Sugar for Weed Control in Flower Beds: Worth a Try, But Hoe Works Better

Heard sugar kills weeds? It can’t hurt—some organic gardeners swear by it. But after 30+ years, I stick with mechanical removal: hoe in beds, hand-pull in landscape, tillage in fields. Consistent removal cuts weed return by 75% in three years.

For persistent perennials (creeping jenny, Johnson grass), I’ll spot-spray once or twice to gain control, then go back to culture. Sugar’s unproven; the hoe is timeless.