Fungal infections can kill off a plant at any stage of life. Given that many fungi are soil-borne, they are nearly impossible to prevent. Young seedlings are at the highest risk of dying from a fungal infection called damping-off disease. The infection leads to root rot. At first, the seedlings may appear healthy, but they then suddenly collapse and rot.
Cinnamon can fully prevent damping-off disease. The spice is also helpful for deterring slime mold and mushrooms growing in planters. All you have to do is sprinkle some ground cinnamon on the topsoil.
Alternatively, you can make your own cinnamon plant spray by mixing 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon in 16 oz of warm water. Allow the mixture to steep overnight, then strain through a cloth or paper filter and transfer the liquid to a spray bottle. Then just spray the affected plant and its potting soil every week until the problem is gone.
If you’ve been eyeing the rooting hormone powder at the garden center to help you propagate plants easier, but you simply can’t justify the extra cost, we’ve got some great news. Cinnamon works just as well as rooting hormone powder!
Just sprinkle a tablespoon or so of cinnamon on a clean plate or paper towel, dab the stems of the cuttings in the powdered cinnamon, and then propagate as usual. This method works especially well for soil or sphagnum propagation.
