The Truth About Garden Remedies

What Works, What Doesn't, and Why

Can beer make plants grow? How about buttermilk? Or music — classical or rock? Is it true about planting trees in deep holes? And how about chasing insects with hot sauce and stopping slugs with eggshells? Remedies for all garden woes are there for the taking: the challenge is to know what will work and what won't. Fearlessly conducting original experiments and harvesting wisdom from the scientific literature, horticulturist Jeff Gillman assesses new and historic advice and reveals the how and why — and sometimes the why not — for more than 100 common and uncommon gardening practices. The results will surprise even experienced gardeners.

Media reviews of this book:

"The book is organized in a no-nonsense and user-friendly manner, setting out the theory and practice of each claim as well as the bottom line for the gardener. The results are fascinating."

—Linda McIntyre, American Gardener, September/October 2006

"This is a book that many of us will want to consult frequently."

—Linda McIntyre, American Gardener, September 2006

"Some of these may come as a shock or upset your favorite long-held ideas, but the book is worth it and is a fun read. It gives you lots to talk about with your gardening friends."

—John Van de Water, Newark Star-Ledger, June 6, 2006

"While entertainingly relating his experiments and his research, Gillman also packs in a wealth of useful information."

—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, June 4, 2006

"With graduate degrees in entomology and horticulture, Gillman brings scientific rigor to the topic of commercial, homemade and 'traditional' garden remedies. ... Never didactic or preachy, Gillman takes pleasure in testing techniques for treating plants and urges readers to 'divide off a section of plants in your garden just for experimenting and have fun with them.' Gillman teaches gardeners to think about what they do, know why they're doing it, and observe the results, trusting their knowledge and experience over claims made by companies, 'experts' or garden folklorists."

—Publishers Weekly, March/April 2006

Customer reviews of this book:

"Excels a great many of the books in my library!"

—Tony H. from Plymouth, United Kindom, November 6, 2007

"Very interesting. I like the way it confronts the gardening myths and provides real answers. It has cleared up a lot of issues for me!"

—Penny M. from Port Moody, Canada, October 17, 2007

"Very good information, even for a novice gardener."

—Debra J. from Eagan, Minnesota, April 17, 2007

"Clear, straightforward information and advice — a warm, encouraging approach!"

—R. M. from Ottawa, Ontario, October 3, 2006

"Very informative and well written."

—Gwen G. from Monroe, Louisiana, June 30, 2006

Read more media and customer reviews

An excerpt from this book:

Citrus peels have been suggested as a cure for ants and as a source of natural insecticidal compounds. E. A. Back and C. E. Pemberton showed in 1915 that the oils from citrus fruits can affect insects, but those oils haven't really been used for insect control until relatively recently. The important event in the rediscovery of citrus peels was when entomologist Craig Sheppard recognized the effects of an orange hand soap on ants (Olkowski et al. 1991), and now this natural product is found in both commercial insecticidal sprays and in home-brewed remedies. To control ants, do-it-yourself guides sometimes recommend placing citrus peels over an ant mound ...

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