ÒÒlegilizeitÒÒ
Well-Known Member
molasses can be used the entire time but stopping like a week before harvest isnt a bad idea. if you add to much molasses your soil will start to stink
how to use molasses? ??
- Thread starter Velkeria
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Carne Seca
Well-Known Member
Sugar isn't the main purpose for unsulphured blackstrap molasses. It feeds your soil and is a chelating agent that makes it easier for the nutrients to reach your plant. Why everyone ignores this fact is beyond my ken.
Nullis
Moderator
sig·nif·i·cant - Adjective - /sigˈnifikənt/
1. Sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy.
2. Having a particular meaning; indicative of something.
Calcium and magnesium are just two minerals. Blackstrap, depending on the brand, may have up to 200 mg of calcium per tablespoon. So if you were to add molasses to your tap water, it would contain even more calcium and magnesium
! There's also iron, manganese, copper and a bit of zinc. The potassium content is of more significance (that's a noun), with up to or greater than 600 mg per tablespoon or 3 to 6%. The amount of phosphorous, in contrast, is quite insignificant (that means not at all significant\noteworthy).It also feeds the organisms in a tea brew. But it gets old and redundant trying to explain to everybody how you use molasses and why exactly, and apparently it's usually quite pointless to do so.
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
Thanks for clarifying. My point to those that use molasses and think that it provides any measurable positive difference is that when you look at molasses like you'd look at a Guaranteed Analysis label, you realize how insignificant the mineral make-up is compared to the alternatives. Composting egg shells, banana peels, using Epsom salt in your soil mix will all provide more benefit to your soil and plants. Stimulating microbial life can easily be accomplished with any sugar source since half of molasses is just that (..and 75% of a dose is just carbohydrate).sig·nif·i·cant - Adjective - /sigˈnifikənt/
1. Sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy.
2. Having a particular meaning; indicative of something.
Calcium and magnesium are just two minerals. Blackstrap, depending on the brand, may have up to 200 mg of calcium per tablespoon. So if you were to add molasses to your tap water, it would contain even more calcium and magnesium
It also feeds the organisms in a tea brew. But it gets old and redundant trying to explain to everybody how you use molasses and why exactly, and apparently it's usually quite pointless to do so.
Another thing molasses users look past is the potential for putting too much carbohydrate into the soil. Doing so will stimulate bacteria and fungal growth so much so that the soil becomes anaerobic. This is because many bacteria and all fungi require oxygen. Too much soil microbial respiration and the soil oxygen levels are too low for the roots, which is not good for the plant.
shell
Active Member
you don't want to use a lot of molasses because of its high magnesium content. it is great to use through out the plants life in small amounts. 1 teaspoon per gallon of water if you're applying directly to plants, 1 tablespoon for compost teas. if you're using soluable sea kelp additions as well, you'll want to back off on that when using molasses because they are both high in potassium and you don't want to lock it out. hope this helps.
Nullis
Moderator
Why would someone use blackstrap molasses in teas or soil if they didn't think it might have some benefit... to plants and soil? Have you brewed compost or guano tea, at all or using molasses?
It just seems an awfully lot like you'd just like to argue, for the sake of arguing about it.
What you described is great. And so is dolomite limestone and greensand and kelp and so what? (Instead of composting the eggshells I'd say rinse, dry and hit with a coffee grinder real good. You can add that to your soil or a compost pile.)
How'd you make your 75% carbohydrate determination... pick up a random bottle of molasses at the grocer and check the nutrition facts on the back? Blackstrap is the kind you'd want to be using in the garden. It has double the mineral\potassium content of 2nd molasses, and less sugar. Blackstrap is about 42% sugar, 60% carbohydrates. Not all the carbohydrates in it are simple sugar, or sucrose, there are polysaccharides as well, so it really has it's own unique carb profile.
Nobody who knows any better is going to tell you that molasses is the magic bullet that will quadruple the size of your buds by itself. I certainly never did. If you're going to supply carbohydrates blackstrap is just another option that includes potassium (more than kelp even). It has multiple uses and potential benefits; if I was going to give carbs why wouldn't I opt for one that also provides nutrients, and chelates? Any other sugar-containing supplement poses the same risk, with refined sugars especially easy to over do.
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
People use all kinds of products without actually knowing why or how or if they even work.
I have multiple compost bins for my outdoor veggie garden, liquid and solid. I've added molasses, I've added sugar solutions, I've skipped both altogether. My compost seems to perform exactly the same year-after-year regardless of whether it was doctored with carbs.
Do you think anyone with an opposing view to yourself is arguing? If you don't enjoy an exchange of ideas, maybe you're not cut out for these internet forums.
75% carbohydrate is what Grandma's contains and that product is about average (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5573/2). My 190ppm tap water contains more calcium and magnesium than even the most 'nutrient dense' brands of blackstrap molasses. I'm not bragging, I'm just trying to put the mineral content in perspective and considering my water costs about one penny for a gallon, that's certainly compelling. Sure, the potassium content is noteworthy but so is the potassium content of the compost bin of a good composter.
