“Bitter gourd vine makes nearby fruit plants turn bitter”

This is one of my favourite gardening myths and misconceptions because I used to hear this often from my elders who had been gardening for a long time. Not only do many people believe that planting a fruit or vegetable near a bitter gourd vine will make it bitter, they are also under the impression that the soil in which the bitter gourd is grown should be avoided for at least a season or two.

It is believed by many that even the fruits grown in the same soil later on will have the characteristic bitterness of the gourd. However, this notion is entirely false. The odds of a mango on a tree turning bitter because it is in close proximity to the gourd are the same as that of the bitter gourd gaining a flavourful Sindhrri touch!

“Only desi roses have a fragrance”

Many firmly believe that the local or desi variety of roses, which have a signature fragrance, are the only rose variety that have a scent. There is a misconception among many that any other roses, referred to as English roses locally, are beautiful and colourful to look at but are devoid of any characteristic odour to incite olfactory pleasures. This is not true at all. On the contrary, the desi variety is simply easier to grow, readily available in nurseries and relatively inexpensive compared to its counterpart, which might explain the reason behind the cultivation of this popular myth.

“Night jasmines attract snakes to the house”

You may be familiar with the sweet scent of the night jasmine, more commonly known as raat ki raani (queen of the night). Many believe that the fragrance of this night-blooming flower attracts snakes to the place where it is planted. This, however, is not true. The only possible explanation behind the prevalence of this myth is perhaps the fact that the fragrance does attract bees, flies and other pollinators, which in turn may attract frogs and toads. If a snake happens to live nearby, then it can definitely feast upon these frogs. Still, one wonders how many frogs or snakes one may actually come across in cities like Karachi or Lahore.

From deadly flowers to trees housing jinns, don’t fall prey to these popularly held myths

“Stolen money plants grow better than purchased ones”

Yes, you read that correctly. Many people religiously believe that a money plant will thrive if it is stolen. Hence, instead of borrowing a stem or purchasing a potted pothos plant, some individuals prefer to steal the plant from another source. While their intention is to see the vine thrive, their efforts are misguided. Needless to say, it’s the care and time that you are ready to provide to your plant that will determine its growth rather than how you acquired it.

“Jinns live on peepal trees”

This myth is one which has been made popular by almost everyone’s grandparents. Many famous children’s stories involve a jinn, genie, spirit or demon residing atop a peepal tree. As a result, children are often told to not go beneath the tree after sunset. The fig tree, scientifically known as ficus religiosa, boasts a number of rustling leaves that create a howling sound when wind passes through them, hence cementing the notion that the tree possesses some eerie qualities.

In reality, these stories have been manufactured to ensure that children remain indoors once it is dark outside. It also helps keep children away from trees at night, when they are producing carbon dioxide instead of the photosynthesis-induced oxygen during the day.

“Plants can bring bad luck and misfortune”

Just like many think that growing pepper plants will cause fights amongst family members, some individuals are falsely under the impression that growing cacti at home will lead to increased anxiety in the household. In a few traditions, growing cacti indoors creates a negative energy and increases stress levels within the house. Similarly, the cotton plant is also considered to be an ‘unlucky plant’ in certain traditions.

Lilies – the ‘funeral flowers’

If the status of being unlucky wasn’t enough, the beautiful white lilies are also known as the ‘funeral flowers’, due to which people avoid planting them in their homes. White lilies are commonly used in funerals due to their colour, fragrance and availability. However, for some, planting white lilies in their house is more than just an open invitation for bad luck, since they could portend the onset of a terrible omen. Naturally, there is no validity to any such beliefs.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, December 25th, 2022