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Gardening - Myth or Fact

Posted at 11:03 AM on June 14, 2008 by Sareen Dunleavy Keenan (6 Comments)

Here are some tips people have given me over the years - are they true? You tell me!

- Plant marigolds around the border of the garden to keep out the rabbits

-Sprinkle tobacco dust or cayenne pepper to fend off rabbits and squirrels

-Place coffee/soup cans around the base of your plants to keep out slugs and cut worms

-Remove the bottom most leaves of your tomato plant (the sucker leaf?) to produce more fruit near the top

-Never pick more than two thirds of your rhubarb or it won't grow back

-Strawberries require heavy fertilization for maximum production

-Add compost liberally and yearly for maximum fruit production

-Beans and Peas require sprouting in house on a wet paper towel before planting

I know that we have heard more advice, but for Saturday morning, this is all I can come up with. What do you know? Are they good or bad? Do you have better ways to keep the rabbits down and the fruit production up?

Everything seems to be progressing well. The plants are all tall enough to attract the attention of the baby. Do you think the red pepper will keep baby away too?

Comments (6)

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Hmm... keeping baby away from the plants? I'd suggest having Great-Grandma Keenan serve as border guard, but I know how much baby enjoys biting things that are in her way.

Posted by Alanna | June 15, 2008 12:54 PM

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Especially the older ladies for some reason... I could use some ideas on that as well. Why does baby bite ladies over 60?

Posted by Sareen | June 17, 2008 8:31 AM

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Hi Sareen,
Interesting gardening traditions/tips. I certainly agree with the liberal application of compost!

I've always heard that marigolds keep away nemotodes. Also deer. Maybe rabbits, too? We have bad problems with deer here, and rabbits this year, too. For the veggie garden, only a fence will do. Ours is electric. I make a hot-pepper spray (with ground cayenne or chili pepper, liquid dish soap, maybe some horseradish and/or other spicy ingredients) to deter the deer from eating small trees and ornamentals in our yard. I bet it would keep away babies, too, but the consequences might be pretty unpleasant. ;-)

In addition to pinching off the suckers from our tomato plants, we also remove any bottom leaves that touch the ground. This helps to prevent blight from spreading up the plant from the soil.

I've never heard the tip about sprouting beans and peas indoors on a wet paper towel, but it sounds like a good idea. I have no trouble starting beans directly in the ground, but we never have good luck with snap peas in the spring. Maybe next year I'll try sprouting them indoors first.

Thanks for the food for thought!
Autumn

Posted by Autumn Long | June 17, 2008 12:58 PM

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Hi Sareen,
I garden in South Florida, but we have alot of the same problems you do.
I've been told by a certified master gardener that the marigolds do keep out rabbits. I haven't planted them though, I don't like marigolds and I do like rabbits. I've also been told they do not work on nematodes. I stopped planting in-ground and have gone to raised planters. Expensive initially, but well worth it because our nematode problem was terrible. Regarding the soup can around your plants to keep out slugs, it works best if you rig the can so it can contain beer.
Definitely pick off the suckers from your tomatoes and definitely use compost liberally.
Enjoy your summer.

Posted by Connie Prichard | June 18, 2008 5:05 PM

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We have to get the marigolds quick. I don't know why this is the one thing passed down from the family that I cannot reliably follow. Maybe because I just don't like the look of them. But, If i like my lettuce, I had better get planting!

We actually have a lot of beer around because my husband brews his own, so no issue adding the plates-o-beer for those fellas. I do worry about our curious raccoon and his beer consumption though.

Off to set up the soaker hose on those tomatoes. They have started to flower! -sdk

Posted by Sareen | June 20, 2008 5:28 PM

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Try dedicating a small patch of ground to timothy grass and red clover..the rabbits will eat that and pretty much stay away from your plants( this should be on the opposite side of your yard and furtherest from your food garden)....also make sure your pet has the run of the area near your garden...rabbits will not come by as often if another animal is roaming at will. (we have a fence around the actual garden to keep the dog from getting in there to do her business)

Posted by Betty | June 21, 2008 3:10 PM