Baking soda and brown sugar

My wife asked me about a comment she ran into about using baking soda and brown sugar dissolved in water on the garden.  Has anyone else heard of this?

Baking soda dissolved in water and sprayed on plants is a fairly common fungal remedy. It makes the pH high enough that some fungus has a hard time growing on plant surfaces.  I remember also hearing a guy say that you should put molasses in the soil because it activates a whole bunch of microbes. I don't know if brown sugar would do the same thing? Honestly mixing them together sounds counterproductive. I think you would want to do either one or the other since one you spray on the leaves and one you use as a soil dench.

Here's the summary of the video above:

Microbial Stimulation
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Use brown sugar in small amounts as a microbial energizer in compost piles or microbial teas to kick-start decomposition by providing quick energy for soil microbes, but avoid excess to prevent microbial explosions and ecosystem crashes.

Fungal Disease Management
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Mix baking soda with water and soap as a mild anti-fungal spray to discourage powdery mildew by raising pH on leaf surfaces, applying as light foliar sprays rather than soil amendments to avoid sodium buildup.

Pest Control Applications
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Combine brown sugar with yeast or other attractants in homemade bait traps to lure fruit flies or certain beetles, using sugar as a food attractant rather than applying directly to garden beds unless diluted for microbial stimulation.

Soil pH Adjustment Strategy
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Avoid baking soda for long-term soil pH adjustment due to sodium accumulation that degrades soil quality; instead use lime or wood ash which provide calcium and beneficial minerals without excessive sodium.

Experimental Approach
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Test solutions on a few plants first, observe responses over several days including leaves, soil texture, moisture levels, and growth patterns before scaling up any kitchen ingredient applications.