Baking soda is an all-round brilliant product for the garden

Is there anything baking soda or bicarb can’t be used for? From getting rid of kitchen grime to baking the perfect cake, baking soda is known for its many handy uses, and you can add outdoor functions to that list.

Baking soda is biodegradable and non-toxic, making it a great substitute for chemical-heavy pesticides and fertilisers. It’s also great for cleaning your outdoor furniture, the grime from the bottom of your bird bath and helping with many other outdoor tasks. 

Baking soda is also great for boosting the health of your plants. Simply mix together one teaspoon of baking soda, half a teaspoon of clear ammonia and one teaspoon of Epsom salt in 3.8 litres of water. Water your plants with the liquid, making sure you don’t put too much of the solution on any one plant. The solution will act as a fertiliser and reinvigorate your plants. Plants looking dull will soon be rejuvenated with lush green foliage.

Baking soda works well as a deodoriser and will help control the pong coming from your compost heap. Simply sprinkle the baking soda over the top of your heap. As an added bonus, the baking soda will also prevent an acidity build-up in your soil.

On top of improving the growth of your plants, baking soda can also keep pests at bay. Baking soda is effective at killing slugs but also works as a great deterrent for other insects including aphids, scales and spider mites. Mix one teaspoon of baking soda and a third of a cup of olive oil, add two teaspoons of this mixture to one cup of water and mix until combined. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and spritz any infected plants.

Baking soda not only prevents insects from chowing down on your plants, it can also help prevent mildew and other fungal diseases from destroying your precious greenery. Spraying your plants with a baking soda solution each day causes the surface of the leaves to become less acidic and then in-turn limits the ability of fungal spores to grow. To create a spray, simply mix together one teaspoon of baking soda, two drops of liquid soap and one litre of water. Place the mixture in a spray bottle and spritz your plants.

If you find yourself constantly pulling out weeds around the garden or between your brickwork, baking soda is an ecologically safe and economical way to eradicate them. Unlike most commercial weedkillers, baking soda is biodegradable and nontoxic. Simply sprinkle the baking soda over the top of the weeds and watch as it slowly burns away at the foliage. The weeds should disappear after a few days. Baking soda can also prevent weeds from sprouting when used generously — you can sprinkle some in the crevices of pathways or over problem areas.

Believe it or not, baking soda can also make your tomatoes taste sweeter. If you sprinkle a small amount around the base of your tomato plant, it will be absorbed into the soil and lower the acidity levels. This change makes your tomatoes sweeter. Just remember to use a small amount of baking soda because too much could kill your plant.

Do you use a lot of baking soda around the house? Have you ever used it in the garden before?