June 10, 2021 Newsletter

Hi there,

I don’t know about you, but I love YouTube. So many great gardeners sharing tips and tricks that help us all garden better. I love that!

But how do you know if advice is sound? This week I am sharing a great resource from the Washington State University Extension that looks into the science behind garden advice.

I’m also sharing a link with practical floral photography tips to help you take better photos.

Happy gardening,
Sue

Garden Myths Debunked

There’s a lot of gardening advice that doesn’t hold up to scientific scrutiny. One myth I was reading is the advice to “add a handful of bone meal to planting holes before installing shrubs and trees”. By golly, I know I followed this advice myself.

Guess what? It’s not actually true.

Bone meal is composed of mostly phosphorus and calcium. Two elements typically found in adequate supply in most non-agricultural soils. The best way to understand what nutrients to add to your soil is to do a soil test. If your plants are healthy, chances are you can save your money and not buy that pack of Espoma.

If you want to learn more about common gardening myths that just aren’t true, you will love reading Linda Chalker-Scott’s Horticultural Myths site.

Linda Chalker-Scott Gardening Myths

Flower Photography Tips from Eva Nemeth

I’m a huge fan of the website From Britain with Love. Check out their article with Flower Photography tips from Eva Nemeth. Eva Nemeth’s photographs are A-mazing!

The article has great tips and tricks for photographing floral flat lays, still lifes, and more.

Eva Nemeth Flower Photography Tips

Pro Tip for Google Searches

Instead of googling “Is peat moss sustainable?”, try typing “Is peat moss sustainable site:edu“

Adding “site:edu” to your search helps you find reliable sources from educational institutions conducting scientific research. You still need to verify your search results, but you’re more likely to find research and science-based gardening resources with this helpful tip.