How to Use Cinnamon in the Garden to Deter Pests, Boost Plant Growth, and More

Cinnamon is a common spice that's a key ingredient in cakes, muffins, and so much more. However, you can use it in many more surprising ways too—even in the garden. In fact, cinnamon can be used to repel certain pests, remove fungal diseases, and even stimulate growth in cuttings.

Of course, it's important to know how to properly apply cinnamon to your garden before giving any of these applications a try. Here, we spoke to gardening experts about how they use this kitchen staple to help their plants thrive.

Use it as a Pest Deterrent

Cinnamon is a natural way to deter common garden pests, so you won't have to resort to using harmful chemicals or traps. In particular, you can use it to protect plants from mice, rats, squirrels, and moles.

"Simply sprinkle cinnamon around your plant to create a barrier line," says Lucie Bradley, gardening and greenhouse expert at Easy Garden Irrigation. As these animals inhale the cinnamon, it will irritate the mucous membranes in their nose and mouth.

Cinnamon can also protect plants from ants, fungus gnats, mites, aphids, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and wasps. “[It] contains cinnamaldehyde, which disrupts the nervous system of insects, making it difficult for them to move, find food, or locate mates,” she adds.

Try It as a Fungicide 

Cinnamon can help remove several different kinds of fungal diseases. These include powdery mildew, white molds, grey molds like botrytis, slime mold, black spot, and even plant rust.

“Many molds will appear when there is excessive moisture," says Bradley. "Simply sprinkling the surface of the soil with powdered cinnamon will help prevent them from forming."

However, don't use this method as a one-off treatment—instead, administer cinnamon during your regular gardening routine. “I’ve also found it useful to make a cinnamon spray—a steeped solution of cinnamon powder and water—to make it easy to reach all the stems and leaves of infected plants," she says.

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Administer It as a Natural Antiseptic

You can also use cinnamon as a natural antiseptic. According to Tammy Sons, a master gardener and founder of TN Nursery, you can dab the spice on pruning cuts to keep pathogens out. Bradley agrees, adding that cinnamon can provide instant care for any plant wounds caused by overzealous pruning or storm damage.

“Depending on where the open area is on the plant, you can either dust powdered cinnamon directly over the exposed surface with a dry finger or paint brush, or apply as a poultice by sprinkling it onto a wet paper towel,” she says.

Use It as a Growth Stimulant

Cinnamon can naturally stimulate root formation. All you have to do is mix it with soil to make a homemade rooting powder for cuttings, says Sons.

“It’s cheap, organic, pollinator-friendly, and makes the dirt smell like dessert,” she says. However, this method does have some cons. “Rain rinses it away quickly, and too much of the spice can clog fine soil,” she says. Plus, repeated sprinkling may make the soil slightly acidic—so sprinkle lightly, don’t pour, and let the spice work its magic.