Ants help peony flowers open; lemongrass repels mosquitoes; hanging geraniums upside down in the basement saves them from year to year: which of these statements are true and which are garden myths? They are all false!
I once attempted the so-called “preferred” way to lift and divide perennials by using two garden forks and scissoring them back and forth. As C.L. says, “It’s far more efficient to…cut perennials into pieces with a shovel.” Scissor-forking does not work.
Many of us have been gardening, and doing it the same way, for many years. We haven’t taken much time to see if what we know to be true is in fact, truth. Take the adage that you should plant squash, cucumber, and pumpkin seeds on mounds of soil, called “hilling.” I, as C.L. did, spent years building mounds on which to plant these seeds because the seed packet said to do so. Why is this information correct on the seed packet but incorrect in the way we plant? C.L. explains in Chapter 14.
If you have gardened at all recently I am sure you have seen the recipe to grow moss by using a blender of ingredients. Is this the way to a beautiful moss path? Read Chapter 69 for the answer. While there, check out the “Did You Know…” sidebar. I love these little tidbits of information scattered throughout Coffee for Roses.
C.L. doesn’t just debunk so many garden “rules,” she explains the correct way of doing things. She gives tips for growing stress-free tomatoes. Stress is the cause of the black scabs on the bottom of the fruit (Blossom End Rot.) Should you fertilize your roses with coffee grounds, banana peels, and/or eggshells? Find the correct way to use these soil amendments in chapter 25.
About C.L. Fornari: C.L. is a writer, professional speaker, award winning radio broadcaster (GardenLine streamed worldwide), award winning Blogger (Whole Life Gardening), and manages an award winning website, www.gardenlady.com who lives and gardens in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She is the author of five gardening books, the latest being Coffee for Roses. Check out C.L. Fornari’s article in this E-newsletter, SUMMERTIME READING. Coffee for Roses, ISBN-13:978-0-9892688-3-7 St. Lynn’s Press 2014.
NOTE: From time to time, I am asked if I would like a free copy of a book to review. This is one of those times. I’m not asked to give a favorable review but am left to my own conclusions on how valuable the book is to our readers.
Posted July 18, 2014
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By Dan Heims, President, Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
Photographs courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
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Ants help peony flowers open; lemongrass repels mosquitoes; hanging geraniums upside down in the basement saves them from year to year: which of these statements are true and which are garden myths? They are all false! 
