Garden myths in the fact check: What really helps against snails & co.

Gardening is an ancient craft, a pastime, and a means of subsistence. Thus, many myths surround German gardens, including roses, ivy, and Virginia creeper.

As a state gardening consultant, Sven Wachtmann regularly answers questions from Berlin's hobby gardeners. In his profession, he repeatedly encounters misconceptions and false beliefs.

The most persistent beliefs persist in the area of ​​pest control. In many gardens, snails are still controlled with chemical slug pellets or, more rarely, with beer traps—both of which kill the creatures, and both in a cruel way.

"If you have the option of using snail fences or copper strips, raised beds, or simply shell lime, it works just as well," says Wachtmann. This also applies to aphids: A spray with a mixture of water and rapeseed oil at the start of the shoots in spring, when the plants' buds are just opening, moistens the pest eggs and suffocates them.

And especially with a small infestation, the best method is always: "Wait for the beneficial insects to arrive," says Wachtmann. "Nature has designed an antagonist for every force." For aphids, these include parasitic wasps and ladybug larvae, which can also be ordered online.

Anyone who gardens close to nature will have these beneficial insects in their garden anyway – and large snail infestations are often the result of an overly tidy, species-poor habitat, says Wachtmann. He summarizes: "When you work together with nature, many problems solve themselves."

A key word for the second practice, which has already been exposed as a myth in recent years and is now the subject of many forum posts and conversations about the hedge, is digging. Wachtmann himself can't quite explain where the age-old idea that digging up soil is good for plants comes from.

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In any case, one thing is certain: When you dig, microorganisms, fungi, and insects that can only survive in deeper soil layers rise to the surface, and vice versa. The result: The soil microbiome dies, and the garden suffers. "Instead, loosening the soil with a hoe, digging fork, hoe, or something similar is fine," says Wachtmann. You can also do these microorganisms a favor by mixing in fresh compost or adding a layer of mulch.

Anyone who waters their plants in the summer heat risks sunburn, as the water droplets can create a magnifying glass effect and damage the leaves. This rule is widely considered a misconception. However, Wachtmann says: "I've seen firsthand how water can cause severe burns on the leaves." There are two truths to this advice: First, in summer, it's better to water in the morning or evening, when less water evaporates and the plants can therefore absorb more of it.

Secondly, the garden hose, used to generously water plants at chest height, is also a thing of the past: "Watering should always be done from below, especially in summer, when the cold water on the leaves would be an unnatural shock for the plants," says Wachtmann. German gardens could learn a lot from soil irrigation systems in southern countries here—especially in the coming hot years.

Many believe that spring is the ideal time for planting. This custom no longer reflects our climate, says Sven Wachtmann: "Summer arrives far too quickly, and spring is missing." Autumn is now a much better time for planting, including scarifying the lawn and sowing seeds, so that the plants receive enough moisture and have time to establish roots.

The risk of winter frost damaging them is low: "If you plant in October, the time until the first real frost in January is still long." After all, you're not immune to frost in spring either. And the soil is much colder then than in autumn.

Autumn is generally an underestimated season in the garden: "Many people, especially older people, believe that from October onwards everything has to be tidy and nothing left to do in the garden." Therefore, everything is tidied up and cut down - but scattered leaves and dead plant stems are vital for insects' survival and should be allowed to rot in peace, according to the expert.

Garden experts have long criticized autumn pruning. "The plant is not yet dormant in autumn and needs its strength to retreat into the soil," writes the Swiss garden center Meyer on its website, for example. Shrubs and perennials should therefore be treated with care in the fall – other flowering plants also become more susceptible to disease when pruned in the fall. Because buds, shoots, and fruit are easier to see in spring, pruning at this time of year is also more user-friendly.

Climate and zeitgeist change, truths transform into myths and vice versa – questions about gardening are as numerous as sand on the beach, or rather, as blossoms in a wildflower meadow. The good news: Garden consultants like Sven Wachtmann can be found in every district and every allotment association. And an answer from experts is always better than an ancient story.