Beer on Bermuda Grass

The Claims

• Beer has a high sugar content in the form of carbohydrates along with some proteins, which soil microorganisms and beneficial bacteria do use. Other items commonly found in the concoctions include ammonia, which contains nitrogen, and a detergent to help it stick to the grass blades.

The Facts

• Jeff Gillman, a horticulturist with the University of Minnesota, studied the claims, and his research debunks them, saying the benefits are unlikely. In fact, it turns out that alcohol in beer is bad for plant growth, and while it does attract beneficial bacteria, it also attracts bad bacteria. Gillman says you're better off drinking the beer than spraying it on your lawn.

Expert Insight

• Garden expert Walter Reeves points out that it would take many gallons of beer and ammonia to make a difference in grass growth, and much of it would evaporate anyway before it could do any good. Also, too much detergent could burn the Bermuda grass. If you want to use organic fertilizer, try corn gluten, cottonseed meal or blood meal, but Reeves says the best way to fertilize your Bermuda grass is with the proper application of a synthetic fertilizer.