As of: February 28, 2024, 12:56 p.m
By: Ines Alms
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From the bottle to the flower pot: Cork can be used sensibly in plant care against waterlogging, pests and more.
Three practical solutions.
Wine corks made from pure cork are a valuable natural product that is obtained from the bark of a cork oak tree every seven to ten years.
Cork is not only very durable, but also very resistant to mold and other fungal attack due to its content of the tannin tannin.
Cork also serves as an insulating material because it can store heat well.
All of these properties can be used when caring for plants - from nature back to nature.
Old wine corks: vote.
Use cork to prevent waterlogging, ants and snails
A wine cork made of pure cork is a natural product that can be used well as drainage for plants.
© YAY Images/Imago
Wine corks, cork floors and other products made from the natural material do not belong in the residual waste, organic waste or compost.
Instead, many communities have collection points that pass on the cork to recycling companies.
If you would rather continue to use corks in the household, first make sure that they are truly a purely natural product and no other materials have been added to them.
With these ideas, wine corks come into their own in a very practical way for your houseplants and in the garden:
Protection against waterlogging: Most houseplants don’t like excess water in the saucer.
It can cause roots to rot and plants to die.
To do this, you can place whole corks between the pot and the planter or in the saucer.
These absorb excess water and ensure that waterlogging does not occur.
If you don't have expanded clay on hand, you can also use crushed cork as a drainage layer in the pot.
You can find even more exciting garden topics in the regular newsletter from our partner 24garten.de.
Pot feet for potted plants: For good air circulation around the root ball, it is recommended that citrus plants etc. be positioned slightly elevated.
This also makes it harder for ants to nest in the pot via the drainage holes.
The bucket feet also serve as scratch protection for the patio floor.
To do this, simply cut the corks in half lengthwise and place them under the bucket with the flat side facing down.
Environmentally friendly snail barrier: Crushed pieces of cork should be scattered around the vegetables in the bed and have a similar effect as sawdust or ash.
The snails avoid rough surfaces and ideally avoid the inhospitable ground.