12 DIY Garden Hacks That Are Secretly Hurting Your Yard
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Who doesn’t love a good DIY hack to make things easier? Gardening can be so rewarding and not all garden hacks are as good as they sound. Some of the most popular tricks can harm your plants, soil, and landscape in ways you didn’t know.
Check out some of the top most common DIY garden hacks that might do more harm than good.
Using Salt to Kill Weeds
Salt may seem like the perfect natural way to fight the weeds, but it can upset soil health and harm other surrounding plants. Excess salt prevents your plants from getting essential nutrients and can make the soil unusable for future growth. Runoff from salty soil can even damage neighboring lawns and waterways. Instead, you may want to try mulch or even manual weeding.
Vinegar as a Natural Weed Killer
Vinegar is a common weed killer, but it doesn’t tell weeds from the wanted plants. Frequent use of vinegar can feel quite satisfying, but it can also acidify the soil and be overly acidic given the garden’s overall pH balance. In the long term it can damage beneficial soil organisms and your plants health. A safer method is hand-weeding or using an eco friendly herbicide.
Coffee Grounds Directly to Plants
Free, nutrient rich fertilizer like coffee grounds can be used but using them too liberally can cause problems. Fresh grounds are acidic, and small plants can be burned. So the coffee grounds can become compact on the top soil, which stops the flow of moisture and oxygen. Use them sparingly as a side dressing.
Boiling Water on Weeds
Boiling water does kill weeds quickly, but it also kills any organisms good for the soil in the vicinity. High temperatures can do a number on the soil ecosystem, harming insects and microbes needed for plant health, by exposing the soil to such high temperatures. Boiling water will also damage the roots of nearby plants as well. Instead of boiling water try mulching or a natural herbicide to control weeds.
Bleach as a Fungal Treatment
The chemical Bleach is sometimes suggested for plants with fungal problems but it is a powerful chemical that will do a lot of damage. In fact, bleach kills not only fungi, but essential microbes that plants depend on to remain healthy. Eventually, the residual bleach can leach into the soil to poison plant life near by, or even into groundwater. Instead, opt for organic fungicides, or natural remedies, such as neem oil.
Adding Sugar to ‘Sweeten’ Fruits
This hack isn’t that much of a hack, so to speak, as many think they will have sweeter fruit if they add sugar to the soil — but they’re definitely wrong. Sugar attracts pests, mold and it can cause soil imbalance. Extra sugar doesn’t add anything, and it may even harm the plant. Learn to properly fertilize and let the sunlight work on the sweeter produce.
Epsom Salt on All Plants
As a plant miracle mineral that everyone touts, Epsom salt is often promoted, but not every plant needs magnesium. Constant use can result in nutrient value imbalances and the degradation of soil structure in the long term. Magnesium is good for plants like roses and tomatoes but can be harmful to leafy greens. Never apply anything to soil without testing it first.
Keeping Soil Moist by Covering it With Plastic
Plastic coverings can trap moisture, block air circulation, and raise soil temperature to dangerously high levels. This can trap root rot and kill beneficial organisms. It also forms a barrier to organic matter from reaching the soil. Among organic mulches, straws or leaves are good to prevent moisture but do not touch the ecology.
Pest Control via Crushing Eggshells
The eggshells are commonly spread around the plant to deter pests but are rarely effective unless finely ground. Slowly decomposing large shells give no immediate benefits, and pests pass easily over them. Second, the calcium from eggshells doesn’t reach the plants in time. For better results, try pest-repelling plants or diatomaceous earth.
Adding Baking Soda to Soil to Prevent Disease
Often suggested as a remedy for plant diseases, baking soda raises soil alkalinity to unhealthy levels if used too often. However, over time, it can interfere with nutrition absorption and hurt plant roots. According to ScienceDirect, high alkalinity may also cause plants to run out of some essential nutrients, twisting their growth instead of making them disease-resistant.
Painting Tree Wounds
To prevent disease, it is common to paint over tree wounds, but this can trap moisture, which will encourage decay. Most trees heal on their own, and painting the wound inhibits healing. Pests are attracted to weakened tree tissue, which sealants also attract. Allow it to recover itself, or if it needs it, use air wraps.
DIY Fertilizers Made from Kitchen Scraps
DIY fertilizers consist of banana peels, vegetable scraps, and various other kitchen waste, but if not properly composted, they will attract pests. Raw scraps decompose unevenly, and some dangerous gases can be released, perhaps harming plant roots. Fresh scraps won’t instantly make nutrients available to your plants, and this can cause nutrient imbalances.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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