Sugar is a well-known ingredient in the kitchen, but did you know that it can also be beneficial in the garden? That’s right, sugar can be used to enhance plant growth and improve soil quality. The use of sugar in gardening is a relatively unknown and surprising method that has been gaining popularity among gardeners. Sugar can be used in various ways, including as a natural fertilizer, pest control, and even to help flowers last longer. In this article, we’ll explore 8 surprising benefits of sugar in gardening and how you can use it to achieve a thriving and healthy garden.
We will list below 8 popular ways to use sugar in gardening
1. Use sugar to clean dirty hands
You can always use hand sanitizer (which is probably the best option) or other chemical cleaning product to clean your hands after gardening, but did you know sugar is one of the natural solutions to Get your hands cleaned easily. To clean, use 1 teaspoon sugar and a little water and wash as usual. Sugar works well for cleaning dirty, greasy and oily hands.
2. Make flowers last longer
Adding sugar in the vase can increase the life of cut flowers. Just mix a spoonful of sugar in a pitcher of water and it’s all done. Sugar nourishes flowers and helps them stay fresh longer. However, this solution also promotes bacterial growth, which can make the water smell bad and will negatively impact cut flowers. To prevent this from happening, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the jar.
3. Is a natural trap for pests
House flies can cause a lot of problems in homes and gardens. If you’re fighting them in your garden, try a sugar fly trap. This solution also works well for other insects that are attracted to sweet things.
To do this, boil 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup honey and 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Take a piece of brown wrapping paper and smear them in the mixture you just made, then hang them up to lure flies in and get stuck in them.
4. Remove Nematodes
If the plants in your garden are wilting and dying for no reason, check your soil source for nematodes. If so, you can use ground sugar as it encourages the activities of beneficial microorganisms and bacteria that can create a hostile environment for the nematodes. You can also plant marigolds for nematode control! To get rid of them, sprinkle 5 pounds of sugar for every 250 square feet of the garden.
5. Remove grass stains
Remove grass stains from your clothes after working in the garden? They can be tough to get rid of, but if you’re low on sugar and water you don’t need to worry.
Take 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl and add enough warm water to thicken it. Apply this mixture to the stain, let it soak in the sugar for at least half an hour, and then rinse normally.
6. Killing ants
If you want to get rid of the ants, try the road. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1-1/2 tablespoons Borax and pour it into 1-1/2 cups warm water. Soak cotton balls in this mixture and place them where ants usually go. Ants love sugar so they will definitely stick to the balls and welding the borax will kill them.
7. Food for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds
Found a bee or any other nectar-eating creature? You can help them by feeding them sugar water!
8. Plant food
Give your plants additional nutrients with a solution of vinegar, sugar, and water. First, mix 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 tablespoon sugar for every 8 tablespoons of water. Then fertilize your plants as needed!
