Timeline for Is Coca Cola bad for Nightshades and curcubits?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
4 events
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| Jul 26, 2016 at 12:29 | comment | added | Ben Welborn | @jbcreix Actually, the pH of soda is about 3, completely from the phosphoric acid. This is so far below the pKa of carbonic acid that it would actually behave more like a base or buffer than an acid, compared with phosphoric acid. The pKa is about 6... which means 2.2g H2CO3 is about 1000 times less acidic than the 0.316g of H3PO4 in a coke. And I imagine that if you poured it on the ground all of the CO2 (from H2CO3) will have evolved within a few minutes. But as the sugars oxidize (rapidly- like within 48 hours), yes... acetic acid and lactic acid buildup would also be bad for the plant. | |
| Jul 26, 2016 at 6:02 | vote | accept | davidgo | ||
| Jul 26, 2016 at 4:14 | comment | added | user10810 | To be fair, the carbonic acid could react with some soil minerals bringing the PH slightly lower immediately after application. Sugars would likely be secondarily involved in lactic or acetic fermentation as well. I wouldn't pour it on living plant material though. | |
| Jul 25, 2016 at 21:14 | history | answered | Ben Welborn | CC BY-SA 3.0 |