You might have seen gardeners adding baking soda or Epsom salt to their plants. But have you seen them applying sugar water on plants? Sugar is a popular household ingredient used to make food and drinks sweet. However, researchers are working to determine the effects of adding sugar water to plants.

Read on to learn the benefits of sugar water and how to use it effectively. 

Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh 

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Sugar water is popularly used to preserve cut flowers and increase their shelf-life. While flowers are attached to a plant, they benefit from the carbohydrates it manufactures. But once you cut the flowers, a limited amount of nutrition is available to them. Sugar water provides nutrition and carbs to the cut flowers and keeps them fresh. 

Sugar and Biocide Solution for Cut Flowers 

Add sugar and a biocide (a pesticide, fungicide, or herbicide) to the water in the vase to keep cut flowers fresh. The amount of sugar you need will depend on the type of flower. Most flowers do well with a two percent sugar solution in the vase. Some flowers, such as Zinnias, like only one percent sugar as more than that could harm them. 

You can make a one percent sugar solution by dissolving 2 teaspoons of sugar in a quart (around 1 liter) of water. Then, add a biocide solution to prevent bacteria and fungi from growing.

For example, you can add bleach solution (1 ml of bleach and 1 liter of water) to the sugar water solution you made before to create a solution for your cut flowers. However, remember that bleach breaks down over time, so it's best to use new solutions daily. 

Note: Pretest on a small number of flowers to ensure no adverse effects, like discoloration due to bleach. 

Pulse Treatment for Fresh Cut Flowers

Pulse treatment is a way to provide cut flowers with sugars by temporarily saturating their stems and leaves with high concentrations of sugar overnight. It helps to accumulate enough sugar in the plant to promote flower development. 

For example, Gladiolus stems are often treated with a 20 percent sugar solution before being sold to improve the size and longevity of the flowers. However, not all cut flowers can benefit from pulse treatment, as some plant stems may not be able to absorb enough sugar during the short treatment time.

Other flowers that can benefit from a pulse treatment include carnations, asiatic lilies, astilbe, phlox, roses, and snapdragons.

Preserving Cut Flowers With Sugar 

To ensure the better quality of your cut flowers, you can create a preservation solution for them, including sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of fresh lime or lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of sugar, ½ tablespoon bleach, and 1 liter of water. Pour this solution into your vase to keep your flowers fresh and happy! 

Popular Studies on Using Sugar Water for Plants 

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Scientists have been researching the results of using sugar water on plants for years. Their popular theories and methods regarding using sugar water for plants might change the dynamics of gardening in the near future! 

Increasing Beneficial Insects in Soil 

A study conducted by Utah State University found that adding sugar water (also known as artificial honeydew) to alfalfa (leguminous plant) increased the presence of beneficial insects in the soil, including lady beetles, weevil parasitoids, and big-eyed bugs. 

A similar result was observed in Honduras when farmers applied a sugar-water solution to corn. There was a 70 percent increase in beneficial insects immediately after applying sugar water. A twofold increase was observed in the number of beneficial insects one week later. The sugar treatment also led to an 18 percent reduction in fall armyworm infestation and a 35 percent reduction in leaf damage caused by fall armyworms. Researchers concluded that sugar treatments helped increase the natural enemies, reducing fall armyworm infestation and damage.

Developing Plant Defense Mechanisms Against Pathogens

A recent literature review published in the Journal of Experimental Botany discusses the various roles of sugar in plant mechanisms. This includes processes like photosynthesis, carbohydrate transport, and plant defense systems. The review cites a study on rice that evaluated the effect of adding sucrose to the root system and spraying sucrose on leaves before fungal infection. The study found that adding sugar to the root system activated defense mechanisms in the plant.

In addition, spraying sugar on leaves and soil drenching reduced the disease pressure to half in one week. About 15 days later, sugar-treated plants showed less disease than the other plants in the study. It indicates that foliar application of sugar can induce plant defense responses, resulting in increased resistance to plant pathogens. 

Keeping Soil Moist 

Research from Cornell University shows that organic material added by plants and microbes can provide nutritious candy for soil. The released cellular sugar strengthens water and nutrient retention and maintains porous earth. In addition, glucose helps keep the soil moist by capturing water molecules and nutrients in the tiny pores, making it easier for the plants to absorb water. Understanding how sugars influence water content in soils can provide additional insight into managing water retention in drought-prone soils.

Should You Use Sugar Water on Plants?

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These studies explain different theories about the effectiveness of sugar water on plants. But concrete proof is needed on whether it is safe to use sugar water in the garden. In addition, there could be possible drawbacks to using sugar water in the garden. For instance, it can encourage the growth of harmful bacteria, affecting the plants or producing a foul smell. So, it is up to you whether you want to experiment with sugar water in your garden. 

Sugar Rush in Gardening!

Sugar water holds some potential in gardening. But since the research is ongoing, there is yet to be a concrete formula for how much sugar water you should use on your plants. However, if you keep cut flowers in your house, sugar water can elongate their freshness. 

Have you used sugar water on your plants? Share your experience in the comments below.