Baking soda is the ultimate multitasker at home. And while we're already familiar with all the ways it can help inside the house, it's about time we get into how purposeful it may be when utilized outside — specifically in your garden.
Some of the best gardening hacks feature baking soda as the star of the show, and we've put together a list of expert-approved hacks that tend to various backyard tasks. From fighting away pests to improving crop growth, you'll be surprised at how much this simple product can come in clutch.
Without further ado, here is everything you need to know about baking soda gardening — and the benefits it may bring to your luscious green yard.
1. Encourage Blooming
Sometimes you could be doing everything right but still not yielding those picture-perfect blooms that you see online. Well, in conversation with gardening expert Lydia Beaumont, she tells us that baking soda could actually be the solution to your problems.
She recommends watering flowering plants, with a solution comprising of one teaspoon of baking soda in one liter of water every few weeks to give your blooms that little nudge of encouragement. "Baking soda is great for neutralizing acidic soil, allowing flowers to absorb more nutrients," she explains. "It’s great for plants that are sensitive to pH changes like geraniums or begonias."
This is a great tip to adopt now, especially if your garden features plants that flower in fall.
2. Deter Fungal Diseases
This one happens to be Lydia's favorite pro-tip for a beautiful garden that's void of fungal problems. It involves combining one tablespoon of baking soda with a gallon of water, and a smidge of horticultural oil. She finds that spraying this solution is an absolute savior for plants affected by powdery mildew or black spots.
She tells us that baking soda alters the pH on the surface of leaves, making it less hospitable for fungi to grow. "It’s especially useful for plants like roses, which are prone to fungal diseases," she notes. "And it’s a gentle solution that’s safer than many chemical fungicides."
If you're missing horticultural oil from your gardening arsenal, we recommend adding this Safer Brand Horticultural & Dormant Spray from Amazon to your yard care tool kit.
3. Neutralize Compost Odor
Compost is an essential part of gardening and can contribute immensely to a garden's success. Plus, it's a key part of sustainable gardening. But the one thing about compost that turns many gardeners away is its malodorous stench.
Planting expert Tony O'Neill from Simplify Gardening tells us that sprinkling baking soda over your compost pile is a genius hack to keep the odor in check. "Baking soda helps to neutralize acidic compounds that can cause unpleasant smells in your compost bin," he explains.
So if you're wondering how to amend your garden soil like a pro, while saving your garden from the organic stench that comes with composting, then this trick is worth testing.
4. Keep Pests at Bay
Can you imagine putting all your efforts toward cultivating your garden, only to find that pesky insects have gotten into your crops? Tony tells us that this is a common occurrence in most gardens and finds that baking soda makes all the difference.
"Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with one quart of water and add a few drops of mild dish soap," he says. "Then spray this mixture on plants to deter pests like aphids, spider mites, and ants."
Tony tells us that baking soda disrupts the pH balance of the insects, making it difficult for them to survive. Aside from bringing pest control plants into your yard, this baking soda is another surefire way to keep your garden safe.
5. Improve Tomato Growth
Alongside baking soda's protective properties, the chemical agent also comes in handy when growing a tomato patch. According to Lydia, baking soda lowers the acidity of the soil, which helps tomatoes produce sweeter fruit. She tells us that tomatoes often thrive in slightly less acidic environments, and this hack helps the plant focus on fruit production rather than defending against stressors.
"Lightly sprinkle baking soda around the base of tomato plants," she says. "As the plants grow, repeat this every few weeks until the end of the growing season to have delicious-tasting tomatoes."
Whether you're learning how to grow tomatoes in containers or you're planting them straight into the ground, give this hack a try and enjoy your delicious fruits come harvest season.
6. Clean Plants
There are a number of regular tasks to clear up your backyard and make it look tidy. However, besides removing weeds, clearing up yellowing leaves, and disposing of pruned branches, one task is often overlooked: cleaning leaves.
Sure, it's a regular task for houseplants but it should also be a habitual practice for your outdoor grows. Tony tells us that a solution of baking soda and water can be used to gently wipe the leaves of your plants. "This helps remove dust and keeps the leaves' pores open," he explains. "Thereby improving the plant's ability to photosynthesize and breathe."
Now, you don't have to clean off each leaf on every plant in your yard, but if you have any patio plants for pots, then it's never a bad idea to give them a wipe-down every now and then.
7. Prevent Ant Infestations
This baking soda hack offers another nifty trick to keep insects away, with a special focus on ants. While these creatures are particularly small, they still have an impact on your garden. And when they build into infestations, it can cause plant yellowing from root damage.
Tony encourages gardeners facing this problem to sprinkle baking soda in areas teeming with ant activity or around the base of infested plants. "They dislike baking soda because it disturbs their digestive system," he says. "Using it as a deterrent keeps ants from nesting near your plants without the need for chemical pesticides."
8. Measure Soil pH
When deciding what to plant in your garden, there are plenty of things to identify to make sure that you're sowing compatible plants. Typically, you would look at hardiness zones, light requirements, and of course soil pH.
Lydia tells us that there is a great at-home test featuring baking soda to determine if your soil is too acidic. "The compound reacts with acids, so any bubbling will suggest that the soil is overly acidic," she notes. "Using this test helps keep your plants healthy and thriving."
To test soil pH, Lydia recommends mixing a tablespoon of baking soda with a cup of water and pouring it over a soil sample. She points out that if the soil fizzes, it indicates acidity.
9. Kill Intrusive Weeds
Weeds can feel like the bane of a garden's existence. They interfere with your crops and considering the fact that they're unsightly, they have the ability to mess with the overall aesthetic of an outdoor space. Turns out, a sprinkle of baking soda is a simple tool to get rid of weeds and can go a long way with these troublesome little sprouts.
"Baking soda is high in sodium, which dries out and kills weeds by disrupting their water balance," she says. "It’s an eco-friendly way to target unwanted growth without using toxic chemicals."
You can always go in with an Amazon weed puller tool after, to properly clear your yard of them for good.
Who knew that this pantry staple could be so useful in your garden? We certainly weren't in the know about all of these clever tricks, but now that we are, there are plenty of tasks that we can take care of with the help of just one nifty product.
And if you don't have any baking soda in your pantry at the moment, then we suggest picking up a pack of this classic Arm & Hammer baking soda from Amazon. Not only does it come highly rated, but it's also a great deal for a 2.7 lb bag. And clearly, it'll come into brilliant use around your garden. It could be the game-changing garden-keeping ingredient your space has been missing.
