Using milk on your compost and in your garden will probably come as a surprise to most. Upon closer inspection, however, it starts to make sense. The amino acids, proteins, enzymes and natural sugars that make milk a food for humans and animals are the same ingredients in nurturing healthy communities of microbes, fungi and beneficial bacteria in your compost and garden soil. Raw milk is the best, as it hasn’t been exposed to heat that alters the components in milk that provide a perfect food for the soil and plants, but any milk will provide nutrition and benefits. Using milk on crops and soils is another ancient technique that has been lost to large scale modern industrial agriculture.
Milk is a research-proven fungicide and soft bodied insecticide – insects have no pancreas to digest the milk sugars. Consequently milk will help protect your plants from insect attack.
The ratio can range from 100% milk to a 20% mixture with water, with no loss of benefits. Use as a spray on the compost and garden soil prior to planting, and as needed when insects appear. Spray directly on the insects and around the areas they inhabit. When combined with molasses, it becomes a highly beneficial soil drench. A proven solution is 20% milk – 1 cup of milk to 4 cups of water, or 2 cups milk to 8 cups water for larger gardens.
Who knew that something as simple as milk and molasses had such powerfully positive, far-reaching effects?
GARDEN SOIL / COMPOST
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane or sugar beets into sugar. It is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the recommended daily value of each of those nutrients.
Molasses is a very valuable addition to the compost pile, as well as to the garden itself.
Use 1/4 cup molasses mixed with 1 cup of milk. Add to two litres of water and spray onto the compost pile or garden……………..add to the drip system for the garden.
POOR or stressed soils will need a stronger mixture.
SNACKS for plants that need a little boost, add 1/4 cup molasses to a watering can and fill with water. .
The microbial activity will skyrocket.
CINNAMON
…………………IN THE GARDEN
ROOT POWDER
When taking plant cuttings use cinnamon to stimulate root growth.
Place a teaspoon of ground cinnamon powder on a plate or saucer. Dampen the base of the plant cutting and then gently roll in the cinnamon until coated. Using a pencil make a hole in the potting mix. Gently place the cutting into the hole. Cinnamon will encourage root development and help to prevent the plant cutting from rot and damping off disease.
SEED PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT
Cinnamon can help a seed to develop strong and protect it from damping off disease.
Toss the seeds in cinnamon powder before planting.
PLANT WOUNDS
Plant wounds occur through breakage or pruning. Use cinnamon powder to heal plant wounds. Dip a dry brush into cinnamon powder and gently paint ‘dry’ onto plant wounds. Or you can keep the cinnamon powder in a shaker bottle and shake over the wound area.
The cinnamon powder will treat plant infections and open cuts.
ANT REPELLANT
Ants don’t like to walk in cinnamon powder. If your plants are being attacked by ants try placing a thick layer of cinnamon around the plant. In addition you can spray your plant.
Place one part cinnamon to nine parts of warm water. Let it steep overnight. Strain into a spray bottle. The spray will also help with healing the plant.
ANTS IN THE HOME
Find the ant’s entry point. Sprinkle it with cinnamon.
MILDEW
Sprinkle with cinnamon powder. It will help to absorb odour and to kill of fungus.