Starting your own garden is an exciting adventure. There are so many fun activities, from selecting your garden location, choosing containers, shopping for plants and seeds. There is so much information for the new gardener to grasps. Within this swirl of information, there are many misconceptions. Here are a couple mythbusters!

Myth: You need a lot of space to grow your own food

One common myth is the idea that you need a lot of space to grow your own food. This is not the case at all! There are plenty of creative ways to maximize your growing space. There are also a plethora of beds, pots and containers to choose from based on your personal style and space. Containers come in many shapes, colors, materials, and sizes. Raised beds, whisky barrels, grow bags , grow towers, planter boxes, are some of the selections to choose from.

Growing vertically with trellises, fencing, arbors and arches is one space saving method.  Vertical growing is perfect for vining squash, melons, cucumbers and pole beans. Upward growing keeps developing fruit off of the ground, allows for better airflow which decreases diseases, helps with pest control, and allows you to grow more plants in less space.

 Aim for selecting compact, dwarf or bush varieties of your favorite plants. This will allow you to grow more within a confined space and to practice companion planting gardening.  There are compact varieties of many plants, including favorites such as cucumbers, eggplant, squash, melons, kale, beans and tomatoes will stay compact in your garden space.

Myth: Pill Bugs are just a garden friend

The beloved “roly pollies” that kids love to play with, are known for being a garden friend. They are a decomposer and help break down dead and decaying matter. There is a myth that they do not damage or eat live plants. In reality, these creatures can decimate crops, especially young seedlings. This happens even when there is alternative organic matter and ample water in your soil!  I’ve had young squash, melons, and sunflower seedlings killed from grazing. They have even eaten some of my fresh strawberries laying on the soil. If you are suffering from a pill bug infestation, there are several organic methods for control.

Some gardeners have success by cutting a potato or piece of fruit and placing in the garden as bait to lure the pill bugs.  After 1-2 days, you can easily remove the bait covered with the pill bugs away from your garden area.

Sprinkling  Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth on the soil around your plants is another method. Diatomaceous Earth is a powdery substance made from fossilized diatoms, which are tiny aquatic organisms. Interestingly, it is also a consumed as a health supplement.  When applied in the garden it causes insects to dry out and essentially cuts the exoskeleton of soft bodied insects including pill bugs, sow bugs, ants, earwigs, fleas, roaches. Please use with caution, as it can also injure bees.

Sluggo Plus is OMRI certified organic and made from a natural occurring bacteria called Spinosad. Simply sprinkle the pellets on top the soil in your problem areas. It targets pill bugs, sowbugs, earwigs, cutworms, slugs, and snails.

Myth: You Can’t Grow Fruit Trees In Containers

There is a misconception that fruit trees cannot be grown in pots and containers. There are many fruit trees that do well.  When selecting trees, choose super patio, super dwarf, or dwarf varieties. These varieties are grafted onto dwarfing rootstock and will remain much smaller than your standard size fruit trees.  This  Dwarf Nectarine variety is suitable for container growing.  Grow your fruit trees in a medium to large container. Half-Whisky barrels offer a nice rustic look, or terracotta clay pots give a Mediterranean flair.  Also, select cultivars that are self pollinating, as they will produce fruit without the need of cross pollination from a second tree. (For example, a self pollinating apple tree will be fruitful without having a second apple tree nearby). All fruit trees need to be shaped to keep them healthy and encourage production.  Stone fruit (such as peaches, nectarines, plums) are traditionally shaped and trained to an open center V form to allow light into the center of the tree and easy fruit picking. When pruning fruit trees, remove dead, damaged, and crossing branches. These Ultra-Sharp Pruners by Garrett Wade. are useful for young and thinner branches. Consider the Extended ratcheting pruning loppers for pruning thicker branches.

Myth: USDA Growing Zones are your only tool for planting

The USDA Hardiness Zone a map that breaks down regions by the average coldest winter temperatures for that area. The lower the zone, the more frigid your winter temperatures.  It allows you to gauge what plants survive in your region.  When you purchase perennial plants, the label will include USDA a hardiness zone range. Papayas for example, cannot survive a hard freeze and will not successfully grow outdoors in Zone 8 and below. While this is a great tool for your perennial plants, it doesn’t not fully address the nuisances of your micro-climate nor the length of your growing season. A USDA zone 9b hardiness zone in Southern California is very different from the same zone in Florida.

The Sunset Climate Zone Map  addresses factors such as elevation, ocean influence, humidity, precipitation, heat, wind. The length of your growing season is the time between your last spring frost and first fall frost. When choosing plants, look at days of harvest. You want to ensure that you have enough frost-free days for the crops to mature (In areas with shorter growing seasons, one trick is to start some plants indoors  4-6 weeks before last frost and transplant outside when weather warms up).

