The Truth About Garden Remedies

February 27, 2006
With graduate degrees in entomology and horticulture, Gillman brings scientific rigor to the topic of commercial, homemade and "traditional" garden remedies. Eschewing the received knowledge of "garden gurus"—albeit admitting that he is one—he exhorts readers to "earch for the why
behind everything you do for your plants." His concise review of factors affecting plant growth and development provides the backdrop for chapters that evaluate fertilizers, soil and media amendments, water, biostimulants, pesticides, protectants and other remedies. Within each category, Gillman describes the practice, explains the theory behind it, reveals the truth and describes what all that means to the home gardener. His findings about methods involving such materials as buttermilk, coffee grounds, humic acid, hellebore, silicon and salt are based on scientific literature, which is cited throughout, as well as many original experiments. Never didactic or preachy, Gillman takes pleasure in testing techniques for treating plants and urges readers to "ivide 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.