Strawberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow, especially for beginners, but if they are not maintained correctly, they can become victims of environmental issues such as grey mould and leather rot or be eaten by pests. To produce vibrant and ripe strawberries without any issues, gardeners are being urged to dust their soil with one common ingredient: cinnamon.
According to home ‘hacks, tips, and tricks’ TikTok creator @creative_explained, cinnamon can aid your plants in six different ways. Most importantly, it helps prevent mould and fungi from appearing in your soil and gets rid of pesky bugs. Applying cinnamon to your plants only takes a few seconds and will make your strawberries grow juicy, healthy, and thriving all season long.
How does it work?
The home hack creator explained: “Cinnamon has anti-fungal properties that prevent mould and fungi from appearing from the soil. Plus, you know those annoying gnats in the soil, well guess what? Cinnamon gets rid of them too.”
According to Gardening Know How, “damping-off disease” is a fungal issue that affects young seedlings right as they start to grow. Sprinkling cinnamon can help prevent this by killing the harmful fungus.
Creating a cinnamon solution to spray onto infected plants is another effective way to alleviate the symptoms of fungal infestations. “Under laboratory conditions, scientists have shown that the elements in cinnamon powder inhibit the development of grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) and various species of Phytophthora.
“Spraying a mixture of ground cinnamon solution and water onto infected plants can be an effective way to alleviate the symptoms of fungal infestations,” reported experts at Plantura.
How to make the cinnamon solution
- Use one teaspoon of ground cinnamon and pour it into a spray bottle
- Then add five litres of warm water to the bottle
- Let it sit for a few hours, and then you’re done
How does cinnamon deter pests?
Pests such as fungus gnats thrive in moist soil conditions, such as strawberry plants, as they need regular watering. Gardening enthusiasts at Plantura revealed that sprinkling ground cinnamon onto soil deters these pests.
“What makes this method so effective is that the aromatic powder can break the gnats’ reproduction cycle. This way, they cannot hatch or reproduce,” said the expert.
Other common pests that are attracted to strawberry plants include aphids, fruit flies, leafhoppers, caterpillars, beetles, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies. Cinnamon also works for ants and slugs, but it is important to note that not all bugs will be repelled with this solution.
