Cinnamon on plants - yes or no?

[ItsMike64]

So as I was preparing to get my little guy I tested the misting system a lot…and for some reason I didn’t think to take my two pothos out…and they didn’t appreciate the water, I was advised by a friend who raises and sells plants that yes I did overwater them and to sprinkle cinnamon on the soil because it helps heal plant wounds and whatnot, however, I want to know if this is safe or not. I searched and found two threads on these forums asking but they were never addressed. What do you guys think? I would obviously never use fertilizers or plant food, and want to know if the cinnamon is safe before I consider using it, but while the soil has dried out I think they could use some help lol!

Any advise is appreciated! I can post pics of them if needed

 

[Kamikaze Chameleon]

Yes it's fine, all natural and chams don't have great sense of smell so it's a good home remedy. I recommend covering your soil with pond stones, it will help prevent the adult soil gnats from attacking it.

 

[ItsMike64]

Yes it's fine, all natural and chams don't have great sense of smell so it's a good home remedy. I recommend covering your soil with pond stones, it will help prevent the adult soil gnats from attacking it.

I shouldn’t worry about the cinnamon getting into his respiratory system?

 

[kinyonga]

In humans, inhaling cinnamon can cause aspiration pneumonia.
Ingesting the powder can kill a person.

 

[ItsMike64]

In humans, inhaling cinnamon can cause aspiration pneumonia.
Ingesting the powder can kill a person.

This is exactly why I am hesitant to use it on plants in my cham enclosure. What do you think?

 

[kinyonga]

I wouldn't use it...but that's just me.

 

[kinyonga]

Do your plant pots not have drain holes?

 

[kinyonga]

Can you post some photos of the plants please?

 

[Mountain Dragon]

I wondered this a while ago and didn’t get a good answer if u could use cinnamon or not just alternatives to helping fungus gnats etc great thread

 

[ItsMike64]

I wouldn't use it...but that's just me.

Unless I get definitive information that says it's safe, I will not use it. Always best to be safe than sorry.

Do your plant pots not have drain holes?

They do, but I overwatered them plain and simple, just saturated the heck out of them, I would turn my misting system on every time I adjusted the nozzles (which was a lot). The drainage holes work great, just like I said I unknowingly didn't give them enough time to dry. The soil is dry now but the damage has been done

Can you post some photos of the plants please?

Absolutely! Check them out (hopefully attaching them works) I have two pothos one is a neon and one is marbled. Pictured is the marbled one. I don't have pictures of the other one because my little guy was on it earlier and is asleep now and I don't want to disturb him, of course. The marbled one is in better shape than the neon which is looking pretty sad and dull. The colors used to be...well...neon. But now they're like a pastel white/green, but hopefully you get the idea from these pics.

ETA the backside of the plant on the stems is all pretty brown like the fallen leaves. If I just brushed my hand over them I could probably pull 75% of them out with just the slightest touch.

 

[GrayMadder]

Unless I get definitive information that says it's safe, I will not use it. Always best to be safe than sorry.



They do, but I overwatered them plain and simple, just saturated the heck out of them, I would turn my misting system on every time I adjusted the nozzles (which was a lot). The drainage holes work great, just like I said I unknowingly didn't give them enough time to dry. The soil is dry now but the damage has been done



Absolutely! Check them out (hopefully attaching them works) I have two pothos one is a neon and one is marbled. Pictured is the marbled one. I don't have pictures of the other one because my little guy was on it earlier and is asleep now and I don't want to disturb him, of course. The marbled one is in better shape than the neon which is looking pretty sad and dull. The colors used to be...well...neon. But now they're like a pastel white/green, but hopefully you get the idea from these pics.

ETA the backside of the plant on the stems is all pretty brown like the fallen leaves. If I just brushed my hand over them I could probably pull 75% of them out with just the slightest touch.

Are your plants able to reach any lighting? One of the things I do with the plants in my enclosure is double pot. One empty one as a "holder" and then the actual pot inside of that.

That way when I sense the plants going south, I can easily remove them and give them a little tlc.

It helps to remove any dying areas of the plant. So that the energy the plant has goes to regrowth and not wasted on the parts that are dying. Your other plant not pictured could be suffering from root rot from over watering.

In which case you want to remove the plant from the existing pot, wash the roots and remove any soil, remove dying parts of the plant, to include the roots that are affected and repot in new soil. After you will want to place the plant closer to some natural lighting.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Unless I get definitive information that says it's safe, I will not use it. Always best to be safe than sorry.

Here's what I find... (pertaining to cats & dogs)

Cinnamon​

By: Catherine Angle, DVM
Staff Veterinarian at Pet Poison Helpline

There have been a couple of questions submitted regarding the safety of cinnamon and nutmeg. Cinnamon and nutmeg ingestions are a great example of how what is natural is not always safe and that the dose makes the toxin.

Cinnamon is generally well tolerated and may even have some effects that improve health in people. Cinnamon is commonly used as an antioxidant and may lower blood sugar. It is available in multiple supplements designed for diabetics and humans with other chronic health concerns.

