For those with green fingers it’s the perfect time to get out into the garden and enjoy your outside space. But experts have shared four common things gardeners could be doing that could be causing serious problems for them. Now summer has finally arrived, viral gardening hacks are all the rage on social media - but experts have warned these could do more harm than good.
TikTok may be great for many things but advice from the social media site should be treated with caution. The gardening gurus at St. Modwen Homes stress many of these questionable “hacks,” often found on TikTok , can result in costly structural damage and potentially attract pests.
It’s important to be discerning about advice from social media platforms to avoid damaging your beloved plants and gardens the Express reports. Glueing stones While they bring brightness to your garden experts have warned against glueing stones down to avoid issues down the line. One problem can be the stones not allow proper drainage - they can also be annoying if you decide you want to rearrange your garden.
The expert warned: "Glued stones can prevent proper water drainage, leading to water pooling or runoff issues, which can negatively affect plant growth and in some cases, more serious damage. Plus, glued stones are permanent, making it difficult to rearrange or remove them if you ever want to change your garden’s design in the future." The expert added that local wildlife including frogs and insects can make a home out of loose stones as a shelter, so glueing down may disrupt natural ecosystems.
Self-made lawn aerating shoes While they may sound fancy you definitely won’t find them on any catwalk. These shoes are essentially standard walking boots with spikes on the bottom. These type of shoes are readily available online but many people are taking it upon themselves to create their own version by drilling nails into wood and stomping all over the grass in their gardens.
The belief is that he holes created will 'aerate' the soil, allowing more air and water to reach plant roots. However, experts have intervened to contest this belief adding that the spikes on aerator shoes don’t dig deep enough into the grass to make an actual impact. They explained: "Achieving uniform coverage is [also] difficult, as the effectiveness depends on how evenly you walk across the lawn.
Experts claim: "Additionally, the spikes can damage the grass, particularly if used frequently or improperly, leading to patches of unhealthy or dead grass. This can ultimately do more harm than good to your lawn’s overall health." Creating cardboard borders While it may be another popularly adopted idea, creating cardboard borders is a common blunder.
It may work as a temporary solution for lining a flower bed or gravel patch without resorting to a shovel, but this shortcut can lead to several problems like attracting unwanted rodents and insects. The garden guru explained: "Are you renting a place and don’t want to disrupt the soil, or simply want to create a beautiful garden border without getting the shovel out? #GardenTok users have turned to using cardboard to line a flowerbed or gravel patch instead of digging a new one. Layers of cardboard and organic material can attract pests such as rodents and insects, which may damage your current landscape and future plants.
" According to the experts rats and mice are especially big fans of cardboard and it’s often used by them to sleep or nest in. The experts added: "Plus, young plants with delicate roots might struggle to penetrate the cardboard layer initially, slowing down their establishment and affecting their overall growth.” Decking woes Cutting corners on decking may be an effective short-term solution but experts have warned against it.
Using pallets to build decking is not approved by experts as the material is “low quality.” The expert said: "Pallets are often made from low-grade wood that is not treated for outdoor use, making them prone to rotting, warping, and splintering when exposed to the elements.” They clarified and added: "Furthermore, the wood used in pallets generally has a shorter lifespan compared to traditional decking materials.
" Experts have said that pallet use can lead to structural weakness and potential decking collapsing, this is due to the pallets not being built to bear such weight. They said: "This not only compromises safety but also results in a less durable and less visually appealing outdoor space.".
