Can I put cinnamon on my plants to keep bugs away?

Author: Prof. Clemmie Pfeffer  |  Last update: Friday, August 8, 2025

Cinnamon is a great, natural way to repel ants from your flowerbeds. The good news? Ants detest the scent as well as the texture of cinnamon. Simply circle the base of plants with cinnamon powder, mix it into the soil, or create a barrier around the inside of your entire flowerbed with the spice.

Does sprinkling cinnamon on plants keep bugs away?

Cinnamon is a wonderful flavor addition to cookies, cakes, and any number of other foods, but to gardeners, it's so much more. This versatile spice can be used to help root cuttings, to prevent fungus from killing small seedlings, and even for keeping pests away from your home.

Can you sprinkle cinnamon on plants?

Cinnamon helps protect seedlings against rot, which ultimately accelerates growth. What is more, for seedlings, you do not need to prepare the cinnamon solution: simply sprinkle some ground cinnamon directly on the seedlings and the rest should take care of itself.

What bugs does cinnamon repel?

Not only will the cinnamon repel mosquitoes and other biters, it has been known to kill mosquito larvae/eggs.

How do you make cinnamon bug spray for plants?

INGREDIENTS: 2 teaspoons of cinnamon 4 cups of warm water a couple of drops of rubbing alcohol a couple of drops of dish soap INSTRUCTIONS: Mix cinnamon into the water and set it out for at least a few hours to steep — as if you were making tea.

How I Eliminated Fungus Gnats on My Houseplants

What is the best homemade bug spray for plants?

You can puree two garlic bulbs with one tablespoon of vegetable oil and let it sit overnight. You can then strain it, add one teaspoon of mild liquid soap and four cups of water. Put your mixture in a spray bottle to use. Store this mixture in the fridge until needed.

What does cinnamon attract?

For centuries, this common and everyday spice has been used to attract good luck and fortune. Aside from adding a warm taste to some of our favorite meals and recipes, cinnamon has been used in several spells and rituals for centuries to attract abundance and prosperity.

How to make cinnamon spray?

  1. Add two heaping tablespoons of cinnamon to a bowl of boiling hot water and whisk.
  2. Set aside the mixture to steep for 15 minutes.
  3. Strain cinnamon liquid to remove any particles.
  4. Add one teaspoon of rubbing alcohol and stir well.
  5. Add one teaspoon of dish soap and stir well.

What scent do bugs hate?

Bugs hate the smells associated with repellency, such as lavender, citronella, vinegar, peppermint, and geranium. These oils are considered a natural way of driving away bugs from your home without harming you, your family, and other animals.

Does cinnamon keep spiders away?

The smell of cinnamon repels these arachnids. Spiders prefer to maintain a fair distance away from them. Ultimately, cinnamon oil will also fight other insects and keep them away, so it's not for spiders only. Mix cinnamon oil with water, dip a cotton ball in, then wipe the mixture in spider-prone areas.

Can you put cinnamon on top of plant soil?

Yes, just ground cinnamon. All you have to do is sprinkle it over the soil.

How to use cinnamon for pest control?

Just whisk 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon with 4 cups of warm water and let it sit and steep as you would with tea. Next, get your spray bottle open and pour the cinnamon mixture through a sieve right into the bottle. Add ½ teaspoon of rubbing alcohol and ½ teaspoon of dish detergent, shake well and spray away.

What do eggshells do for plants?

Before you toss your eggshells, it's time to give them a second shot. Eggshells used as fertilizer for your garden can benefit the soil your plants use to gain essential nutrients, aiding rapid growth and keeping soil acidity in check.

Does mopping with cinnamon keep bugs away?

Cinnamon is antibacterial, antifungal, and characterized by antioxidant activity. There's also some evidence that the spice repels pests such as ants, although one expert thinks you shouldn't put too much stock in this claim.

Can you use hydrogen peroxide on plants?

Saturate the soil with 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide 3% per 1 litre water. Put wet soil in a watertight container and leave overnight before planting. This kills pathogens such as fungi and bacteria including insect eggs and nematodes (roundworms).

Does cinnamon keep ants away from plants?

Cinnamon, and generally anything with a really strong scent, like vinegar or certain essential oils, deters ants by intercepting their pheromone trails, which they use to find food.

Do bugs dislike cinnamon?

Not only is it a natural alternative to chemical bug repellents, but it also has scientifically proven properties that repel insects. Cinnamon contains compounds such as cinnamaldehyde, which has been found to be effective against mosquitoes, ants, and flies.

What smells do lady bugs hate?

The smell of citrus fruits can repel ladybugs. Place orange peels or lemon peels around your home in areas where ladybugs are present. Bay leaves. Bay leaves are another natural insect repellent that can help to repel ladybugs.

What scent do mice hate?

The strong scent of peppermint is overwhelming to mice. Similarly, essential oils such as eucalyptus oil, bergamot oil, clove oil, and cinnamon oil are potent in keeping mice at bay. One study noted that eucalyptus oil applied once a day was more effective as a rat repellant than once a week.

Can I spray cinnamon on my plants?

Let cinnamon sits in water overnight. The next day, strain the powdered cinnamon using a sieve or coffee filter and use the water as an anti-fungal spray. Spray the water on affected areas of plants twice a week.

What is the best homemade insect repellent?

10 Natural Insect Repellents For Your Home
  1. Citronella Oil for Mosquitoes. ...
  2. Chalk for Ants and Slugs. ...
  3. Beer for Slugs. ...
  4. DIY Spider Repellent Spray. ...
  5. Cinnamon, Paprika or Garlic to Keep Out Ants. ...
  6. Diatomaceous Earth for Most Insects. ...
  7. Essential Oils for Ticks. ...
  8. Garlic Solution on Strips of Cloth.

Will cinnamon keep flies away?

Cinnamon – use cinnamon as an air freshner, as flies hate the smell! Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils – Not only will spraying these oils around the house create a beautiful aroma, but they will also deter those pesky flies too.

What animal does cinnamon repel?

While most insects are deterred by cinnamon, there are some larger garden pests that also hate the scent of the spice. Rats, mice, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, moles, and weasels will also stay away when the strong scent of cinnamon is around.

What does the Bible say about cinnamon?

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cinnamon

In Exodus 30:23 it is one of the ingredients of the "holy anointing oil"; in Proverbs 7:17 it is, along with myrrh and aloes, a perfume for a bed; in Song of Solomon 4:14 it is a very precious spice.

Why sprinkle cinnamon at the front door?

The ritual is based on the idea that the front door represents the gateway between the outside world and a person's spiritual space. When the cinnamon falls to the floor, it's believed to invite prosperity into the home.

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