The most commonly reported negative effect from exposure to cinnamon and cinnamon oils is irritation and sensitization. Cinnamon is a potent antigen and individuals who regularly have their skin exposed can develop a sensitivity that leads to redness, irritation or even blisters at the exposure site which is commonly seen on their lips and hands. This is not as commonly reported on the lips of pets (all that soft fur protects them) but can occur inside their mouths. On a human toxicology note: people participating in a “cinnamon challenge” where an individual consumes 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in less than 60 seconds people will often experience difficulty breathing, pain, bloody nose, irritation, bronchospasm and light headedness.

Pets can be exposed to cinnamon by; chewing on the tree (which is sometimes kept as an indoor ornamental), being fed human food seasoned with the spice, cinnamon sticks left in cider cups, eating the spice directly or consuming the essential oil being used for cooking or aromatherapy. It takes a larger amount of ingested cinnamon powder to cause problems in our pets (greater than 1 teaspoon of powder for most pets) but only a small amount of the essential oil. Large overdoses of the powder or exposure to the essential oil can lead to low blood sugar, liver disease, vomiting, diarrhea and changes in heart rate. Some dogs who are ingesting the powdered spice directly can inhale the spice. This is very irritating to the lungs and can cause coughing, choking, difficulty breathing and bronchospasm.

If you believe your pet has consumed a large amount of cinnamon, inhaled cinnamon powder or had access to the essential oil, please call your local veterinarian or call us here at Pet Poison Helpline to determine if care is needed.
https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-safety-tips/nutmeg-cinnamon-toxicity/

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=Cinnamon+safe+for+chameleons?

That said, I have used cinnamon for gnat control, but I mix it in to the top inch of pot soil, and pots are covered with river pebbles to dissuade my cham from getting into anything. I should add that plants are watered by hand; there's enough foliage that misting water never reaches the pots.

They do, but I overwatered them plain and simple, just saturated the heck out of them, I would turn my misting system on every time I adjusted the nozzles (which was a lot). The drainage holes work great, just like I said I unknowingly didn't give them enough time to dry. The soil is dry now but the damage has been done

If the pots have sufficient drainage, saturating them shouldn't matter a whole lot. I saturate mine when it's dry, let the excess drain out the bottom, and they're good.
https://houseplantresourcecenter.com/2021/01/how-should-you-water-pothos-plants/

I think the pothos in the pic may be salvageable, but I'd read a few articles (not just one or two) on pothos care, and on care of the other plants in your enclosure.

Didn't know you were going to have to become a botanist?

 

[ItsMike64]

Are your plants able to reach any lighting? One of the things I do with the plants in my enclosure is double pot. One empty one as a "holder" and then the actual pot inside of that.

That way when I sense the plants going south, I can easily remove them and give them a little tlc.

It helps to remove any dying areas of the plant. So that the energy the plant has goes to regrowth and not wasted on the parts that are dying. Your other plant not pictured could be suffering from root rot from over watering.

In which case you want to remove the plant from the existing pot, wash the roots and remove any soil, remove dying parts of the plant, to include the roots that are affected and repot in new soil. After you will want to place the plant closer to some natural lighting.

Yes I currently have a grow light that's not so great but a sansi 70w 6500k light is on its way right now. I have a little mount system thing that I made with bamboo (picture attached) that allows me to lift the pot out and put it back in. Actually super handy and works perfect because the pots are tapered so they don't slip through. I adjusted it so the plant sits more snug to avoid it tipping over, though my cham is so tiny he probably wouldn't make a difference either way haha! I'll also add that this is an old picture from when my enclosure was a WIP so don't worry, it's MUCH more full now and I have the proper lighting, etc...

This picture actually has the neon plant in it before I massacred it, for whatever that's worth lol

So repotting in new soil is the way to go, even though the soil is already dried out by now?

Here's what I find... (pertaining to cats & dogs)

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=Cinnamon+safe+for+chameleons?

That said, I have used cinnamon for gnat control, but I mix it in to the top inch of pot soil, and pots are covered with river pebbles to dissuade my cham from getting into anything. I should add that plants are watered by hand; there's enough foliage that misting water never reaches the pots.


If the pots have sufficient drainage, saturating them shouldn't matter a whole lot. I saturate mine when it's dry, let the excess drain out the bottom, and they're good.
https://houseplantresourcecenter.com/2021/01/how-should-you-water-pothos-plants/

I think the pothos in the pic may be salvageable, but I'd read a few articles (not just one or two) on pothos care, and on care of the other plants in your enclosure.

Didn't know you were going to have to become a botanist?

Lol yes I expected to become familiar with plants, but sometimes the best way to learn is to fail

Re the cinnamon: That's really interesting...I would consider adding it like you did and mix it, but then I might be worried about him drinking the cinnamon water that could drip through the drainage holes...but by the time it's through the soil it's probably extremely diluted. Am I overworrying?

Re the pots: They do have a good amount of drainage, I have seen them drip before...I don't really know why they are struggling this much - could it be due to my crappy light? Still waiting for the sansi to come in!

