Read on to learn how sugar water affects plants.
What Is Sugar Water?
Sugar water is a combination of tap water and sugar to be used as plant food.
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The sugar is usually added to hot or boiling water so it dissolves easily.
Formulas vary in terms of how much sugar is added to the water.
The theory is that the sugar boosts plant growth.
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However, there are several reasons why sugar water as a plant food doesnt work.
And a plant that does not get water wilts and eventually dies.
Plants do photosynthesis on their own, self-regulating the amount of sugar they produce to grow.
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There is nothing extra sugar can provide to help this process along.
There is no scientific evidence that feeding plants sugar water is conducive to plant health.
On the contrary, it can harm your plants and even kill them.
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When plants look sad and wilted after transplanting, it happens for two reasons.
Or, the roots were damaged during transplanting and they cannot take up sufficient water and nutrients.
Sugar water does not do anything to help plants with transplant shock, and it can make it worse.
Often, plants recover on their own.
Thats why florists often provide you with a small sachet of sugar-based plant food to add to the vase.
Unlike plant roots, the stems of cut flowers can absorb the sugar, which revives their carbohydrates.
Sugar sends the flowers the false signal that the plant is alive and well and should continue blooming.
This effect is merely temporary and eventually the flowers die.
Let those plants produce their own sugar via photosynthesis, which theyll do without human interference.
For dying plants, avoid sugar water.
It’s best toadd nitrogen to the soilby using a fertilizer with a higher concentration of nitrogen.
Sugar water will not increase nitrogen in the soil.
The sugar may be giving nutrients to the cut flowers that they are no longer getting from the ground.
Research on Sugar Applications to Crops.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
