Is Club Soda Good for Plants - What are the Pros & Cons?

Are there any benefits to watering your houseplants with club soda? It turns out that there are some advantages to using carbonated water to stimulate plant growth, but there are things you should know. For example, sugary sodas like coca-cola, sprite, and other types don’t work well because sugar prevents plants from absorbing nutrients and water, which will cause them to wilt if you put that liquid on them.

So, what makes up club soda exactly? What do plants need to survive and grow, and does club soda have any additional benefit outside of tap water when watering plants? Should you use room temperature club soda to water your houseplants?

Here is the complete breakdown of using club soda with plants.

Table of Contents

What Macronutrients Makeup Club Soda?

According to Durable Health, club soda contains carbon dioxide, sodium citrate, potassium carbonate, and water. In addition to that, club soda and other similar carbonated water include hydrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, hydrogen, and oxygen.

What Do Plants Need to Grow Healthy and Strong?

Plants need a few things to survive. Some elements include water, sunlight, proper soil, and the correct temperatures. In addition to that, plants need phosphorus, potassium, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and calcium to grow healthy and strong.

Why Do People Think Club Soda Works Well with Plants?

Since plants need abundant nutrients to grow healthy and robust, sparkling water/ club soda can work well with plants due to their macronutrients. Unlike plain water, which is simply hydrogen and oxygen, club soda/sparkling water contains carbon dioxide, potassium, phosphorus, and more. These additional elements can help plant growth, so people use club soda with plants.

Are There Any Studies that Show the Effect of Club Soda on Plants?

According to Improbable, The Effect of Carbonated Water on Green Plants by The University of Colorado Boulder ran a study about the use of club soda on plants. Group A got water, and Group B got club soda daily. The researchers reviewed how the plants were doing with the same climate and soil for ten days. It turns out that Group B, the one who got club soda, saw faster growth and a healthier shade of green on the leaves of the plants.

However, one thing to note about that study was that I could not find a trustworthy source. There are plenty of articles that also reference this study, however.

When is the Best time to Give Your Garden and Plants a Fizzy Burst of Nutrients?

Like any fertilizer for outdoor gardens or indoor plants, your best time to give them a seltzer is during their growing season. Liquid fertilizer can provide a bolt of nutrients to the plant roots, which can help spark new growth. Giving plants this type of nutrient burst in the spring and summer will be the best time to get the full effect.

If you give plants fertilizer in the winter, when they are dormant, they might become leggy because this is the period where they are more dormant.

How Often Should You Give Plants Club Soda?

The best practice of giving plants club soda is to provide them with that once between two to three waterings. If you have not given plants club soda before, you should start with 50% water and 50% club soda mix. The 50% mix between water and club soda won’t shock the plant, which will allow you to become familiar with the additional nutrients.

You should ensure that the soda is at room temperature in addition to that water mix. Taking the sparkling water directly out of the fridge and dumping it on the plant might cause them to go in shock, so it is better to leave it out on the table to warm to room temperature.

What are the Pros of Using Club Soda with Plants?

The pros of using club soda to promote plant growth are that it contains phosphorus and potassium, which plants need to grow healthy and strong. According to research by the University of Boulder, providing these nutrients can help plants grow faster and develop a healthier shade of green.

Another benefit is that adding club soda to a plant’s soil can significantly increase carbon dioxide in the ground. Carbon dioxide plays a critical factor in photosynthesis with the plant roots, so adding a more carbon-rich diet from club soda can benefit plants. Especially if the plants’ soil has lost some of the nutrients, adding club soda can be a jolt for what they need.

Another benefit of using club soda is that it’s an inexpensive DIY hack. Unlike expensive liquid fertilizers on the market, using leftover club soda from a party on your plants is a great way to add additional nutrients at a fraction of the cost of other fertilizers. In addition to that, you can make your own club soda, which can save you money down the road.

What are the Cons of Using Club Soda with Plants?

One con of using club soda instead of water to water plants is if it contains too much sugar. If you are using a sugar-free type of seltzer, you should be ok, but anything with sugar will cause growth problems for plants. Too much sugar from things like coke and sprite will stunt the growth of plants.

Another con of using club soda on plants is that it can attract bugs if you leave too much on top of the soil or container of the plant. The stickiness and sweet substance of soda can attract bugs, so be mindful of that. Unlike mineral water or tap water, club soda has that sweet smell and taste, attracting pests.

Why Does Soda Pop With Sugar Not Work Well with Plants?

While it may be tempting to dose plants with leftover coke or sprite, it won’t help the plant grow. The amount of sugar that these types of sodas have will cause more harm to the plant than help them grow. For instance, the sugar that these types of soda contain will cause issues with the root system since the sugar is difficult to break down, which means the plant can’t absorb the water and nutrients.

Conclusion: Is Club Soda Good for Plants?

In summary, adding club soda in moderation can help stimulate healthy plant growth. Club soda includes elements like phosphorus, potassium, and carbon dioxide, which club soda has. However, while club soda is a good idea to use on plants since it has no sugar, putting sprite and coke on the plant-soil will harm it. The sugars in these drinks won’t allow the plant to absorb the nutrients, which can cause growth problems naturally.