Baking soda has many uses around the home, from spot-treating laundry to serving as a leavening agent in the kitchen. But baking soda can also be used outside in the garden, becoming a superstar for enhancing plant productivity, preventing pests, killing weeds, and more. Here, gardening experts share their go-to ways for using baking soda in the garden.
Meet the Experts
Lindsay Springer, director of plants, nutrition, and digital agriculture at Gardyn, empowering people to grow fresh, sustainable produce at home
Adam Weiss, gardener and founder of Pike Lane Gardens, a corporate wellness program rooted in sustainability that brings organic vegetable gardening to the workplace
Related: How to Use Orange Peels in Your Garden to Boost Plant Health and Deter Pests
Organic Pest Deterrent
Baking soda helps keep common garden pests away, especially slugs, which can’t tolerate its high salt content. Meanwhile, ants don’t like this pantry staple either. “Ants tend to lose their scent trails with this method,” says Lindsay Springer, director of plants and digital agriculture at Gardyn.
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Use a flour sifter to lightly dust the soil around your plants with baking soda, says Springer. Don’t use too much, as this can alter your soil’s pH and negatively affect your plant’s ability to take up nutrients. Avoid dusting your plants directly, as baking soda can dry them out, Springer adds.
Natural Disease Repellent
Common plant fungal infections and diseases can be prevented and treated with baking soda. Fill a spray bottle with water, a few drops of dish soap, and a dash of baking soda. “Spraying your plant leaves with this solution has a direct impact on preventing downy and powdery mildew,” says Adam Weiss, gardener and founder of Pike Lane Gardens. The baking soda mixture can also treat plants that already have diseases. Spray the foliage infected with powdery mildew by covering all sides of the plant’s leaves, including the undersides. Repeat weekly, after rain has washed away the mixture.
Flower Booster
Baking soda, which is alkaline, can help boost flower production in certain plants. Small amounts of baking soda can act as a soil enhancer, helping make the soil more alkaline for flowers that crave this environment, says Weiss. Mix a few teaspoons of baking soda with a liter of water and spray the mixture on flowers that thrive in alkaline soils. Springer says to use this method carefully, avoiding plants that could be damaged by high pH.
Organic Weed Killer
Baking soda can also act as a natural weed killer. All you have to do is lightly spray the weeds with water, then dust a healthy amount of baking soda over the weeds, says Springer. “The weeds will dry up, and the excess moisture will help speed up the delivery of baking soda to the root system,” she says. However, be sure not to use this method around any plants you want to keep, since the baking soda can leach from the treated area. Apply weekly to prevent weeds from growing back.
Compost Odor Remover
Have a defunct compost pile no longer in use? Baking soda might be your solution to breaking down those lingering compost smells, as it can kill microbes and fungi active in compost piles. According to Weiss, adding a small amount of baking soda can accelerate the breakdown of the organic matter left behind by an old compost pile. “Don’t be too aggressive in the amount, though, as you still want a well-balanced pH level in the soil,” he says.
Rust Remover
Baking soda can also remove light rust from garden tools. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve left my favorite shears out in the rain by accident, only to find them lightly rusted,” says Springer. To solve the problem, she makes a paste with baking soda and a small amount of water. Using a sponge, she gently scrubs this paste onto the garden tool to remove the light rust, then rinses it clean. “You can also use this method to shine up your garden decorations,” she says.
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