Is baking soda bad for plants?

If you are looking for ways to strengthen garden plants without chemicals or to combat pests in the long term, you will often come across home remedies. But do plants really benefit from agents such as baking powder or baking soda, or are they even harmful to them in the end?

Baking soda in the garden

Older people in particular swear by baking soda as an all-rounder in the house and garden. The chemical name is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃). The white, powdery substance is odorless. It is best known as a leavening agent. However, baking soda can do even more. It is also used in the garden:

weed control

When baking soda is mixed with water, it breaks down into sodium and bicarbonate. The bicarbonate is a base. When watering with bicarbonate, the plant pores are clogged, which leads to the death of the plants. This property is used in weed control. Also who unwanted vegetation in plaster joints If you want to contain yourself, you can take advantage of the effect of hydrogen carbonate as follows:

1. Pour a liter of water into a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in hot water.
3. Allow the soda water to cool.
4. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
5. Spray the weeds with it.
6. Repeat the procedure after a week.

Danger: Soda can also be harmful to plants and makes no difference in its effect between weeds and crops. Therefore, make sure you always keep enough distance to your ornamental and useful plants.

control of fungal diseases

With baking soda you can of mildew and treat plants affected by gray rot. Just do the following:

1. Add two to four tablespoons of baking soda to half a liter of water.
2. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
3. Before treatment, remove heavily infested parts of the plant.
4. Spray the plant thoroughly with the mixture several times a day until symptoms subside.

Control of aphids

With the help of baking powder make aphids the end. To do this, simply apply it following these instructions:

1. Add two tablespoons of baking soda to one liter of water.
2. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
3. Spray the plant thoroughly. Pay special attention to the undersides of the leaves.
4. Repeat the procedure daily until no more aphids are seen.

Optimize soil pH

The neutralizing effect of the hydrogen carbonate can be used to improve the soil. Some plants, such as geraniums and begonias, need alkaline soil to thrive. Simply add a sachet of baking soda to the irrigation water every two weeks.

Harmful effects possible

Sodium hydrogen carbonate has many positive properties that hobby gardeners like to use. However, baking soda can also be harmful to plants. Therefore, always use it correctly:

• When fighting weeds with baking soda, keep a distance to useful plants
• Before using it to improve the soil, consider the individual requirements of the plants
• not for hydrangeas and rhododendron suitable
• use only in the specified concentration
• Overdose leads to the death of the plants

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