Baking Soda And Weed: How to Use Baking Soda When Growing Cannabis

We usually think of sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, as something we use in the kitchen. However, did you know that when mixed with water it can also be used for gardening? This garden spray is not only great at preventing powdery mildew and leaf fungus but soil gnats too! Baking soda has many benefits for gardeners, including deterring pests, removing unwanted grass, and cleaning up nutrient or pesticide spills. Keep reading to learn more about the various benefits of using baking soda solutions in your cannabis garden.

Baking powder is commonly known as an ingredient that gives breads, pastries, muffins, and cakes a fluffy texture. It contains soda powder which is reactive with acids such COLD traffic!

Baking soda is a versatile kitchen ingredient with multiple other uses. Not only does it help suppress foul fridge odors, but you can also use it as a cleaning agent around the house. You can remove carpet stains, whiten teeth or use it as mouthwash with baking soda.

Baking soda is an effective way to kill pests in cannabis gardens, and can help treat plants during the vegetative or early flowering stages. If you notice a residue after applying your solution, gently rinse the foliage. Like other garden supplements, soda solutions should not be used when plants have entered the advanced flowering stage.

Skim through the different ways to use baking soda in your cannabis garden, which are listed below.

How to Use Baking Soda for Fungal Plant Diseases?

Some people prefer to make a baking soda solution, while others like to use a baking soda spray. It all depends on the level of fungal growth you’re dealing with.

Powdery Mildew

If you have powdery mildew in your garden and live in a humid climate, don’t fret! Baking soda can serve as a fungicide to kill the mildew by disturbing the ion balance within the fungal cells. Simply mix baking soda and water together, put it in a spray bottle, and voila!

Powdery mildew solution ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. of baking soda
• 1 tbsp. of dishwashing liquid (or half tbsp. for a lighter concentration)
• 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil (for surfactant purposes)
• 1 gallon of water

Application:

• To avoid foliage burns, outdoor cannabis plants should be sprayed weekly when the sky is gray. If you spray your plants with soda, they may experience foliage burns in combination with sun exposure.
• During the day, keep your indoor cannabis plants turned off to let them cool. However, turn the lights back on at night until they appear dry.
• If there is moisture on the leaves, remove it before turning the lights back on or moving the plants into direct sunlight.
• Be sure to mix the solution thoroughly before using it.

The versatile spray can not only be used to wash vegetables, but also other garden flowers like zinnias, impatiens, squash and cucumbers.

Leaf Fungus and Soil Gnats

If you want to start, begin by cutting off some of the leaves on your cannabis plants that have been most affected. To create the solution, mix four teaspoons of baking soda with one teaspoon of castile soap in a gallon of water. After it is completely mixed, treat both the foliage and soil accordingly.

Make an anti-fungal spray for Cannabis by mixing a gallon of water, a tablespoon of baking soda, and two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add half a teaspoon of castile soap to the mixture and spray it on the affected area until the fungus disappears. This same solution can be used for tomato plants.

Black Spot Fungus

By mixing four teaspoons of baking soda with a gallon of water, you can easily create a solution to fight black spot fungus on your plants. Be careful not to spray the mixture on your plants when they are in direct sunlight or exposed to heat. This method is also effective for roses and grape vines during early fruiting stages.

How to Kill Bugs with Baking Soda?

Sodium bicarbonate can also keep various types of insects away, including sap-sucking caterpillars, carpenter ants, and silverfish.

Sap-sucking pests

To naturally repel pests, mix two tablespoons each of baking soda and organic soap with two cups of water. Be sure to use bio-degradable soap so as not to damage the surrounding area with harsh chemicals.

If you have young plants, begin by spraying them with a diluted solution. A more potent mix may damage the leaves if they appear weakened due to infestations. If you garden outdoors, spray your plants weekly or as needed—for instance, after rainfall. While indoor plants are being sprayed, make sure all lights are turned off first.

Caterpillars

To create the anti-caterpillar powder, mix together baking soda and regular flour in equal parts. Then, use a brush to apply the mixture directly onto the flowers or vegetables you want to protect. The caterpillars will eat it and die within several days. If they return later, simply repeat this process.

Other critters

Sprinkle soda powder around doorways, windowsills, and plumbing fixtures to keep pests out of your home. You can also put it under sinks or anywhere else you see bugs such as ants, cockroaches, silverfish, etc. They will not be able to cross the line. Apply baking soda directly to slugs to control them specifically .

How to Eliminate Pesky Weeds?

Crabgrass, bindweed, and nutsedge are unattractive additions to any lawn- not to mention the insects they attract. The good news is that there are several natural methods of getting rid of excess grass without harsh chemicals; one method being baking soda.

Although soda powder will kill present weeds and stop new ones from growing, be cautious when using it around Cannabis plants or grass plots that are being cultivated. This powder works best during spring and fall seasons when the weed is actively growing. Unfortunately, in the summertime management of these pesky plants becomes more challenging, making soda somewhat less effective.

How to Fix Other Plant Damage with Baking Soda?

Deposits can form on cannabis plants due to a variety of reasons, such as bad weather, excess nutrients or pesticides, and even construction work taking place nearby. This build-up can impede the plant’s key metabolic processes – including photosynthesis and transpiration – by causing a coating.

To clean surfaces and remove tough stains, mix one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of Epsom salt, and half a tablespoon of clear ammonia with a gallon of water.

If you want to protect your plants from rain, give them a spray with this mixture. You can also use it on indoor plants, but make sure not to overwater and remember to rinse the leaves afterwards. Another crucial factor to remember is that you don’t want to oversaturate the soil with baking soda, as it could result in salt deposits. If this happens, then you’ll have to flush them out. This becomes more pertinent if you live close to the ocean because high salt levels can already exist in the soil and throw off the pH level balance (which should be between 5.8 – 6.8).

How to Test Soil with Soda Powder?

If you suspect that acidic soils are preventing your plants from reaching their full potential, there’s an easy way to test it. Just sprinkle some sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) on damp soil in your garden. If bubbles form, that means the pH is below 5 and explains why your plants aren’t doing as well as they could be.

Can You Clean Garden Tools with Baking Soda?

Did you know that baking soda can be used for cleaning around the house? Just add enough water to create a hand gel-like consistency. This mixture works great for scrubbing grower tools, such as watering cans and plant containers. It’s also perfect for removing dirt from hands or getting rid of unpleasant smells in trashcans and other places.