If you want to drive away garden pests and protect plants in a natural way, cinnamon powder, a common household spice, is a great option. Professional gardening magazines recommend using it in the garden.
According to the online German gardening magazine Plantura, you likely have some cinnamon powder stored in your kitchen cabinet. However, you may not know that cinnamon powder has numerous uses in the garden, such as being a natural and environmentally friendly insecticide, repelling ants and other pests, and acting as a catalyst for plant growth.
Research has shown that cinnamon powder can combat fungal pathogens. Under laboratory conditions, scientists have demonstrated that cinnamon powder can inhibit the growth of gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) and various types of Phytophthora. Spraying a solution of cinnamon powder mixed with water on infected plants is an effective way to alleviate symptoms of fungal infections.
The method for preparing this solution involves soaking one teaspoon of cinnamon powder in 5 liters of warm water for a few hours, creating a natural fungicide.
Because cinnamon powder can inhibit fungal pathogens, it can be applied directly after seed germination to protect seedlings from rot and accelerate their growth. Importantly, there’s no need to prepare a cinnamon powder solution – simply sprinkle some cinnamon powder directly on the seedlings.
Cinnamon powder can also inhibit mold on surfaces like planting boxes. After sprinkling cinnamon powder on the surface, make sure to water the soil.
Using cinnamon powder in the garden can drive away harmful pests like fungus gnats by disrupting their reproductive cycles, preventing them from hatching or reproducing.
Cinnamon powder can also be used to combat ants. While not all ant species are affected, it’s worth trying. For optimal effectiveness, first remove all traces of ant pheromones with a stimulating cleaning product, then sprinkle cinnamon powder or cinnamon oil in a 5 cm-wide line. In fact, sprinkling some cinnamon powder at the entrance of an anthill is enough to make the colony relocate.
According to the gardening website “Simple Garden Life,” cinnamon powder can also deal with slugs and thrips and other pests.
Slugs may seem slow and harmless, but they can cause significant damage to plants in your garden and spread diseases among them. Simply sprinkle cinnamon powder at the base of plants or around flower beds to combat them. Cinnamon powder will stick to slugs, preventing them from crossing and causing further damage.
Thrips may be as narrow as a needle, but if left unchecked, they can quickly damage plants in the garden and flower beds as they often carry viruses and spread them to plants.
Thrips dislike the taste of cinnamon powder, and if they ingest it, they will die. Spraying cinnamon oil on plants can also help deter thrips. Additionally, using cinnamon powder or cinnamon oil can also repel aphids, red spiders, and white flies.
Cinnamon powder can also be used for propagation through cuttings, depending on the plant species. Applying a small amount of cinnamon powder to the bottom of cuttings should expedite wound healing and stimulate root formation. These effects make cinnamon powder a good alternative to rooting hormones, which are banned for various reasons.
It’s worth noting that research indicates cinnamon powder may inhibit the growth of certain plants, such as tomatoes and celery. When using cinnamon powder in the garden, care should be taken to avoid any unintended negative effects on plants.
Furthermore, Fiona Jenkins, a gardening expert from the UK website MyJobQuote, points out that cinnamon powder can effectively repair broken stems. Simply make a clean cut on the broken stem and sprinkle cinnamon powder on it to prevent infection.
She adds, “Mixing cinnamon powder into the soil of indoor plants also helps prevent mold and fungi.”