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“Spice Up Your Green Thumb: Feed Your Plants with Flavor”

"These spices are not just for cooking, they can also be used to nourish plants and help them thrive. "

22 July, 2024

Gardening is a delightful hobby that offers numerous benefits to our lives. Indoor plants enhance our spaces, boost oxygen levels, and provide a calming presence. However, it’s essential to avoid certain taboos when placing plants in your home. Dead plants, lackluster specimens, and stunted growth are all considered inauspicious. To ensure your indoor plants thrive and bloom, try these spice-based care tips.

Garlic for Green Thumbs

Garlic not only enhances the flavor of our food but also works wonders for our green friends. It is a natural insecticide, boasting anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties. Garlic helps combat pests, including aphids and snails. Crush a few cloves and bury them in your plant’s pot or create a diluted solution (1:50 ratio) to water your plants. Garlic peels can also be placed in the pot to improve soil aeration, promoting healthier root growth. Additionally, crushed garlic cloves can be placed in the pot to deter mice from digging.

Garlic repels insects — Garlic Helps Repel Insect Pests

Sugar Rush for Plants

Sugar, a sweet condiment, provides energy and can effectively stimulate plant flowering. It contains high levels of sucrose, which plants can convert into glucose and maltose. This enhances photosynthesis and metabolism, promoting healthier flower development. Before cutting a stem for propagation, dip it in a diluted sugar solution to encourage faster rooting. When watering your plants, mix sugar and water in a 1:500 ratio, being careful not to overdo it, as excessive sugar may attract unwanted insects like ants and cockroaches.

The Benefits of White Vinegar

White vinegar is a handy ingredient for balancing the pH of the soil and preventing soil compaction, which can suffocate your plants. Due to its acidic nature, vinegar should be diluted (1:100 ratio) before use. This solution is suitable for a variety of flowering plants, including roses, bougainvillea, orchids, camellias, and jasmines.

Monosodium glutamate benefits plants — Plants Enjoy a Sprinkle of Monosodium Glutamate Too

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

MSG, commonly known as monosodium glutamate, is a flavor enhancer that also works wonders for our plants. Watering your plants with a diluted solution of MSG promotes root growth, helping them establish a stronger presence in the soil. It also prevents root rot and leaf yellowing. Occasional watering with MSG helps plants flourish and bloom more profusely. Additionally, MSG boosts your plants’ immunity, making them more resilient to harsh weather conditions. Dilute one teaspoon of MSG in one liter of water, and for yellowing leaves, apply this solution up to three times a week to help revive your plant. Roses and orchids particularly benefit from MSG treatments.

Ginger and Chili to the Rescue

Ginger and chili are common household spices that can also be your indoor plants’ best friends. They are effective in treating pest problems and repelling aphids and mosquitoes. Create a ginger-chili mixture and place it at the base of your plants to keep flies and mosquitoes at bay.