Myth: All Tools are rated equal

There is a vast assortment of gardens tools to choose from, and cheaper is not always better. Early in my garden journey, I have purchased tools based on the lower price. After a few uses, the tools would end up damaged, bent, or unusable. When choosing your garden tools,  aim for comfort, durability and quality. Paying more upfront for better quality tools is worth it over time!  This Digging & Pruning Set is both quality and bargain!  It comes with 2 different trowels a pruner and cultivator.  The pruner features a rubber handle grip for comfort. Even more, it features cast aluminum, which is long-lasting and rust proof! 

Myth: GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) Seeds

The GMO free seeds on seed packets is a marketing ploy! GMO seeds are not available to the average consumer. Farmers who utilize GMO crops sign contracts in order to grow the crops on their land.  Also, there are only certain crops that have GMO varieties in production in the United States. These are Alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, soybeans, papaya, potatoes, pink pineapple, squash. Rest assured, that seed packet you pick up from the store is not GMO, even if it doesn’t say so on the label!

Starting your own garden is an exciting adventure. There are so many fun activities, from selecting your garden location, choosing containers, shopping for plants and seeds. There is so much information for the new gardener to grasps. Within this swirl of information, there are many misconceptions. Here are a couple mythbusters!

Myth: You need a lot of space to grow your own food

One common myth is the idea that you need a lot of space to grow your own food. This is not the case at all! There are plenty of creative ways to maximize your growing space. There are also a plethora of beds, pots and containers to choose from based on your personal style and space. Containers come in many shapes, colors, materials, and sizes. Raised beds, whisky barrels, grow bags , grow towers, planter boxes, are some of the selections to choose from.

Growing vertically with trellises, fencing, arbors and arches is one space saving method.  Vertical growing is perfect for vining squash, melons, cucumbers and pole beans. Upward growing keeps developing fruit off of the ground, allows for better airflow which decreases diseases, helps with pest control, and allows you to grow more plants in less space.

 Aim for selecting compact, dwarf or bush varieties of your favorite plants. This will allow you to grow more within a confined space and to practice companion planting gardening.  There are compact varieties of many plants, including favorites such as cucumbers, eggplant, squash, melons, kale, beans and tomatoes will stay compact in your garden space.

Myth: Pill Bugs are just a garden friend

The beloved “roly pollies” that kids love to play with, are known for being a garden friend. They are a decomposer and help break down dead and decaying matter. There is a myth that they do not damage or eat live plants. In reality, these creatures can decimate crops, especially young seedlings. This happens even when there is alternative organic matter and ample water in your soil!  I’ve had young squash, melons, and sunflower seedlings killed from grazing. They have even eaten some of my fresh strawberries laying on the soil. If you are suffering from a pill bug infestation, there are several organic methods for control.

Some gardeners have success by cutting a potato or piece of fruit and placing in the garden as bait to lure the pill bugs.  After 1-2 days, you can easily remove the bait covered with the pill bugs away from your garden area.

Sprinkling  Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth on the soil around your plants is another method. Diatomaceous Earth is a powdery substance made from fossilized diatoms, which are tiny aquatic organisms. Interestingly, it is also a consumed as a health supplement.  When applied in the garden it causes insects to dry out and essentially cuts the exoskeleton of soft bodied insects including pill bugs, sow bugs, ants, earwigs, fleas, roaches. Please use with caution, as it can also injure bees.

Sluggo Plus is OMRI certified organic and made from a natural occurring bacteria called Spinosad. Simply sprinkle the pellets on top the soil in your problem areas. It targets pill bugs, sowbugs, earwigs, cutworms, slugs, and snails.

Myth: USDA Growing Zones are your only tool for planting

The USDA Hardiness Zone is a map that breaks down regions by the average coldest winter temperatures for that area. The lower the zone, the more frigid your winter temperatures.  It allows you to gauge what plants survive in your region.  When you purchase perennial plants, the label will include USDA a hardiness zone range. Papayas for example, cannot survive a hard freeze and will not successfully grow outdoors in Zone 8 and below. While this is a great tool for your perennial plants, it doesn’t fully address the nuisances of your micro-climate nor the length of your growing season. A USDA zone 9b hardiness zone in Southern California is very different from the same zone in Florida.

The Sunset Climate Zone Map  addresses factors such as elevation, ocean influence, humidity, precipitation, heat, wind. The length of your growing season is the time between your last spring frost and first fall frost. When choosing plants, look at days of harvest. You want to ensure that you have enough frost-free days for the crops to mature (In areas with shorter growing seasons, one trick is to start some plants indoors  4-6 weeks before last frost and transplant outside when weather warms up).

Myth: GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) Seeds

The GMO free seeds on seed packets is a marketing ploy! GMO seeds are not available to the average consumer. Farmers who utilize GMO crops sign contracts in order to grow the crops on their land.  Also, there are only certain crops that have GMO varieties in production in the United States. These are Alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, soybeans, papaya, potatoes, pink pineapple, squash. Rest assured, that seed packet you pick up from the store is not GMO, even if it doesn’t say so on the label!