There are many household products that can also be used on your houseplants — banana peels, egg shells, and vinegar are a few examples. but what about cinnamon?
Will cinnamon hurt houseplants? Cinnamon will not hurt houseplants. In fact, there are several ways to can use cinnamon to keep your indoor plants happy and healthy.
Cinnamon can be used to heal broken stems, control pests, and eliminate fungus. Here are the details on the many ways you can use cinnamon with your house plants.
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Why Cinnamon?
Cinnamon is a powerful tool to use on a house plant because it naturally has anti-fungal properties, meaning it’s effective at eliminating fungus. Cinnamon is also natural, affordable, and easily accessible to almost everyone, especially in powder form.
Cinnamon to Heal Plant Wounds
If you accidentally break a stem on your houseplant, cinnamon can help that broken spot heal quickly. This lowers the chance that the spot will become infected.
All you need to do is sprinkle cinnamon liberally on the broken area. It’s simple, cheap, and effective!
Cinnamon to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats
Have you ever seen little black gnats buzzing around your houseplants or seedlings? That little black gnat is a fungus gnat, and it feeds off of fungus that is present in your plant’s soil.
Cinnamon is an easy and affordable way to get rid of the fungus gnat. Simply sprinkle some cinnamon powder on your plant’s potting soil. The cinnamon will kill the fungus that the gnats feed on, and this will eliminate your fungus gnat infestation.
Cinnamon to Get Rid of Mushrooms in Houseplants
If you see little yellow mushrooms growing in your houseplants, cinnamon can help you get rid of them.
To eliminate yellow mushrooms, first pull the ones you can see out of the soil. After that, sprinkle some cinnamon on top of your potting mix. The antifungal properties of cinnamon will keep future mushrooms from forming.
Here are some more tips for getting rid of mushrooms in houseplants.
Cinnamon to Replace Rooting Hormone
If you regularly propagate plants from cuttings, you’re probably familiar with rooting hormone. Rooting hormone has chemical compounds that encourage cuttings to form new roots.
Cinnamon can do the same job as rooting hormone, at a much lower cost. Simply let your plant cutting dry slightly, and then apply some powdered cinnamon to the end. Then, plant the cutting as you normally would.
Cinnamon as Insect Repellant
Many insects, including ants and mosquitoes, do not like cinnamon. To keep these pests away from your indoor plants, all you need to do is sprinkle some cinnamon on the soil. This also works outdoors in your garden!
Cinnamon to Kill Aphids and Mealybugs
Sadly, many potted plants fall victim to infestations of mealybugs and aphids. There are lots of ways to treat these pest infestations, but a mix including cinnamon is one of the easiest and most affordable options.
To treat aphids and mealybugs with cinnamon, you’ll want to stir up a mixture of the following ingredients on your stove:
- 4 tbsp. powdered cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. liquid soap (I use dish soap)
- 3 cups water
Let these ingredients simmer for about 10 minutes, and then allow them to cool. Once they are totally cool, pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
Spray this mixture over your entire potted plant, including on top of the houseplant soil. Leave this mixture on your indoor plant for 24 hours, and then wipe down the leaves with a damp cotton cloth.
You should repeat this process 4 to 5 times to make sure you kill all larvae and eggs from the infestation.
Cinnamon to Control Mold, Rust, and Mildew
No one likes mold or mildew, and that includes your potted plant. Cinnamon is an effective way to treat mold growth, mold spores, and powdery mildew in plants.
Here’s the best way to use cinnamon to treat these issues in your plant:
- Put 2 tbsp. cinnamon powder into a heat safe container
- Pour 2 cups of hot water over the cinnamon
- Cover and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes
- Drain the liquid mixture through a strainer or cheesecloth
- Put the drained mixture into a spray bottle.
- Spray affected leaves and soil until the mold, rust, mildew, or other fungus dissapates
You may have to treat for several days to see results. Always apply spray at room temperature.
Conclusion
Cinnamon is not just safe for houseplants, it is helpful in preventing and treating many issues common to plants. If you want a natural and affordable way to keep your plant free of fungus, pests, and other issues, be sure to stock up on cinnamon!
