Gardening expert needed: Birds & Blooms story Gardening pros experienced in prepping your soil, I am looking for an expert to interview for Birds & Blooms. I am writing a story about: Should You Add Rusty Nails to Your Garden Soil? exploring the myth that still gets some traction in gardening circles -- should you add rusty nails to the soil when planting? The interview would need to be 15 minutes on the phone within a week's time. The individual interviewed and quoted receives a bio at the end of the story.

I run one of the largest product comparison platforms online, and while I am not a horticultural professional, I do evaluate thousands of consumer garden products and research the science behind persistent gardening myths. The idea of adding rusty nails to soil persists because gardeners associate rust with iron, and iron deficiencies can cause chlorosis in certain plants. The misconception is that rusted metal releases enough bioavailable iron to meaningfully change soil nutrition. In reality, rusty nails break down extremely slowly and release iron in forms plants cannot readily absorb. If a garden needs iron supplementation, chelated iron products or properly balanced fertilizers are far more effective and predictable. Rusty nails also do nothing to address the underlying causes of iron deficiency, which are usually soil pH issues or compaction. I am unable to participate in a phone interview, but you are welcome to quote the written insight above. Bio: Albert Richer is the Founder of WhatAreTheBest.com, a large scale product comparison platform that analyzes garden equipment, soil amendments, and home improvement products through data driven research.