Why is tobacco dust needed in the garden? It can be used as a fertilizer due to the fact that it contains nitrogen (2-5%), potassium (1-3%) and phosphorus (1-2%). But it is rarely used in its pure form; as a rule, tobacco dust is used as an additive to mineral fertilizers. It is applied along with spring nitrogen fertilizers before digging the soil in the spring or autumn phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in the fall.
- Tobacco dust: use as an environmental fertilizer
- Tobacco dust from pests
- Pollination of plants and soil with tobacco dust in pure form and mixed with ash or lime
- Decoction and infusion of tobacco dust
- Fumigation of the garden with tobacco smoke
General description and manufacturers of tobacco dust
Tobacco dust is not produced specifically for agricultural purposes. This is a production waste that accumulates in large quantities in factories where cigarettes and cigars are made. This determines the low cost of this plant protection product.
Externally, tobacco dust looks like a gray-brown powder with a characteristic unpleasant odor. For summer residents, it is packaged in thick plastic bags and sold under many brands:
| Trademark | Weight or volume of packaging | average price |
| "Healthy Garden" | 1 kg | 65 rubles |
| "Inta-Vir Bio" | 3 l | 99 rubles |
| "Letto" | 500 g | 45 rubles |
| "Gardener" | 3 l | 110 rubles |
The quality of products from different brands is no different, so you can safely buy what is available in your nearest store.
Composition and use of the product as a top dressing
Nutrients are necessary for proper growth and nutrition of plants, but often the soil is poor in the necessary components and the harvest is less than the summer resident would like.
This proven product copes well with an abundance of weeds, fertilizing crops and enriching the soil with the following components:
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- nitrogen.
When to deposit
- Add it to the hole before planting fruit trees and bushes.
- For each tree, use about 500 g of the substance.
It is also suitable for lawn grass and plants grown in pots.
Tobacco dust as an insecticide: active ingredient
Tobacco powder is officially approved for use on private farms as an environmentally friendly plant protection product.
Even in ancient times, it was noticed that tobacco is the most pest-resistant plant, and insects avoid it. This property has been used to protect cultivated plants since the 16th century.
The effectiveness of tobacco powder against insect pests is due to the presence of nicotine in its composition. This alkaloid, poisonous to humans, is no less toxic to invertebrates. It is not without reason that synthetic analogues, neonicotinoids, were created based on natural nicotine, which are actively used in the agrochemical industry for the production of modern insecticides.
Nicotine acts as a nerve agent on insects. It binds to acetylcholine receptors, blocking them, causing seizures, paralysis and death.
Properties of tobacco
An infusion of tobacco leaves has long been used by experienced gardeners to combat unwanted insects. This product is an excellent alternative to commercial pesticides. These properties of tobacco are explained by the content of the alkaloid nicotine, which is very toxic to pests. Once in the parasite's body, nicotine blocks acetylcholine receptors, which causes the death of the insect.
List of pests sensitive to tobacco dust
Using tobacco powder, you can successfully clean the plant from the following types of pests:
- cruciferous flea beetle;
- all varieties of aphids;
- copperheads;
- leaf rollers;
List of All pests against which tobacco dust is used +6 (click to expand)
- caterpillars of any butterflies;
- cabbage fly;
- Colorado beetle;
- onion fly;
- ants;
- cabbage moth.
The insecticidal activity of tobacco powder against thrips has been noted, but practical use in this case is complicated by the localization of the pest. It is quite difficult to dust flower buds in such a way as to reach the insects hiding between the petals.
In many cases, tobacco dust helps protect plantings not only from insects, but also from mollusks - slugs and snails.
There are no insects that are completely resistant to the effects of tobacco powder, so it can be used to attack any type of pest.
Methods for treating plants with tobacco dust
In practice, tobacco dust is used in two main ways:
- dry pollination;
- spraying with liquid infusions and decoctions.
Tobacco dust is also mixed with the soil in planting holes or burned, fumigating the plants with smoke. The choice of a specific treatment method depends on the pest against which measures need to be taken.
Tip #1. Powdered tobacco has a serious drawback. At least 20 days must pass from the last treatment with this product to harvest. Therefore, it can be used on early ripening crops only in the early stages of the growing season.
Composition and use of the product as a top dressing
Nutrients are necessary for proper growth and nutrition of plants, but often the soil is poor in the necessary components and the harvest is less than the summer resident would like.
This proven product copes well with an abundance of weeds, fertilizing crops and enriching the soil with the following components:
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- nitrogen.
When to deposit
- Add it to the hole before planting fruit trees and bushes.
- For each tree, use about 500 g of the substance.
It is also suitable for lawn grass and plants grown in pots.
It is very easy to use tobacco dust in gardening. Use liquid or dry fertilizer; experts advise enriching the soil with it twice a year, mixing the product with the soil in autumn and spring.
