It's no secret that the upkeep of a garden can be costly, so finding affordable hacks are always welcome by gardeners. It's a bonus if you find a trick that requires no extra cost – like using the olive oil in your kitchen cupboard to quickly solve more than one garden problem.
In fact, using olive oil is a gardening hack for busy growers who don't have a lot of time to problem-solve. From making tools look as good as new in minutes, to protecting plants from destructive pests, this common table condiment can work wonders in the yard.
So, before you start investing hundreds of dollars in pest control and new tools, consider grabbing your olive oil instead. Here, we take a look at just three of the ways you can use olive oil in the garden.
3 ways to use olive oil in the garden
Just like using spices to deter pests or using cinnamon on your lawn to make it healthier, olive oil is a secret ingredient that can help you out in more ways than one in the yard:
1. Polish your garden tools
This is one way to use olive oil in the garden that I am particularly excited to learn about.
Even though I do my best to care for all my essential gardening tools, they tend to lose their shine over time, even when I've cleaned my gardening tools correctly.
Well, it turns out you can rub olive oil (from Walmart) on both the metal parts and wooden parts of tools to make them glossier, almost as if they were brand new.
Not only will it leave your tools looking shiny, it will also help clean rusty garden tools and prevent rust coming back by creating a protective barrier.
This will also help lubricate moving parts, keeping them in excellent working condition, saving you on purchasing replacements. Plus, because it's a natural oil, it's plant-safe if any transfers from your tools.
2. Make a pest-repellent spray for aphids
There are endless possibilities when it comes to a homemade bug spray, but olive oil is perhaps a lesser known power ingredient in natural pest control.
'I always love discovering which kitchen ingredients can act as natural pest repellents, and it makes sense olive oil would work so well against aphids,' says Homes & Gardens' Head of Gardens, Rachel Bull.
'Aphids are soft-body pests and the olive oil essentially makes it difficult for them to move and feed on your plants,' she explains.
So, if you're struggling to get rid of aphids, try mixing up a DIY aphid spray of one tablespoon of olive oil, four cups of water, and a dash of dish soap. Spray on affected plants accordingly.
A bonus is this mixture will work well to also stop scale insects, spider mites, and other pests that destroy plants.
If you have a bit more of a severe infestation and are looking for some reinforcement, you may also consider using commercially available aphid sprays (like this neem oil spray from Amazon).
3. Make your plant leaves shine
If you're looking for ways to spruce up your backyard for summer hosting, then try using olive oil in the garden to make plant leaves shine.
This is actually a hack that can be used to clean houseplant leaves, as well as those in your yard.
It requires diluting the olive oil with water and using a soft microfibre cloth (from Walmart) to gently wipe plant leaves – much like how leaf shine (from Amazon) works.
A couple words of warning though: don't use an excessive amount of olive oil on plant leaves. It can actually clog up plant pores (stomata) and hinder their ability to perform vital processes, like photosynthesis and transpiration.
Olive oil on leaves exposed to the sun may also make plants susceptible to leaf scorch because it traps heat on the plant leaves, so it's once again wise to do only wipe them with this mixture every once in a while.
FAQs
Can you pour olive oil on soil?
Directly pouring olive oil on soil, either to dispose of it or to add to compost, can be potentially harmful in large quantities. This is because it can create a barrier preventing air and moisture reaching plant roots, and it may also attract pests. Instead, consider mixing olive oil into a DIY pest repellent spray, or compost it in small quantities.
Who knew there were so many valuable uses of olive in the garden? Not only this, but its use indoors extends beyond cooking – check out our guide to everyday items you can clean with olive oil.
