Mythbusters: plant edition

Now that planting season is upon us in the Northeast, I thought it timely to explore--and explode--planting myths.  Here, some of the most commonly held beliefs about Spring planting:

1.  If you live in zone 5 or below, never plant anything before Mother's Day

While this is a good rule of thumb for potted items, it isn't true of things like dormant bulbs, roots and rhizomes.  You may tuck hosta shoots, iris, columbine, lily of the valley, ferns (to name a few) under the ground as soon as it is consistently at around 50 degrees F.

2.  You should never plant tulips in the Spring
    
So you have a house full of spent tulips that friends and relatives brought as Easter presents a few weeks back.  Normally you store the withering plants in their pots in your garage until you can dig a nice hole for them in the fall.  Problem is, come autumn, you're busy putting your garden to bed, and more times than not, you forget to plant them--or you simply run out of time before the ground freezes.  So, plant them NOW.  Sure, they won't bloom again until next Spring, but if you tuck them unobtrusively amid your perennials, you will barely notice their browning foliage (which you NEVER cut--it provides the nutrients to get the bulbs through the winter so they bloom gloriously next year).  Tip: get as much dirt from the pot into the hole as possible. The less the tulips are disturbed, the healthier they will stay.  And don't overwater them--too much moisture rots the bulbs.

3.  Drought-tolerant plants seldom need additional watering

While this is true in theory, ALL plants need extra watering during their first season in your garden.  Plants (drought-tolerant and otherwise) need a heaping helping of the wet stuff to help them establish their place in their new home.  The sages tell us that "putting down roots" somewhere is vital for bestowing upon us the feeling of belonging.  This is literally true for our plants.  Things like Black-eyed Susan, Coneflower, and Russian sage, famous for thriving on neglect, also need TLC during their first year in the flowerbed.

4.  To loosen heavy clay soil, add sand

Anyone in the construction industry can tell you what you get when you mix sand with clay: cement.  In fact the worst remedy for a clay soil is to add sand. This resulting rock-hard, mortar-like substance will choke out developing plant roots. a better alternative: use organic matter, like compost, to loosen heavy soils.  It is light in composition, and also improves nutrient quality.

5.  Organic pesticides are much safer than synthetic ones.

This is true to a point.  However, misused pesticides can be harmful, regardless of whether they are considered natural or synthetic. Pyrethrum, for example, made from chrysanthemums, is still toxic to people and pets when handled improperly.  Read and follow all label directions, and remember that these products are tools, not miracle workers or silver bullets. Pesticides cannot correct mistakes made in plant selection, installation, or maintenance.