Sugar As Weed Killer? The Savior Of Your Clover Lawn Might Be On The Pantry Shelf
It may seem weird, but sugar can actually double as an effective weed killer. If you have misgivings about using a chemical weed control product in your yard, or you've already tried other methods, the best way to save your clover lawn might be hiding next to the flour.
Why Does Sugar Kill Weeds?
Just like humans, plants need the right balance of nutrients to survive. The most vital nutrients for most plants are nitrates, which can be found in the soil after old organic material has broken down. Typically, soil nitrates are replenished when old leaves or fruits fall to the earth and start to break down. Microbes and plant roots then absorb them and repeat the cycle.
When sugar is added to the soil, it serves as an organic material that contains no nitrates. This dilutes the nitrate supply in the soil, making it hard for weed roots to pull in enough nutrients. Certain grasses, like clover and alkali grass, don't rely heavily on nitrates to survive. Thus, they are able to withstand sugar treatments, even though the weeds die off.
How Can Sugar Be Applied To A Lawn?
The exact way you apply sugar to your lawn depends on the severity of the weed growth and how widespread the undesirable plants are. If the weeds are contained to a small area, you can just pour a heavy coat of sugar onto the plants. Weed infestations that permeate an entire lawn require more thorough treatment, however, and sugar should be distributed across the entire area using a spreader. If you have trouble with local wildlife tearing up your lawn, it's a good idea to mix some pepper into the sugar mix to keep animals from being attracted to it.
Once sugar is sprinkled on, you should water your lawn to help it dissolve down into the dirt. After three months, you'll need to inspect the area for new weed growth. If you see unwanted plants springing up, you'll need to apply another round of sugar. Eventually, however, the clover in your yard will start to keep the soil low in nitrates on its own. When this happens, you won't have to worry about reapplying any weed killers.
Weeds can strangle out your natural clover lawn, so it's important to deal with them quickly and effectively. With a sugar treatment, you don't have to worry about weed-killing chemicals hurting the plants you want to keep. If you've already tried other methods and had no luck, why not give sugar a shot? What do you have to lose? Click here for more information on weed control supplies.