If you've got the money (and it's not cheap considering what you're actually getting), I'm not saying don't use it, I just want to put the 'benefits' and the potential drawbacks of molasses in perspective.
smellzlikeskunkyum
Well-Known Member
i like it but u need to be careful which kind, ive read countless people praising it, including ed rosenthal and jorge cervantes I CAN SITE THAT TOO PEOPLE. Go get organic blackstrap molasses. its the least refined. its usually about $6 here in michigan i get it at meijer. its near the sugar usually. the brand is wholesome sweetners i think? its basically the good shit! cervantes says the use of a un-refined sugar in flowering can help boost bud growth up to 20% he even used dessert wines ans tried Dr. pepper and said he has success.... kinda wierd cuz that would have sodium.... i dunno. but the molasses does all sorts of good stuff. even feed beneficial bacteria. just dont over do it, your soil will get sticky. use about a table spoon (tbsp) or 1.5 tbsp per gallon max indoor at a time. outdoor u can handle more especially with luke warm water. i have two beautiful pink haired skunky bagseed plants that are clones that are just loving the molasses. i dont even give shit else... and they are some of the stinkiest girls ive ever even heard of! they like the molasses and so do i.... im gonna keep using it and i think others should too
smellzlikeskunkyum
Well-Known Member
ok heres a legit reason against molasses especially blackstrap molasses.... it stains everything especially carpet. and its not the best for shakey people. or people with bad hand pain or arthiritis.Just stating my opinion. I think Sucanat is way better for a number of reasons. Perhaps I'm just a messy person, but occasionally a little molasses would drip onto the floor or whatever and it can be a sticky mess to clean up. Sucanat is dry so it can be vacuumed up if spilled. No staining, no sticky mess. I have nothing against molasses. I just prefer sucanat to it these days.
Nullis
Moderator
Nullis
Moderator
I am not sure we're having the same conversation here anyways, I never asked you about your outdoor compost bins... actively aerated compost tea.
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=85
That listing if you do the math works out to about 500 mg per 20 g. Plantation Blackstrap has twice the amount of K than the nutrition data listing (which isn't for blackstrap). Just trying to put things in perspective.
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=85
That listing if you do the math works out to about 500 mg per 20 g. Plantation Blackstrap has twice the amount of K than the nutrition data listing (which isn't for blackstrap). Just trying to put things in perspective.
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
I do an actively aerated liquid compost outside, 30 days and that plant-based material is true liquid compost.
Again, there are lower cost alternatives that don't put so much sugar and carbohydrate into your soil at each use.
Nullis
Moderator
For some reason it doesn't seem like 'liquid compost' and 'actively aerated compost tea' would be considered very similar things. Though it sounds like you could brew an AACT with the liquid compost.
Still, the diverse carbohydrate profile is part of the reason why molasses is used. You can argue any number of things about any other product\supplement, if other conditions aren't ideal (like poor soil structure\compaction) you want get good results.
Sorry you're being over-charged for molasses.
homebrewer
Well-Known Member
Sweet is essentially liquid epsom salt.
Why does it matter if the carb profile is 'diverse' or not? I know yeast a lot better than I know microbes and to yeast, sugar is essential sugar. Some ferment easier than others but the end results are always the same; a larger population of yeast and more alcohol.
Nullis
Moderator
Yeast is just one kind of micro-organism; it's classified in the Fungi kingdom (a eukaryote), but apparently it differs from lots of other fungi that live in soil. Still even different strains of yeast have their own preference as to the sugars they like to grow on, depending on the conditions they are in.
Sugar is just a broad term for simpler\low molecular weight carbohydrates also known as saccharides. A carbohydrate has carbon, hydrogen and oxygen with a 2:1 hydrogen to oxygen ratio (hydrated carbons). There are mono, di, oligo and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides are the simplest sugars, such as glucose and fructose. Sucrose (table sugar) is a disaccharide which contains a molecule of glucose and a molecule of fructose. Polysaccharides are the complex carbohydrates (such as cellulose), which are polymers (repeating units) of mono or disaccharides. They can be very large and have different chemical properties than mono or disaccharides themselves.
Bacteria in general utilize simple sugars or disaccharides like sucrose as a food source, depending on the enzymes they have available, and most lack enzymes required to break down the more complex carbohydrates. When applied to soil, mycorrhizal fungi can also utilize the simpler sugars and prefer glucose. Other fungi, saprophytes (decay organic matter), have enzymes that allow them to break down complex polysaccharides.
The potential for bacterial proliferation with simple sugars is virtually unlimited: the more sugar you provide for bacteria the higher their numbers will become. Since they can reproduce rapidly higher doses will ensure bacteria dominate the substrate or solution. Lesser amounts of molasses are more conducive to the growth of fungi. So basically the diversity of carbohydrates (including sugars) in the molasses allows it to cater to a variety of micro-organisms that are all going to compete for the ones that they prefer. Higher doses tip the scales well in favor of the bacteria. The microbes themselves also require minerals for growth, conveniently provided for in part by the molasses.
When you apply a variety of simple sugars to soil, plant roots might also be able to uptake and utilize some of a simple sugar like fructose.
As for Sweet, I've never used that but if you research the ingredients more extensively you should find it is more than magnesium sulfate and contains no molasses. As I understand it there are some ditzy or ancient regulations regarding how plant fertilizer\supplements can be labeled. Legally they can only list certain ingredients which are considered 'plant foods' on the bottle or something.
One website lists the full ingredients as: Cane sugar, citric acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin c), thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, serine, threonine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, glutamine, lysine, arginine, histidine, cysteine, cystine, methionine, proline, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, Epsom salt, ferrous sulfate, agrimineral 76 micro complex.
Check out one of the brochures: http://www.americanagritech.com/sites/default/files/brochures/SweetBrochure2010_2.pdf
^Molasses will help flush your soil because it stimulates the soil's biology. They in turn consume and seregrate more nutrients within their biomass.
Maybe adding a shit ton of molasses will make your soil stink, but it has nothing to do with "flushing", it has to do with your dosing.
Maybe adding a shit ton of molasses will make your soil stink, but it has nothing to do with "flushing", it has to do with your dosing.