Gardening Myths: The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Planting myths often contain a seed of truth, but as any gardener knows, the real story is rarely so simple. In gardening, there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all rule. What works in one garden, climate, or soil type might be a disaster in another.

Let’s talk horticultural myths and gardening “truths” that aren’t quite right…

What have you believed or done in the garden that turned out to be misunderstood, outdated, or just plain wrong? Here are a few confessions to get us started:

Myth

Potting mix feeds your plants for 18 months

When potting mix says “feeds for 18 months,” that’s from the date of manufacture, not the day you open the bag. And no… they don’t put the date of manufacture anywhere on the packaging.

That’s why we always recommend feeding when planting, using something like Organic Link so you know exactly when the last feed happened. If in doubt, reapply every three months or with the turn of each season to keep nutrients consistent.

Myth

Full sun means all-day blazing sun

When a plant label says “full sun,” it simply means the plant needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. But not all sun is created equal.

Ipswich sun in December is a whole lot fiercer than Melbourne sun in December. So generally, if a plant tag says “full sun,” aim for sun-up to midday in hot climates — that’s a safe six hours for most plants.

And here’s the kicker: some plants can handle 12+ hours of blazing sunlight a day and thrive in it. Unfortunately, they’re labelled exactly the same as more delicate “morning sun only” plants. No wonder it gets confusing!

This is exactly why plant labels aren’t your only resource. Chatting to your local garden centre and their qualified horticulturists is the best way to get location-specific advice based on real experience.

Myth

Banana peels are a great potassium fertiliser

Banana peels just don’t have enough potassium in the peel to make much difference when used directly on your garden.

Let’s break it down: banana peels contain about 78mg of potassium per 100g, while a proper potassium fertiliser contains thousands of milligrams per application, plus it’s in a form that plants can actually absorb.

So while it sounds lovely to tuck a banana peel under a plant, you’re better off adding it to your compost where it can break down with other organic matter and contribute to long-term soil health.

If your plant needs potassium? Reach for a specific potassium-based fertiliser like Sulphate of Potash or Silica and Potash, especially during flowering and fruiting seasons.

The takeaway?

Read the label. Read your climate. And talk to someone who’s been there, killed that, and figured it out the hard way!

Have a gardening myth you’ve fallen for — or one you’re not sure about? Pop in and see us at Trevallan, or drop a comment below. We’d love to help you sort fact from fiction.

I’ve recently covered a few more myths you might like to explore

• Adding compost to your planting hole

• whether honey really works as a cutting compound

• the truth about molasses in the garden

• Ants and Vaseline

  Check them out and keep growing smarter!

Going Bananas

We are going Bananas at Trevallan

We have some beautiful looking bananas at Trevallan. This range of banana have been selected for not only being able to grow and fruit well in the home garden but also for their ability to produce fruit under cooler conditions.... we all know sometimes we can get cold here in the Ipswich Region.

Varieties of Bananas Trevallan Stocks

• Dwarf Red Dacca produces small, very sweet bananas with a creamy texture. The skin changes from burgundy to orange as they ripen and the flesh is pale orange-pink.

• Dwarf Cavendish produces heavy crops of full sized, sweet bananas with a creamy texture. The tree is super dwarf reaching a maximum height of only 2m so it is perfect for pots, so it can be grown on balconies and yards.

• Lady Finger produces small bananas with a rich, sweet flavour and creamy texture and which keep well. Great for fruit salads since the flesh does not brown when cut

• Blue Java fast growing, cold tolerant. Fruit has the flavour and consistency of creamy vanilla ice cream or custard.

PLANTING INFORMATION

• Bananas require deep, rich soil which is well drained, in a position which is in full sun for most of the day.

Let’s be honest most soil in Ipswich isn’t that good unless you’ve been really working it for the last few years. So you will really need to work your soil well before you plant. A couple of bags of Searle’s Compost, some granulated Soil Soaker and a couple of handfuls of Organic Link will really enliven the soil before you plant.

The Dwarf varieties can be planted in very large pots. For this I would use Searles’ Platinum Potting Mix

• They suggest a north facing position is best for your banana and make sure if you get frost you can either protect it by throwing a cover over it or it’s in a protected position.

• After planting, water thoroughly and apply a thick layer of organic mulch to the worked area, keeping it away from the stem of the plant. I find sugar cane is best.

• Bananas are heavy feeders and as the plant grows it will need a good feed about every two to three months. I would be using Organic Link.

• Remove dead leaves regularly and keep the tree clean.

WHEN TO HARVEST

• You will know the bananas are ready to be harvested when the bananas lose their ridges. They will become more rounded, softer looking.

• The flowers at the end of the bunch will go dry and crumbly is an indication as well.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW ABOUT BANANAS

• It may take 2-3 years for the first fruit to be produced.

• Suckers will appear from near the base of the main stem.

• You will need to select one to be the next main stem and remove the others.

• After the fruit has been harvested the stem that had the fruit on it should be cut down.

• The retained sucker will replace it as the main stem.

• This process is continued indefinitely

• Bananas don’t need another tree to help pollinate the flower so one Banana tree is enough but since variety is the spice of life why not grow all three if you have the space.