Sugar in the Garden

[Mauldintiger]

I picked up my coffee grounds yesterday at Dunkin Donuts, and when I pored them out one bucket had sugar in it. Con sugar harm the soil?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where did you put it, on living plants?

Sugar will rot (or compost if you prefer that term) over time. I don't know how long that takes but probably not real long in your climate and this time of year. I don't know if it is a brown or a green. It will probably attract certain insects, bees and flies for example, especially when it gets wet. I don't know your specific circumstances but off the top of my head I can't think of any real downside.

 

[seedcorn]

Sugar is a great thing. Pure carbon.

 

[Mauldintiger]

It's on top of the sheet mulch, and not much of it, but I have more. Hopefully it melts before the bugs come out. I guess I literally have some "sweet" soil now.

 

[digitS']

Some people put molasses in the soil.

I was startled when I learned that a few years ago. I'm not sure how common it is to use molasses. It wasn't real expensive many years ago when we used it in silage but it seems like it would be real "short-term" as a fertilizer.

Well anyway, I can imagine that it would boost microbe life and should encourage those critters to utilize other nutrients, nearby. When they die, those nutrients would become available as plant food.

Mauldingardener, my guess is that your sugared mulch will decompose quickly.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thinking about it, sugar is water soluble. It may not survive the next good rain.

 

[Mauldintiger]

Yep, I watered my lettuce today and while down there I hosed down the sugar, it went away quickly. So, no worries.

 

[Smart Red]

No worries that you can see, but are those Earth worms in your soil at risk of developing diabetes?

Probably not a worry. I do suspect there are a host of micro-organisims whooping it up for joy at the increase of sucrose in their food supply.

 

[majorcatfish]

interesting article about raw milk and molasses, something to think about.....
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/milk-and-molasses-magic-zbcz1402.aspx

 

[seedcorn]

Milk is high in available carbon. Great on tomatoes if you fight blossom end rot.