Use the power of lemon juice on your ZZ Plants and see them shining and thriving like never before, but wait, dilute it a little!
Lemon Juice can be a magical potion for your ZZ Plants but only if you know the recipe. And the catch is, that it is not even difficult and it is definitely not about mixing too many things together. If you are with us, on this journey, of using lemon juice for your ZZ Plant, then let’s start walking together!
Using Lemon Juice on your ZZ Plant
The ZZ Plant is loved for its glossy leaves, low-maintenance nature, and the ability to thrive even when you forget to take care of it in between. But due to its thick and waxy foliage, dust buildup and hard water stains linger around frequently. This is why you are also looking for organic and natural alternatives, and here we are for you!
1. Cleaning ZZ Plants Leaves
Growth of ZZ Plant leaves and dust go hand in hand, and we know how dust can block light absorption. But if we use highly diluted lemon juice, we can easily defeat grime and mineral residue.
Let’s prepare a mild solution where we add a few drops of lemon juice in a cup of water and apply with a soft cloth to gently clean the leaf surface. The natural citric acid helps dissolve stubborn spots especially the ones due to hard water.
Word of Caution: Do not apply lemon juice directly or in concentrated form as that can damage the leaf cuticle.
2. Improving Photosynthesis
Lemon juice and photosynthesis do not have a direct relationship. But by cleaning dust and mineral buildup from the leaves through lemon juice, we can establish an indirect relationship between the two.
Cleaner leaves allow better light penetration, which helps the plants photosynthesize more efficiently. This gets much crucial for indoor plants where light is limited. So, we can say that lemon juice is a facilitator and not a fertlizer.
3. Removing Hard Water Stains
Watering your ZZ Plants with tap water? Seeing white and chalky stains on the leaves over time due to mineral deposits? Time for some lemon juice for these stains because the citric acid will react with calcium carbonate and help us win the battle.
To use it carefully, mix 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in 1 cup of water. Dip a microfiber cloth in the solution and gently wipe the leaf and immediately wipe again with plain water.
Word of Caution: Never leave lemon residue on the leaves, because prolonged exposure can cause burns.
4. Add Some Shine
ZZ Plants sparkle and shine naturally, no secondary source of polishing is needed. But lemon juice can temporarily enhance this shine by removing dull residue but don’t use it as a leaf polish. Leaf polishes generally coat the leaf, blocking absorption, but lemon juice doesn’t. Although, this isn’t a free pass to use it regularly.
Overuse can remove the natural waxy layer of the leaf, making it more vulnerable to stress. So, use it lightly and occasionally, probably, once in every 1-2 months.
Word of Caution: If you apply lemon juice in direct sunlight that can cause leaf burn, avoid that.
5. Mild and Natural Pest Deterrent
Lemon juice has mild pest repelling properties due to its naturally acidic and strong scent. This may help in eliminating pests like aphids or fungus gnats when used around the plant. But don’t directly spray it on leaves and in strong concentration.
Add a few drops of lemon juice to water and spray lightly on the surface of the soil or the pot rim—avoid the leaves. Make sure to test it on a small area first, always. Do not take lemon juice as a substitute for proper pest treatment, but as a gentle preventive measure.
Word of Caution: Over-acidity can stress the plant and ZZ Plants prefer neutral to slightly acidic soil, don’t shock and stress them with sudden pH shifts.
So, lemon juice can be a natural aid for numerous benefits that we can tap upon for our ZZ Plants just like we did for our Christmas Cactus and Snake Plants. But remember, it is the aid, not a routine. Let us know how did lemon juice work for your glossy partner in the comments below!
