Does Beer Help Pumpkins to Grow?

The Practice

• Beer is sometimes used to water vegetables, including pumpkins. In such cases, it may be diluted to a ratio of 1 tbsp. of beer per gallon of water or even poured straight from the can onto the ground. Beer is also sometimes fed directly to the pumpkin by making an incision in the stem and inserting a wick into it, the other end of which is submerged in a can of beer.

The Myth

• Those who recommend fertilizing pumpkins with beer usually claim that the beverage supplies the plant with vitamins and other nutrients that hasten growth. Carbohydrates are vital to plant growth, and beer contains high quantities. It is also sometimes suggested that beer feeds helpful bacteria, increasing their numbers and allowing them to aid the pumpkin even further than they would otherwise.

The Study

• Author Jeff Gillman conducted a study to determine whether beer is beneficial for plants. He fertilized butterfly bushes with Michelob Light, Guinness Stout, alcohol-free Sharps, straight alcohol and unsupplemented fertilizer and recorded the results. In all cases, the plants given alcohol or any type of beer fared worse than usual-- far from experiencing increased growth, they were stunted and some even died.

The Facts

• Beer has been shown to have negative effects on plant growth, and though no study has been conducted on pumpkins specifically, the same principle applies. The simple carbohydrates provided by beer are not comparable to the complex carbs pumpkins and other plants need. While beer does increase bacteria growth, harmful bacteria are aided even more than the beneficial varieties. Beer fares far better as a beverage than a fertilizer.