Master Gardener dispels myths
By Denise Stewart
Organic compost is the ingredient that makes your garden grow. Forget about the multitude of chemical product gimmicks that Facebook and other media are inundating us with. Master Gardener Dawn Standke shattered horticultural myths at the October meeting of the Scripps-Mesa Garden Club. “Snake oil,” she called them, as she spoke about baking soda, banana water, coffee, Epsom salts and the like.
Her recommendation is to have your soil tested and make up for any chemical disparities by adding the proper fruits and vegetables to your organic compost heap. Let it all rot and then rake an abundant amount into your soil. Also add organic compost into the holes you dig for plants. Then watch your garden grow.
Another useless gadget she mentioned was a tree watering appliance that just does not fit the task. This lengthy tubular gizmo is meant to be pushed deep into the ground to carry water from your hose deep into the soil. It’s useless since the water capturing roots of trees spread closer to the surface and far from the trunk. A drip hose laid out at the periphery of the branches is the tool for large tree watering.
Neem Oil is another popular organic product that is being sold as a responsible pest controller. Neem Oil is an insecticide. It will kill the bugs you want right along with the bad guys.
The gardeners celebrated and shared their season’s gardening success at a potluck held at the local library this month. They will not meet in December. In January, their meetings will resume on the fourth Tuesday evening of the month at 6 pm, but at a new location. The Scripps Ranch Community Center will be their meeting place until Daylight Saving Time returns, and their garden tours resume.
On their website, find information about the club and the gardening techniques members have found to be successful when applied to local challenges. Visit Scrippsmesagardenclub.com.