It makes the cake fluffy, removes stains and odors, makes our laundry white again and ensures clear skin - baking soda (chemical sodium hydrogen carbonate) is undoubtedly one of the most versatile products that we will find in our kitchen cupboard. The powder is a real all-rounder and a great and cheaper alternative to many products that are not only very expensive but also bad for the environment. In addition, the home remedy is every gardener's best friend and baking soda in the garden can be used in a variety of ways. Whether against ants and bugs, as fertilizer or to make our tomatoes sweeter - read on and find out how you can use baking soda to spruce up your garden!
Baking soda in the garden against ants
In nature, ants are quite fascinating and useful animals. But when they spread and enter our gardens, they are nothing more than a nuisance. Garden centers and shops are full of pesticides, which are usually very expensive and harmful to the environment. WhetherKitchen waste as fertilizeror natural home remedies for weeds – sustainability is trendy. Therefore, baking soda is a more sustainable and ecologically sensible alternative to conventional products from the store to combat ants in the garden.
Baking soda is toxic to the insects, but the powder alone will not attract them. For the method to work, mix baking soda and powdered sugar in a 1:1 ratio and sprinkle the mixture on the affected areas. Ants love sweets and powdered sugar is a treat that attracts them.
Baking soda against snails in the garden
You've been effortlessly caring for your salads and watering them regularly, and suddenly they've been destroyed by slugs.Snails in the gardenare every gardener's nightmare and a snail infestation is pretty nerve-wracking. So if you want to get rid of snails, you can use baking soda in the garden. However, you should know that the animals will not survive contact with the powder.
To use baking soda against slugs, you should sprinkle the cabbage caterpillars you discover and the area around the plants with the powder. However, baking soda dissolves in contact with water and you will need to repeat the method after every rain or shower.
Can you remove green deposits with baking soda?
The winding paths andGarden pathsare real eye-catchers and we are always happy when things bloom and green in our garden. When the garden paths become dirty and algae and moss appear, they tend to look unkempt. Green deposits are greenish discolorations on various materials, which are usually caused by lichens, moss and algae. Overgrown garden paths are not only unsightly, but can also become quite slippery and dangerous when it rains.
The unwanted green cover grows primarily in damp areas and places that don't get much sun. And here comes the question: Can you use baking soda to remove green deposits and clean stones? The answer is yes! Depending on how large the area is, bring 1-2 liters of water to the boil and dissolve 2-4 tablespoons of baking soda in it. Now apply the mixture generously to the affected areas and ideally leave it on overnight. Then brush thoroughly with a brush and rinse again with clean water. And that's it - this is how you can remove green growth with baking soda!
Baking soda in the garden for sweeter tomatoes
Many hobby gardeners swear by using baking soda in the garden to improve the taste of tomatoes. Why does this work? To thrive, tomatoes need alkaline or slightly acidic soil with aPH valueof approximately 6.5. A little baking soda in the irrigation water helps to neutralize the pH value of the soil and this also improves the tomatoes' nutrient absorption. The powder is also an excellent home remedy for any pests such as:Aphids, mildew or fungi. And the fewer pests there are in the garden, the better and sweeter our tomatoes taste. However, you should not overdo it with watering, otherwise the fruits will become too watery and inedible.
Here you will findtwo recipes for a remedy against aphids with baking soda.
Flower water with baking soda for beautiful flowers
If you want to enjoy your beautiful flowers for longer, you can use baking soda in the garden. All you have to do is add some baking soda to the water and then water the flowers as usual. The list of plants that need alkaline soil to thrive is actually quite long. This means that almost all flowers in your garden can probably benefit from flower water with baking soda. These include, for example:
- Begonias
- Hydrangeas
- Geraniums
- Crocus
- Clematis
- Forsythie
- Bluebells
- lilac
- Rosen
Keep cut flowers fresher for longer
Would you like to decorate your apartment with flowers from your own garden? A flower decoration undoubtedly looks beautiful, but unfortunately the plants are hanging desolately in the vase after just a few days. In this case, baking soda can also help and ensure that the cut flowers stay fresh for longer. Before you arrange the bouquet in the flower vase, mix the flower water with baking soda. Depending on how large the bouquet and vase are, 1-2 teaspoons of powder are usually sufficient.
Remove grass and soil stains
Okay, no one wears their nicest clothes when gardening – we know that. Whether grass, soil, fertilizer or preparations – stains are simply part of everyday life and the garden can quickly get very dirty. Although most grass stains are very stubborn, they can be easily removed with baking soda. To do this, mix water and baking soda into a paste and rub the mixture onto the fresh stain. Leave it on for about 15 minutes and then rinse the stains with clean water.