There is a large number of products that we all have at home and we can take advantage of for the benefit of our plants. One of the products that has the most uses and that, at the same time, is very easy to obtain is vinegar. Vinegar is acidic and can help us regulate the pH of the soil of the plants and, in addition, it is antiseptic, so we can treat or prevent some pests and diseases.
If you want to learn how you can use vinegar in your plants, either indoors or in the garden or orchard, join us in this article in which we explain what are the benefits of vinegar for plants and how to use it correctly.
Properties of vinegar for plants and health
Vinegar has a long list of beneficial and useful properties, both for the human body and for a multitude of other uses such as, for example, to care for plants and to clean the home. These are some of the main properties of vinegar :
- Antiseptic
- Antibacterial
- PH regulator
- Antioxidant
- Anti-Calcific
- Degreaser
- Detoxifying
- Anti-inflammatory
- Soothing and analgesic
Here we explain some of the most relevant:
- Antiseptic and antibacterial: vinegar is a great disinfectant, as well as being very cheap and proven effective. It is capable of killing a large number of bacteria and other microorganisms that can be harmful, such as fungi. In fact, throughout history it has been used routinely in the treatment of fungi, infections, lice or warts. In addition, this effect of vinegar occurs both on the body and on surfaces, such as the soil of the plants or the floors of a house or its furniture.
- Digestive: vinegar, especially apple vinegar, is a great digestive thanks to its acetic, tartaric and malic acids, as well as an intestinal regulator. It also has the ability to make fats more easily metabolized, aiding in digestion.
- Slimming: vinegar in meals helps increase the feeling of satiety and, based on what has been said before about fat metabolism, it is a powerful degreaser, which is why it is a very good way to help in weight loss diets.
- Improves the skin: Another property of vinegar is its ability to keep the skin healthy and beautiful, in addition to promoting circulation, soothing pain and treating inflammation.
- PH regulator: due to the acidity of vinegar, it can be used to regulate the pH of various substances, organs or surfaces. Thus, it can work for us to regulate the pH of our skin or our digestive system, but it can also regulate the earth.
- Antical: due to its acidity and slight corrosion capacity of certain materials, it is widely used as a product to remove lime, rust and clean surfaces in depth and disinfect them.
- Repellent: the acidic and strong smell that it gives off repels a variety of animals, as we will explain better later.
Benefits of vinegar for plants
After knowing the properties of this product well, we will tell you about the great benefits of vinegar for plants :
Neutralize lime in irrigation water
There are a large number of plants, such as the Japanese maple, that cannot be watered with waters rich in lime. If this is not respected, the leaves of the plant can suffer chlorosis. Vinegar can be used to neutralize the lime in the water and increase its acidity, so that we can use tap water to water our most delicate plants in this regard and avoid using bottled water.
Garden Container Sanitizer
After using pots or seedbeds, it is very important to clean and disinfect them properly before replanting in them. This is especially important in seedbeds, since it is soil subjected to more humidity and, in addition, the seeds are weaker to the attack of fungi.
Vinegar: insect trap
It is possible to make homemade insect traps with vinegar. Insect traps made with this product are especially effective at killing fruit flies. So it is an ally in fruit plantations or gardens with a fruit tree, as well as avoiding these small insects in the kitchen or pantry.
Enrich the iron soil
You can also give a contribution of iron to the soil or substrate with controlled contributions of vinegar. It is important to use it in small quantities and only with plants that appreciate acidic soils, such as lemon trees, strawberries, roses or blueberries.
Vinegar herbicide
If you want to keep some areas of your orchard or garden free of weeds , to control paths or lanes cleared of organic matter, you can use undiluted vinegar directly on the areas to be treated. The acidity will prevent plants or fungi of any kind from growing.
Ant repellent
Ants can be a serious problem in many crops, especially because of a type of fungus that usually accompanies them. The use of undiluted white vinegar around a local anthill, or around certain areas that we do not want them to approach, will cause the ants to leave the area, although sometimes it must be repeated for several days, and never over land to be cultivated or directly on the anthill.
Repellent of other animals
Sometimes dogs, cats or others get into the habit of urinating or defecating and digging in the ground in some parts of our garden or orchard, which can become a problem for plants to thrive. Spraying these spots with vinegar will cause the animals to avoid the area due to its pungent acid smell, thus freeing us from the problem and without harming the animals.
How to use vinegar for plants
To finish, we leave you some tips so that you learn how to use vinegar for plants according to the use you are going to give it.
- When using it to enrich the soil or make it more acidic, it is advisable to dilute the vinegar in water and spray it on the area to be treated.
- If we use it to disinfect containers and tools for gardening or horticulture, it will not be necessary to dilute it, you can apply it directly to a cloth that you are going to use to clean the objects or, you can leave the object soaked in vinegar for several minutes and then wash it with water and neutral soap. You will have to make sure you clean well, without leaving any residue.
- When using it as a repellent or herbicide , always make sure to apply it in an area where you don’t want to plant anything new, as the soil will no longer be suitable for it.