Application for lawn grass
- Before sowing lawn grass, scatter tobacco dust over the soil at the rate of 40 g per square meter.
- Scatter the seed and water the area thoroughly.
The lawn will delight you with its lushness and rich green color, and there will be no trace of pests.
Use of dry tobacco dust
You can dust both the plants themselves and the soil around them with tobacco powder. For more even spraying, it is convenient to use a gauze bag. After pouring the product inside, shake the bag over the leaves and shoots or over the soil:
- when fighting aphids, Colorado potato beetles, leaf rollers, thrips, leaf-eating caterpillars, and copperheads, dust leaves, buds and shoots;
- when fighting ants and slugs, dust both leaves and soil;
- When fighting cabbage and onion flies, dust the soil.
This is a very simple method that does not require any preliminary preparation. But it has two drawbacks. Firstly, the product applied in this way only works on the surface and is washed off with the first rain. Secondly, thick dusting of leaves makes photosynthesis difficult. However, dry pollination can be quite effective against pests.
Instead of pure tobacco dust, you can use combined mixtures for the same purposes:
- “Tabazol” is a mixture of tobacco powder and wood ash. Ash in its own way enhances the insecticidal effect by clogging the spiracles of insects. In addition, it provides plants with mineral nutrition. Find out → the use of wood ash as a top dressing, how to dilute it, properties + reviews from gardeners.
- “Tabagor” is a mixture of tobacco and mustard powders. Mustard complements the insecticidal effect of tobacco with bactericidal and fungicidal properties. The product can be used not only to expel pests, but also to prevent infectious diseases that they carry. Find out → the use of mustard as a fertilizer for the garden + reviews from gardeners.
Analogs of these drugs can be made independently by mixing tobacco dust and sifted ash or mustard in equal proportions.
Barring methods
Try methods based on physical barriers. They become an insurmountable obstacle to the ants' path to the plants.
Water barrier. Cut an old car tire in a circle (in half). We make a groove around the tree and put rubber in it, filling it with water. This method has another benefit for the garden. Bees, wasps and birds will drink from the improvised drinking bowl. Some people add pine concentrate to the liquid, which repels harmful insects with its smell.
Scotch belt. To provide protection to currant bushes and other plantings, you can wrap the branches and trunks (10 - 20 cm above the ground) with double-sided tape. This belt is very effective.
Foil skirt. Place foil skirts on tree trunks. The width of the strip is about the palm of your hand. Pull it up a little and tie it in the middle with a rope. Sharp edges will prevent ants from reaching the foliage.
Oil barrier. Coat trees and shrubs with sunflower oil (girdling strips). Insects will not overcome the oil barrier. Our grandmothers lubricated the lower part of the trunks with juice from lupine stems and hemp oil. This is how they protected their gardens from ants.
Try the coffee, gentlemen ants. Mix sugar with instant coffee and pour it into the anthill and along the paths. The relocation of insects is happening for the third time. You can use sleeping coffee that you collect over the winter.
It is recommended to fill anthills with green walnut leaves. The effect is amazing. The ants probably don’t even have time to grab your belongings. Read the article “Get rid of aphids in the garden - the best popular remedies,” we are sure something will help you solve the problem with aphids, and therefore with ants.
Preparation of liquid preparations from tobacco dust
In this case, “liquid preparations” mean decoctions and infusions of tobacco powder. They penetrate deeper into the leaves and do not impede photosynthesis. There are two universal recipes that are suitable for controlling all pests:
| Recipe | Preparation | Sensitive pests |
| Infusion | Brew 100 g of tobacco dust with 1 liter of boiling water, mix well, cover with a lid and leave for a day. Then filter the infusion, dissolve a little laundry or tar soap in it for better adhesion of the product. | Aphids, caterpillars, slugs, leaf rollers, cabbage moths, white moths, cutworms, copperheads. |
| Decoction | Brew 100 g of tobacco dust with 1 liter of boiling water and place on low heat. Boil slowly for half an hour, then cover and cool. After filtering the broth, add a little soap to it. | Colorado potato beetle, thrips and all pests sensitive to simple infusion. |
The infusion or decoction must be filtered very carefully, otherwise small particles of tobacco will clog the sprayer nozzle.
Seedlings of cabbage, rutabaga and other crops dusted with tobacco dust become unattractive to insect pests or slugs. At the very early stage of the growing season, this processing method is most effective.
Before treatment, the sprayer is set to a fine spray so that the solution covers the leaves and shoots well and does not roll off in drops. To completely get rid of insects, you will need 2-3 procedures with an interval of 5-7 days.
Using a decoction you can expel ants from the area. In this case, there is no need to filter the product. The manipulation is performed as follows:
- the broth is poured into a watering can;
- remove the strainer from the spout;
- The anthill is poured generously with the broth.
The liquid will penetrate inside the ant’s home, and the tobacco pulp will remain on the surface.
