The Common Pantry Spice That Has Amazing Benefits For Your Garden

Believe it or not, there are many different types of cinnamon out there, each with its own uses. This includes Padang cassia, Saigon cinnamon, and true cinnamon (which, despite its name, is no more useful or flavorful than other varieties). In the U.S., cassia — also known as Chinese cinnamon – is the most common variety, and this supermarket staple has more uses than a mere flavor kick.

Cinnamon can provide a significant benefit to a home garden as both a natural pesticide and fungicide, keeping your plants free of common problems. It can also be used to protect wounded plants as they get back to full health.

Ground cinnamon from the grocery store should work fine for gardening purposes, but freshly ground spices are generally more potent as there's less time for the essential oils and active compounds to break down. So, expect better results from grinding up fresh cinnamon sticks yourself. Just take care not to overapply; while cinnamon has gardening benefits, too much of it can hinder plant growth.

The viral cinnamon challenge had a dangerous dark side, with serious risks of respiratory irritation and inflammation and possibly even more severe consequences, such as collapsed lungs, pneumonia, or even death. Relatedly, many garden pests find cinnamon irritating and will try to avoid it. These include but are not limited to ants, mites, aphids, fruit flies, and more. It's even used to deter larger garden threats, including moles and rodents.

To use cinnamon as pest control, either sprinkle it directly onto the target plants or form a defensive ring of cinnamon around your garden. You can also make a homemade bug spray by mixing 2 teaspoons of powdered cinnamon with 4 cups of warm water. Steep it overnight, pour it through a coffee filter, then add a few drops of rubbing alcohol for emulsification and mild dish soap to make your DIY cinnamon spray stick to leaves.

Cinnamon's garden uses don't stop at pest control. While it doesn't actively encourage growth, it can play an important role in supporting plant health. For example, as a natural antiseptic, it can be used to protect fresh plant wounds.

When plants are broken open — by regular pruning or damage from storms or predators — pathogens can get inside the plant and cause problems, much like how germs can enter human bodies through cuts in our skin and cause infections. Sprinkle cinnamon dust directly onto damaged areas of plants to help protect them from invasive pathogens. Depending on the nature of the damage, it may be preferable to directly apply the cinnamon by dabbing it on with a damp cloth, paintbrush, or even your (recently washed) finger. 

The spice can also aid growth by specifically preventing fungal infections. Sprinkle it on the soil or use a DIY cinnamon spray to protect plants, especially seedlings. The spice's essential oils are scientifically proven to contain antimicrobial and antifungal properties, especially against Botrytis cinerea (also known as gray mold). This is especially pertinent to young plants, including the many foods you can regrow from kitchen scraps; ground cinnamon mixed directly into the soil can protect newly-rooted scraps of plants like peppers and basil as they blossom into new growth.