Sugar Application Rates for Large Acreage: East Texas Farm Organic Program

Question

A farmer in East Texas asks how many pounds of sugar per acre to use for soil enrichment.

Expert Answer (Charlotte)

Clarification

Sugar is not a fertilizer or weed killer. It feeds beneficial soil microbes that naturally enrich soil. Chemical fertilizers kill these microbes.

Application Rate

• 1 lb sugar per 250–300 sq ft.
• 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft.
• Calculation: 43,560 ÷ 250 = 174 lbs; ÷ 300 = 145 lbs.
• Recommended: ~160 lbs per acre. Round up for spreader inconsistency.

Practical Advice

• Use dry molasses instead. Comes in 40–100 lb bags, easier to spread evenly with equipment. Feed stores carry it.
• Get Howard Garrett's books. He's the Texas organic authority (dirtdoctor.com). His resources cover large-scale applications.
• Broadcast by hand? Impractical for acres. Use a spreader calibrated for dry molasses.

Why It Works

Microbes fed by sugar/molasses build soil fertility continuously. Chemical fertilizers give a quick flush then wear out, requiring repeated applications. Organic matter (like tilled-under sugar cane or sweet peas) also works.