A GARDENING expert weighed in on hacks that went viral on TikTok in an attempt to help these green-thumbed Brits thrive in their hobby.
Kate Turner, a gardening guru at Miracle-Gro, shared her thoughts on the new trends, gaining millions of views on the popular social media app.
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The first video claims that there is a right and wrong way to water plants.
“There is such a thing as watering the wrong way, you want to water around the plant and not above it,†the woman says in the short clip.
And according to The Express, who spoke to the green thumb expert, that TikTok was right.
“You should never water your plants from above, so this advice is fair,†Kate said.
“By wetting the foliage, you encourage fungal diseases and the water evaporates more quickly.
“I would always recommend watering in the morning rather than in the evening.”
Another video on TikTok claimed that planting a bulb of garlic used in cooking will grow a new head of garlic.
Unfortunately, this tip isn’t quite correct, Kate told The Express.
“I wouldn’t recommend using store-bought garlic to propagate because you won’t know the variety,†she revealed.
“Knowing the variety of garlic is important because, in general, store-bought ones are only for cooking and will have grown in hot weather and therefore need the same time to grow new seedlings.
“You should buy garlic plants from UK nurseries or garden centers, as they will be specially selected to cope with our cooler temperatures and they will also be more resistant to disease. “
In a third video, posted by @epicgardening, the TikToker claimed that using a fan to blow air over the new seedlings will strengthen them and help them grow.
“See how these seedlings squirm in the wind?†They said in the video.
“Well, that’s because I installed a fan to blow air over them to strengthen the stems and grow beautiful, sturdy seedlings.
“This is one of the things I see beginner gardeners spoil the most when they start their seedlings indoors, you have to breed mother nature!”
But the gardening guru said that while this hack isn’t fake, it’s not perfect.
This is a solid theory as it will help strengthen stems and foliage ready to be planted outdoors, but it tends to be difficult to achieve for most home growers, â€Kate said.
“Instead of using a fan, I suggest gently stroking the seedlings with your hand several times a day to mimic a breeze.
“If there is a light breeze outside and the weather is warm enough, you can place your seedlings near an open window, remembering to close it as soon as the temperature drops. “
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