So what are we thinking is the general census with the cinnamon? Do we think it might be a good idea to repot and mix the top inch of new soil with cinnamon?

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help and time you put into answering my questions

 

[GrayMadder]

Yes I currently have a grow light that's not so great but a sansi 70w 6500k light is on its way right now. I have a little mount system thing that I made with bamboo (picture attached) that allows me to lift the pot out and put it back in. Actually super handy and works perfect because the pots are tapered so they don't slip through. I adjusted it so the plant sits more snug to avoid it tipping over, though my cham is so tiny he probably wouldn't make a difference either way haha! I'll also add that this is an old picture from when my enclosure was a WIP so don't worry, it's MUCH more full now and I have the proper lighting, etc...

This picture actually has the neon plant in it before I massacred it, for whatever that's worth lol

So repotting in new soil is the way to go, even though the soil is already dried out by now?



Lol yes I expected to become familiar with plants, but sometimes the best way to learn is to fail

Re the cinnamon: That's really interesting...I would consider adding it like you did and mix it, but then I might be worried about him drinking the cinnamon water that could drip through the drainage holes...but by the time it's through the soil it's probably extremely diluted. Am I overworrying?

Re the pots: They do have a good amount of drainage, I have seen them drip before...I don't really know why they are struggling this much - could it be due to my crappy light? Still waiting for the sansi to come in!

So what are we thinking is the general census with the cinnamon? Do we think it might be a good idea to repot and mix the top inch of new soil with cinnamon?

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help and time you put into answering my questions

Yes, for the second plant I would repot and change out the soil because if it has root rot the soil is infected and will continuously kill it.

If you have any brown or mushy roots cut them off. As well as all the dead parts on the plant. I would give it some time in natural bright indirect light before putting it back into the cham enclosure just to make sure it survives. It might not make it and that's okay too! It happens. Now you know and can apply the knowledge to future plants. Haha!

If you buy new plants, to repot

 

[ItsMike64]

Yes, for the second plant I would repot and change out the soil because if it has root rot the soil is infected and will continuously kill it.

If you have any brown or mushy roots cut them off. As well as all the dead parts on the plant. I would give it some time in natural bright indirect light before putting it back into the cham enclosure just to make sure it survives. It might not make it and that's okay too! It happens. Now you know and can apply the knowledge to future plants. Haha!

If you buy new plants, to repot

Thanks for the insight! I’ll definitely do that tomorrow asap! Do you think I should throw in some cinnamon for good measure?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Re the cinnamon: That's really interesting...I would consider adding it like you did and mix it, but then I might be worried about him drinking the cinnamon water that could drip through the drainage holes...but by the time it's through the soil it's probably extremely diluted. Am I overworrying?

IDK, but you may have a point (or 2 points). I don't have that problem; the bottom of my enclosure is screen over egg crate, so any liquids drain right through. OTOH, I've also never seen any indications the cinnamon drained through, and my cham doesn't drink off the floor anyway.

So what are we thinking is the general census with the cinnamon? Do we think it might be a good idea to repot and mix the top inch of new soil with cinnamon?

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help and time you put into answering my questions

I can only relate what's worked for me, but there's more...

I haven't renewed the cinnamon after a year. Now we're using a combination of generic sticky traps and Drosera, and they're doing as good a job as the cinnamon without any risk. I don't put the sticky traps inside the enclosure—the gnats are drawn to them through the screen.

 

[ItsMike64]

Unfortunately, despite the valiant effort by myself and the plants we seem to have lost them both. I tried to repot them but the roots were too far gone. I saved a few single stem pieces that looked okay and I am propagating them in water. Maybe somewhere down the line they will regrow good roots and I can plant them but for now, I’m off to go hunt down some new ones and hopefully this time they will be alright!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Unfortunately, despite the valiant effort by myself and the plants we seem to have lost them both. I tried to repot them but the roots were too far gone. I saved a few single stem pieces that looked okay and I am propagating them in water. Maybe somewhere down the line they will regrow good roots and I can plant them but for now, I’m off to go hunt down some new ones and hopefully this time they will be alright!

Fortunately, pothos are common, inexpensive, and relatively fast-growing.
There's a climbing philodendron that's often mistaken for pothos that's also a fast-growing vine.
IME, the two do pretty well together—along with inch plants.

 

[GrayMadder]

Unfortunately, despite the valiant effort by myself and the plants we seem to have lost them both. I tried to repot them but the roots were too far gone. I saved a few single stem pieces that looked okay and I am propagating them in water. Maybe somewhere down the line they will regrow good roots and I can plant them but for now, I’m off to go hunt down some new ones and hopefully this time they will be alright!

That really sucks. I'm sorry to hear! And @Klyde O'Scope is right! Cheap and fast growing!

Most of us go through plant issues in the beginning. I know I did and have my fair share of stories.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Most of us go through plant issues in the beginning. I know I did and have my fair share of stories.

+1... (or is it +3 or +6?) I forget how many plant replacements I've gone through (lousy luck with Ficus Benjaminas).

I expected it with the beardie—they destroy plants for fun & vengeance—but not with the panther; I guess that's all on me.