It is touted as a miracle cure for plants at home and in the flower bed: sugar. In addition to coffee grounds, tea leaves or even ash, the sugar water is also described as a true all-rounder.
Is Sugar Water Really Good for Plants?
Sugar water is highly touted as a fertilizer. The home remedy is made from a teaspoon of sugar and 1 liter of tap water. Simply add the sugar to the lukewarm water, stir well until it dissolves – and use it to water the plants.
It is said to promote leaf formation and budding in plants by altering the way they absorb water and nutrients. The sugar is also said to provide the plants with useful carbohydrates that will support growth. But is it really true?
In reality, sugar water can have a beneficial effect on dying plants and even save them. With a few exceptions (see below), however, the home remedy is not suitable for daily use. It can damage otherwise healthy plants. It actually affects how the roots take up water and nutrients. But, unfortunately, negatively – because it provides energy in the short term, but prevents the absorption of useful microelements, vitamins and minerals through the water. Ultimately, healthy flowers, grasses and perennials can die.
Sugar water is not a fertilizer and cannot accelerate plant growth
All the more so: since plants process sugar differently than we humans do, it can even “block” the roots, so to speak, causing them to wilt. It’s true that during photosynthesis, plants convert the nutrients they absorb into fructose. But these are monosaccharides. The sugar from the supermarket, on the other hand, contains polysaccharides. These are complex substances that plants cannot break down through photosynthesis.
In addition, the plants only convert as much nutrients into sugar as they actually need. Depending on the stage of life of the respective plant, the sugar requirement can vary greatly. Additional sugar doses have no effect on the growth of the plant.
You can use coffee grounds, banana peels, or other natural fertilizers instead of sugar water. In our article: “Make your own fertilizer for houseplants from home remedies: How do you produce nutrients naturally?” We have already given you some suitable ideas.
With sugar, however, you can save wilting plants
However, wilting plants can still be saved with sugar water. The addition of sugar boosts the plants and promotes the energy cycle. It can also support the microbiological activity in the soil and thus has a positive effect in the short term. So if you have plants that have dried up as a result of a care mistake, you can water them with sugar water.
Do not use sugar water when transplanting
Have you bought beautiful new young plants or grown plants from seed and would now like to plant them in a large pot or in the flower bed? Then you should definitely not water them with sugar water. If the new specimens look limp, it is usually due to a care error. They planted the plants directly outside, they didn’t have time to get used to the new conditions and the leaves burned. Now this hinders the process of photosynthesis. Or you damaged the roots when transplanting and they cannot absorb enough nutrients and water as a result.
Whether the leaves or roots are damaged, sugar water can’t help. Often the young plants just need a little time to recover. Sunscreen and regular watering can work wonders.
Attract pollinating insects to the greenhouse with sugar water
It is not always easy to attract bees and bumblebees to the greenhouse. There is often not enough space to plant native plants. But you can dissolve sugar in the water and fill it in a spray bottle. Then spray the plants that need pollination with it. However, it is sufficient if you do this once a week. One Study from 2015which was carried out with corn, is intended to prove the effect of the sugar water.
Keep cut flowers fresh with sugar
But sugar water can do even more – it also keeps the cut flowers fresher for longer. However, you must dissolve 1/3 tsp of sugar in 1L of water, because too much of a good thing can have the opposite effect. Heavy consumers such as roses and lilies in particular can benefit from this and stay fresh for up to three days longer. But be careful – do not overdo it, because sugar water promotes the growth of germs. So leave the flowers in the sugar water for about 1 hour immediately after cutting, so that they can soak up water. Then take them out of the vase and change the water with regular tap water.