It is touted as a miracle cure for plants at home and in flowerbeds: sugar. In addition to coffee grounds, tea leaves or even ash, sugar water is also described as a true all-rounder.
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 plant growth by changing the way they absorb water and nutrients. The sugar is also said to provide plants with useful carbohydrates that will support growth. But is it really true?
In reality, sugar water can have a positive effect on dying plants and even save them. With a few exceptions (see below), the home remedy is not suitable for daily use. Because it can damage otherwise healthy plants. It actually affects how the roots absorb water and nutrients. But unfortunately negative - because it provides short-term energy, but prevents the absorption of useful microelements, vitamins and minerals through the water. As a result, healthy flowers, grasses and perennials can die.
Sugar water is not a fertilizer and cannot accelerate plant growth
Even more so: Since plants process sugar differently than humans, it can actually “clog” the roots, causing them to wilt. It is true that during photosynthesis, plants process 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 many nutrients into sugar as they actually need. Depending on which stage of life cycle the respective plant is in, the sugar requirement can vary greatly. Additional sugar additions 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: “ForHouseplant fertilizerMake your own from home remedies: How do you produce nutrients naturally?” we have already given you some suitable ideas.
But you can save wilting plants with sugar
However, you can wilt plantsSave with sugar water. The addition of sugar boosts the plants and promotes the energy cycle. It can also support microbiological activity in the soil and thus has a positive short-term effect. So if you have plants that have dried up as a result of a care mistake, then you can water them with sugar water.
Do not use sugar water when transplanting
Have you bought beautiful new young plants or have grown plants from seed and would now like to plant them in a large pot or in a 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 outdoors, 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 therefore they cannot absorb enough nutrients and water.
Regardless of whether the leaves or the roots are damaged, sugar water cannot help. Often the young plants simply need a little time to recover. Sun protection 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 too little space to plant native plants. But you can dissolve sugar in water and fill it in a spray bottle. Then spray it on the plants that need pollination. However, it is enough if you do this once a week. OneStudy from 2015, which was carried out with corn, is intended to prove the effect of 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 have to dissolve 1/3 teaspoon of sugar in 1 liter of water, because too much of a good thing can have the opposite effect. Heavy eaters such as roses and lilies can particularly benefit from this and stay fresh for up to three days longer. But be careful - don't overdo it, because sugar water promotes the growth of germs. Immediately after cutting, leave the flowers in the sugar water for 1 hour so that they can soak up. Then take them out of the vase and change the water with regular tap water.