Important! It is not advisable to use infusions of tobacco dust after fruit set. Nicotine is able to penetrate the fetal membrane and accumulate in its tissues. If you still have to do this, you must strictly observe the frequency of processing and maintain a waiting period of at least 20 days.
Spraying
An equally effective way to combat uninvited guests is tobacco dust from pests in the form of an infusion or decoction. A concentrated tobacco mixture expels:
- fleas;
- leaf roller;
- slugs;
- spider mites;
- thrips;
- ants.
When making a brew, you need to pour 1 part of tobacco with 10 portions of water and boil over low heat for 30-40 minutes, adding evaporating liquid to the original volume. Then, during the day, the broth is infused, filtered well, and also diluted with water: 1 portion of the broth should remain for 3 parts of it. Before use, add 40 g of liquid or shaved soap to the bucket with the product, which allows the decoction to easily adhere to the foliage of trees. During boiling, tobacco dust, about which you can hear only positive reviews, can be supplemented with a small amount of husk - it will help expel leaf-eating caterpillars from the area.
To prepare the infusion, tobacco should be poured with warm water in a ratio of 1:10 and infused for 1-2 days with periodic stirring. Cleaning the solution is usually carried out through a double layer of gauze. Then the extract must be diluted with water in the same proportion as for the infusion, and liquid soap or washing powder must be added. Spraying with tobacco infusion is done twice a day with a pause of 1 week.
Tobacco dust as soil fertilizer
Tobacco mixtures “Tabazol” or “Tabagor” are also suitable for preparing liquid preparations.
With this method of application, a tobacco-ash solution “feeds” the plants better than when dusted. Back in the 80s of the 20th century, Soviet agronomists conducted experiments on the use of tobacco dust as fertilizer. The powder was taken both in pure form and mixed with manure in a ratio of 1:3. These experiments gave very good results. The yields of sugar beets and winter wheat increased by at least 20%, and the quality of the products did not deteriorate (see → various types of manure and their use in the garden).
In our time, research on this topic has resumed. In particular, a series of experiments was carried out by researchers from the Kuban Agrarian University. Mixing tobacco dust with microbiological preparations that accelerate the decomposition of organic matter, they introduced it into the soil:
“As a result of the experiments, an increase in the content of ammonium and nitrate forms of nitrogen in the soil was established.”
T. Plotnikova, candidate of agricultural sciences Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Agricultural Technology
The study also showed an increase in the content of exchangeable potassium and phosphorus in the soil. The microbiological activity of the soil did not suffer at all.
The chemical composition of tobacco dust may vary, depending on the type of tobacco used in the factory and the production conditions. On average, the powder contains the following amounts of basic plant nutrients:
- nitrogen – about 5%;
- potassium – about 3%;
- phosphorus - about 2%.
Thus, tobacco dust can indeed be a good fertilizer. The rate for introducing this material into the soil is 8 kg per 10 m2. The powder is scattered over the surface of the soil and embedded to a depth of 5-10 cm. After this, the plot is spilled with a solution of an EM preparation that accelerates the decomposition of organic matter, and mulched to preserve moisture. After a week, you can sow seeds or plant seedlings on a bed prepared in this way.
To reduce the consumption of tobacco dust, it is not necessary to apply it to the soil in a continuous manner. You can pour it into the planting holes, mixing it with the soil.
Precautions when using tobacco dust
Tobacco dust is a material that can have a toxic effect on humans. In particular, workers in tobacco production often experience symptoms such as headache, atrophy of the nasopharyngeal mucosa, ulcers on the gums, conjunctivitis, chronic bronchitis, and high blood pressure.
Of course, one-time use of tobacco powder will not cause such consequences. And yet, when working with it on the site, precautions must be taken. Protecting your nose and mouth from inhaling this material is essential. Goggles and gloves will also come in handy.
Tobacco dust is low-hazard for bees (hazard class III). However, this does not eliminate the need to comply with environmental regulations when working with drugs. Plant treatment should be done in the evening, when the bees have finished flying. The next day it is better to keep them in the hive. The wind speed when spraying tobacco dust should not be higher than 3 m/s.
Reviews about the effectiveness of tobacco dust
Tobacco dust is a very popular remedy among Russian summer residents. Many people use it not only by dusting or spraying, but also successfully fumigate greenhouses with tobacco smoke:
“I use tobacco dust very simply - I make a smoke smoke. In the evening, I put several scoops of smoldering coals from the bathhouse into an iron bucket and put it in the greenhouse. I throw a few handfuls of dust on the coals, close the greenhouse and go to bed. In the morning I open it and air it out. The smell, of course, lasts for a long time, but I don’t have any aphids or whiteflies. Another thing I like about fumigation is that the smoke does not penetrate into the fruits of tomatoes and peppers, like a decoction” (Elena, Omsk).
