Gardening and Horticulture - Sugar on soil

Have you ever heard of someone spreading sugar over the soil? If yes do you know for what purpose? I've heard this more than once but still don't know what is the achivement.:confused:

r_abela,
I haven't heard that one before.
If you want to 'sweeten' your soil, use ag lime.
fred

I just read in an old Organic Gardening issue the subject of sugar on the soil -- at least one use is when growing, I think specifically, blueberries. It keep the birds from eating the emerging fruits - sort of a decoy effect, I guess. If I remember right, the sugar gives the birds an "upset stomach" and they'll just stop coming around altogether.

Was also used to "sweeten tomatos"

Some use sugar on tomatoes, after they are sliced.
Personally, I like salt and pepper.

Hi Fred,

What does that have to do with sugar in the soil!? Sorry, couldn't turn down the jab! :D

I searched when this question first came up. What I found mentioned adding sugar to the soil for getting rid of something unbeneficial. Does that ring a bell with anyone?

Gami

Hi Gami,

Well, I just figured it was easier to sprinklre sugar on your tomato slices than throwing it on the garden and wondering if it would actually sweeten the fruit.
fred

Hi Fred,

I had a couple of bosses I would liked to have "dumped" sugar on if that's what it took.

I don't know what I typed in before to find the info about the unbeneficials, but I can't seem to come up with it again. Would it be nematodes?

Gami

i've heard of spraying cola on your lawn (for the sugar) in order to feed good bacteria. what bacteria? i dunno...it's just what i heard.

Gami

Reread your post,

Yes if one uses 8 oz of corn syrup or molasses in a 20 gal hose end spray (filling rest of jar with warm water) This has been proven to help in the battle of RKN Root Knot Nematodes

blistexluv

There are a large number of benefiacal bacterial in the soil

They convert your raw fertilizer into a form that plants need.

Byron

Hi Byron,

Thank you! Thank you! :) It's coming back to me. It was discussing root knot nematodes. Now...when our company is gone, I'll try again to find that link.

Gami

I also have heard of sugar on the lawn. it is suppose to work as "red Sand" does on the soil. It helps file the bare spots and allows the other grass to grow into the bare areas. It conteracts whatever it was the casued the bare spots.

I forgot that I was going to check into root knot nematodes caused by adding sugar to the soil. I stumbled across this info -

Root knot is a species of nematode which causes galls or swellings on plant roots. It restricts the uptake of nutrients from the root system to the foliage, resulting in a yellow and stunted plant. Root knot lives in the soil and can survive on a number of weed and vegetable crops. It is best controlled by planting a solid stand (close enough for root systems to overlap) of marigolds three months before the first killing frost of fall and/or planting cereal rye (Elbon) for a winter cover crop. Cereal rye should be shred and tilled into the soil 30 days before planting a spring crop.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/vegetables/bean.html

Gami