9 Popular Garden Hacks Experts Confirm Don’t Actually Work
These gardening tips and tricks are not worth the effort.
You’ve seen these hacks on social media: Do this and you’ll have your best garden ever, scare off deer, or turn your shrubs a different color. But does any of this stuff actually have any science behind it? Or is it a total waste of time?
While there’s rarely harm in trying some of these garden hacks, you’re probably not achieving much because there’s no evidence they’re effective. “There’s an old saying that ‘the best fertilizer is the gardener’s shadow,’ meaning if you give one of these miracle cures a try, you’re already paying close attention to your plants,” says horticulturist Stacey Hirvela, marketing manager of Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.
That means you’re likely just more attuned to your plant’s needs overall, perhaps watering more or checking for bugs on a regular basis. Thus, it’s most likely your attention—rather than the hack itself—that’s yielding any real or imagined benefits, says Hirvela.
It's hard to say how such myths start, but social media has a way of fanning the flames until they’re accepted as truth, even without any science behind them. “Sometimes they will contain a small grain of truth, but then it gets regurgitated over and over until it is taken for gospel,” says Nate Muri, founder of Garden Like a Viking and Viking Growing System. “It’s easy to see why some concepts take root because they sound simple and you don't need to worry about things like composting or nutrient cycling or any of that biology ‘nonsense.’”
Ahead, these are the most common garden hacks that are a waste of your time.
Pennies/Rusty Nails/Shredded Aluminum Foil/Whatever to Turn Hydrangeas Blue
Hydrangeas turn blue due to the presence of aluminum in the soil. But aluminum is only available for the plants to take up and metabolize in acidic soils. “These items don’t contain aluminum in any appreciable amount, and just because a nail may have aluminum, for example, does not mean the conditions are right for the chemical reaction to occur that frees the aluminum ions from it,” says Hirvela.
In addition, not just any hydrangea will turn blue; only certain types—big leaf (H. macrophylla) or mountain (H. serrata) hydrangeas—can turn blue under the right conditions.
RELATED: 6 Stunning Hydrangeas That Won’t Take Over Your Containers
Epsom Salts as Miracle Fertilizer
Epsom salts often are recommended for fertilizing everything from lawns to roses to tomatoes. “However, most natural soils in the U.S. contain sufficient magnesium for plant needs, and adding more does not help them,” says Hirvela. “They literally cannot use more magnesium than they already naturally have, so adding more is a waste of time, money, and potential pollution.” In addition, Epsom salts deliver only magnesium and sulfur and don’t contain key nutrients that plants need far more, such as nitrogen.
Diaper in Hanging Basket for Self-Watering
The idea is that the diaper will retain water, so you won’t need to water hanging baskets as frequently. But the problem is that the diaper isn’t going to release a drop of water to the plant! “Diapers are specifically designed to trap all that moisture, so all you end up with is a big, heavy, soggy diaper and less space for the plant to grow roots,” says Hirvela.
Copper Wires to Stimulate Plant Growth
Called “electro culture,” this idea has taken off on social media over the past few years. “Sticking copper wires in the ground around the plants has zero effect whatsoever on the mechanisms that would affect plant growth,” says Muri. “Plant growth is governed by the things that plants need: light, water, air, nutrients, and temperature, as well as soil biology. There is no mechanism by which copper wires are going to influence any of these five things in any meaningful way.”
Decoys to Repel Wasps
Just hang up a paper bag and you’ll repel stinging insects, so they won’t build a nest near your home. Unfortunately, this isn’t backed by science. “There is no research that shows decoy nests are effective,” says Eric Benson, Ph.D., professor emeritus and extension entomologist with Clemson University.
“For one thing, not all wasps make paper nests. Yellowjackets, for example, nest in various places such as the ground, stone walls, logs, or, occasionally, in wall voids of houses and sheds. They aren’t going to avoid your yard because of a paper bag or commercial decoy.”
Banana Peel Tea as Fertilizer
While a banana peel does contain some potassium, it’s locked up in plant tissue and requires microorganisms in order to make it available to the plants. So, no matter what you’ve heard, simply soaking banana peels in water isn’t going to revive your plants in some magical way.
“The amount of potassium that is water-soluble is insanely small and would have zero noticeable impact on the plants anyhow,” says Muri. Add the banana peels to your compost pile instead, and you’ll yield actual benefits.
DIY Deer Repellents
Soap and human hair have been recommended forever to repel deer, which browse an array of plants and bring ticks into your yard. But there’s almost no evidence soap bars keep deer away, and deer are accustomed to humans, so why would our hair scare them off?
“A total reliance on repellents to solve a deer problem is not an effective strategy,” says Robert Pierce, Ph.D., associate professor and state extension fisheries and wildlife specialist at the University of Missouri. “You need to figure out why the animal is there, usually due to the availability of food and cover. Then use a variety of integrated techniques, such as altering habitat or excluding them from an area with a fence.” Otherwise, you’re bound to be disappointed if you rely on these DIY methods to keep deer away.
Scare Devices to Keep Wildlife Away
Using fake owls, snakes, a scare crow, or even pie pans to rattle in the wind have long been recommended to keep animals out of your garden. These tactics may (or may not) work to scare animals away for a few days. But the issue is wildlife quickly gets accustomed to these sorts of things. “As soon they figure out there’s no real threat or danger, they’ll be back,” says Pierce.
“Aeration” Shoes
Periodic aeration can benefit many lawns. “Aeration opens up the soil and creates large pores for air to fill so that roots can breathe, which stimulates new growth,” says Clint Waltz, Ph.D., turfgrass researcher and specialist at the University of Georgia. You rent machines to aerate by core aeration, which pulls up small, rounded plugs of soil, or by solid-tine aeration which simply pokes holes in the soil. But solid-tine aeration is not as beneficial because it actually may create compaction.
Walking around on your lawn in spiked “aeration shoes”—which supposedly mimics solid-tine aeration—doesn’t accomplish anything. “With time and repeated use, the solid spikes actually compact the soil, not aerate it,” says Waltz. Don’t waste your money on these gimmicky shoes.
Arricca Elin SanSone is a writer, editor, and content creator who specializes in lifestyle and gardening. With a background in health reporting, she applies these same research skills when writing about the science of growing things. She trials new plants in her expansive garden, and her houseplant collection consists of 60+ varieties. Arricca has written thousands of articles for publications such as Country Living, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, VERANDA, Southern Living, and more. She’s happiest when digging in the dirt, baking, or spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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