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Sugar on your lawn for weed control?? | (Read 1279 times) |
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jt
Posts: 2
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August 06, 2007, 01:31:09 PM |
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I read an article today where one woman puts sugar on her lawn at the rate of 1 pound per 250 to 300 sq.ft. then waters it in to a depth of at least 6 inches as a means of controlling weeds.
I've never heard of this before and am wondering if any of you have and what your success rate has been. I'm fighting Canada Thistle and morning glory weeds. I read the article on-line here and feel I might be overwatering so I'll change that practice beginning today. Heck, if sugar will help the grass and kill the weeds, I'm headed to the store! Any feedback?
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« Last Edit: August 06, 2007, 04:35:56 PM by jt »
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paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1471
western WA
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August 06, 2007, 04:47:22 PM |
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New to me. Do you have a link?
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paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1471
western WA
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August 07, 2007, 07:33:45 AM |
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No worries about the buckets.
I don't grasp what the sugar is supposedly doing.
I know that some organic farmers (farmers that know far more than me) will spray molasses on their fields to feed the microbials. But that wouldn't favor one plant over another.
Anybody else know anything about this?
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sunnynparadise
Posts: 4
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August 07, 2007, 10:21:53 AM |
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I am trying an experiment right now for this. I believe I know what you are referring to...a natural lawn rennovation site What the sugar does is increase the microbes in the soil. The sugar is sort of like a fast food for the microbes. A study was done in Pierce County on the Prairie where sugar was spread in areas where there were invasives. This allowed the native plants to come back and they found that the the native plants were able to come in faster. What happens is this, the microbes increase then do not have enough food there is die off. The die off uses nitrogen in the soil, this allows the native plants to come in more easily. This is what the study suggested.
With weeds A soil scientist explained it to me this way: If you increase the microbes in the soil this creates a healthy enivornment which allows better root penetration. Weeds are opportunists. They will come where soil is poor and deficient and compacted. Lawn is a high feeder. It needs food, nitrogen, protein etc...you need to feed your grass which by default means feeding the soil to get strong roots to compete with the weeds. I have done natural lawn rennovation in Seattle using corn gluten and grass mulching. I am experimenting on a very weedy lawn here in Pierce County using the sugar first, grass mulching and corn gluten. I am hand pulling the biggest weeds. I am trying to mow the lawn to keep the existing weeds down so they do not go to seed but at the same time feeding what lawn is there to see if it will over time out compete the weeds. My soil in Seattle took three years to become adequate enough to support a weed free lawn. (using no chemicals and not much work) This is a process that takes time. My soil was full of microbes and worms and good things...it was alive and my grass was green and thick and weed free, and needed far less water. As Paul Stated about the molasses, you are feeding the microbes but there are research citations out there that show that sugar seems to work faster. LOL. I am okay with using sugar although geez will we find out it caused some imbalance? Little microbes with cavities! I think it is better than other stuff. It seems to feed the soil unlike chemical fertilizers. You do have to use the sugar and provide additional food either compost swept into the grass, (I use corn gluten) or grass mulching.
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paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1471
western WA
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August 07, 2007, 02:09:47 PM |
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What does your experiment look like? Did you make a sugar stripe through a lawn? In other words, do you have an untreated patch right next door?
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pixelphoto
Posts: 44
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August 09, 2007, 12:41:36 PM |
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I would be afraid i would attract to many ants in my yard.
Fireants in Georgia are already to much of a problem I sure dont need anymore.
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pixelphoto
Posts: 44
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August 12, 2007, 12:00:00 PM |
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Marilyn you are right I have never seen sugar ants bite anyone. Fireants get me everytime I walk out the door however. LOL 
Being in the fireant state of Georgia I should know. We actually have college courses devoted to teh study of fireants. The University of Georgia is one of teh best places for fireant science if you want to go into that. LOL
Fireants will eat sugar too they will eat most anything Ive noticed they arent real picky LOL
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