Nebraska-based farmer and TikToker Noah Young (@theshilohfarm) has shared a super handy gardening trick using only a spice that can be found in nearly anyone's kitchen.
The scoop
In his video, Noah sprinkles a thin layer of cinnamon on the soil of growing plant seedlings to act as "nature's natural, organic fungicide."
@theshilohfarm Here's a spicy tip for the garden 🪴 Cinnamon prevents fungal disease that often attack young seedlings 🌱 Cinnamon can help deter ants and gnats from attacking your young plants 🐜⚔️ Cinnamon can help heal plants by sealing up the wound and acting as an antibacterial and antifungal solvent 🏥 #cinnamon #spice #natural #organic #garden #gardening #gardener #helpful #tip #tips #tipsandtricks #lifehack #gardenhack #fact #facts #funfacts #wow #cool #didyouknow #science #plant #plants #seedling #homestead #planting #farm #spices #plantsoftiktok #shilohfarm ♬ Mr. Fox in the Fields - Jenny Lin
"Here's a spicy tip for the garden," Noah wrote in the video's caption. "Cinnamon prevents fungal disease that often attack young seedlings."
The caption further explains that cinnamon deters common pests like ants and gnats from attacking young plants and even acts as an antibacterial solvent for sealing up cuts or wounds on plant stems.
Noah ends the video by saying that, as long as you don't add too much of the spice to your plants, cinnamon can be a "totally safe" addition to your garden.
How it's helping
Swapping commercial pesticides and fungicides for a more gentle, earth-friendly alternative like cinnamon can help reduce the amount of questionable ingredients and toxic chemicals that can leach into our soil and water sources.
Thankfully, many green thumbs are looking into alternative methods to control pests without chemicals, such as using beneficial insects and practicing organic farming techniques.
This tip is also easy and accessible for those who are considering starting a garden or growing their own food, which can help you save money on produce, improve your physical health by keeping movement and nutrition in mind, and even cut down on stress by getting in touch with nature and your community.
As an added bonus, growing your own produce means you're helping to reduce the need for transportation and packaging that comes with buying produce from grocery stores, which, in turn, creates less pollution and waste.
By practicing methods that work with nature rather than against it, we can foster a healthier earth for all to enjoy.
What everyone's saying
The video's viewers were wowed by the simple, affordable technique that can offer many benefits to new and seasoned gardeners alike.
"This is super helpful! Thanks!" one wrote.
"My dahlia dressings keep having some cloudy fungus," another user shared. "I'll try it."
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