Black pepper has powerful properties which can boost your garden (Image: Alex Evans)
Gardeners are being urged to sprinkle black pepper in their gardens for two really important reasons this April. Black pepper is a classic kitchen seasoning, beloved by amateur chefs and an easy way to liven up almost any dish, as long as you don’t overdo it.
But its usefulness isn’t limited to the kitchen and in fact, this staple food flavouring can be strewn across your garden too, which helps in several ways. Firstly, according to experts at House Digest, black pepper is actually a highly effective natural pesticide and also repels cats, dogs and squirrels too. Unlike chemical based pest killers, black pepper repels or kills various pests, such as sawflies and caterpillars, without risking any harm to other animals.
Insects also do not develop resistance to it, unlike with chemicals.
READ MORE: UK households urged to sprinkle black pepper in their garden before spring
READ MORE: Gardeners urged to sprinkle black pepper in garden
They said: “All of these benefits are possible because of one unique compound found in this household spice. Black pepper contains piperine, an alkaloid that kills insects. Piperine acts as an antibacterial agent and gives pepper its distinctive flavour. Nosy animals are repelled by black pepper’s strong smell and harsh flavour. That means they’re more likely to pass on taking a few nibbles from your home-grown vegetables in favour of something with a bit less bite.”
Black pepper’s powerful properties also work against pests like aphids, which drive gardeners crazy in the spring and summer as they attack saplings and fruiting plants like strawberries and raspberries.
House Digest adds: “If you’re a plant lover, you’ve likely waged war against aphids at some point.
“These tiny, sap-sucking pests are the bane of many gardeners and indoor plant enthusiasts. Aphids, which come in various colours, such as green, black, or pink, can quickly overrun your plants, leaving a trail of damage in their wake. They feed on the sap of plants, weakening them, and can even transmit plant diseases.
“In comes black pepper to lend a helping hand to get rid of aphids. A 2021 study in the journal Molecules brought some interesting news to light. Black pepper oil showed significant insecticidal properties, achieving an 80% mortality rate when used against the green peach aphid. This is particularly noteworthy because green peach aphids are known for their resilience.”
There are several ways to use black pepper in your garden, say experts. You can sprinkle it along the soil, which will also repel insects like ants, or mix it with water into a spray bottle to zap aphids on leaves. Eventually, with enough sprays, the black pepper forms a coating which stays on the plant too – no chemicals needed.
They added: “Investing in a large amount of black pepper only to toss it on your garden might seem like a waste of money. But with this method, you’ll get all of the benefits of a typical pesticide — without any toxicity or negative environmental impact.”
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