pieces of rhubarb leaves in the planting hole when transplanting brassica seedlings would control clubroot. I tried it a few times and it seemed to work. However, I now understand that this practice is illegal as rhubarb hasn't been cleared as a garden pesticide!

The Biodynamic horn in compost

jade — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 21:19:40 GMT

Hi, I know it is an important part of biodynamic gardening but surely the cow horn in the manure heap is a bit of magic and faith rather than something that could possibly work from a scientific theory - I'd be interested to hear what people think.

Don't forget to fill out the on-line questionnaire?

admin — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 12:25:34 GMT

Don't forget to fill out our questionnaire at [url=http:///scienceweek]http://www.rhs.org.uk/scienceweek[/url] We will publicise the results of the questionnaire in March 2005, and giving our verdict on which are fact, and which are fiction, based on sound horticultural science!