Molasses in soil

Am I the only one that thinks adding molasses is nothing but placebo bullshit? I've heard people make claims that it feeds microbes, bacteria, sweetens buds, etc. I've yet to find any scientific study that proves any of these seemingly far fetched claims. I've scanned through academic search engines and found TONS of studies on pretty much any other growing factor (pH, medium, lighting, fertilization, water, etc) but nothing on molasses.

Can anyone point me to anything or is it all just fiction? I don't mean a dude in Santa Cruz that grows fat ass nugs and swears it's the molasses, I mean a journal written by someone with a PhD in microbiology or botany documenting the testing of this theory in a controlled setting.

I will totally eat crow if I turn out to be wrong, but I'm feeling pretty confident in saying that molasses is nothing but a waste of time, money, and adds potential hazard such as increasing insect population.

What can I say, this girl's a skeptic.

I see studies on farm crops and fungus. I also see studies where beneficial microorganisms were added with the soil. Nothing about potted plants. Nothing about FLOWER production. Nothing about soil-less medium. Nothing about the effects of specific mineral and salt interaction with said organisms and sugars. I don't care about producing fruit (seeds), I want flowers. I also see admission by those doing these studies that there is very little research on the topic.

Thanks for the attempt. That actually makes me want to consider it in my vegetable garden. The only thing that makes me think there might be anything to it an alleged 29% bump in onion production. But onions are roots. And too much root production in a pot can actually be more harm than good. If anything, adding molasses may actually contribute to your plants becoming rootbound. Of course, that's just speculation.

If it works for you, great, I certainly won't try to talk you out of it. I actually am just wishing there was something to it. Any little thing you know. So far though......


" Research conducted so far concludes that benefits of beneficial microorganisms can be best exploited through their repeated applications for few years in combination with organic amendments and applying them as foliar spray. Integrated use of organic matter plus beneficial microorganisms with half mineral NPK can yield equivalent to that of full recommended NPK fertilizers dose "



So basically you need to foliar spray (as opposed to the overwhelming consensus that introducing to the soil is the way to go) the same crops for several years along with integrating organic matter (compost, I'm guessing) AND unspecified microorganisms along with NPK to see the results from this study. I'm assuming now that Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus are ok, as I'd have guessed. It has no mention of effects from micro-nutrients, such as copper, that may adversely affect this. Not many science majors in here I take it?

You need to forget about Molasses as treating your flowers or plants. Its about creating a healthy living soil. I can't add any more than the wealth of scientific studies previously linked.

Also, you probably wont find much info about using Molasses in soil-less mediums because its generally not done.

Thee are not very many extensive, legitimate studies done on cannabis. Most of what we have learned about growing is anecdotal anyways. From what I understand it cannot "sweeten" a plant, but the sugars do break down and get used by the plant.

drudinpc said:

Thanks for the attempt. That actually makes me want to consider it in my vegetable garden. The only thing that makes me think there might be anything to it an alleged 29% bump in onion production. But onions are roots. And too much root production in a pot can actually be more harm than good. If anything, adding molasses may actually contribute to your plants becoming rootbound. Of course, that's just speculation.

If it works for you, great, I certainly won't try to talk you out of it. I actually am just wishing there was something to it. Any little thing you know. So far though......


" Research conducted so far concludes that benefits of beneficial microorganisms can be best exploited through their repeated applications for few years in combination with organic amendments and applying them as foliar spray. Integrated use of organic matter plus beneficial microorganisms with half mineral NPK can yield equivalent to that of full recommended NPK fertilizers dose "



So basically you need to foliar spray (as opposed to the overwhelming consensus that introducing to the soil is the way to go) the same crops for several years along with integrating organic matter (compost, I'm guessing) AND unspecified microorganisms along with NPK to see the results from this study. I'm assuming now that Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus are ok, as I'd have guessed. It has no mention of effects from micro-nutrients, such as copper, that may adversely affect this. Not many science majors in here I take it?

Click to expand...

Too much root production? Big healthy roots are directly correlated with healthier plants & higher yields.....you want a big root system......molasses feeds the microbial life.....beneficial microbes' excretions aid in root development and protect root zone and many other benefits.....it doesn't matter what kind of plant your growing as long as you understand that your creating and maintaining a micro ecosystem which in turn will feed and aid plants through out their entire life cycle.....if well balanced a maintained correctly a plant in those conditions will have more vigor be more pest resistant so over all a healthier plant that will produce more aromatic better tasting flowers/fruit/vegetable whatever....so it's not the molasses directly but it does play a role in the whole process......

After reading missy skeptic`s spit,..I walked around the room,..looked over at Poppy-Cat and said,..F` this b*tch and her suttle innuendo`s !! If I wasn`t brought up right, I`d tell your MIT wannabe as what to do with that Phd and how best to do it !!

Molasses is used to thicken the sap when soil fed and when clouded or misted to leaf feed, coats the plant to prevent rapid drying so the scale sees what the farmer wants,..weight !! Simple sugars are heavy..period. Whatever one chooses to use,..it has the same outcome without harming the plant. Your hunch is correct but ya not get`n a prize. For the future, I`d like to see an avatar of a hot chick in her underware, smoke`n a big chamber pipe flip`n the bird cuz us burnouts that have been growing for 35+yrs. can relate and better serve your desire.

Now go change,..take a better pic and ask nicely without the insulting attitude and you`ll get along just fine !! (at least when I`m read`n)

Now that was some funny shit!!

If you put it in Miracle Gro soil it causes it to lock up and the soil turns into almost like concrete, and suffocates the roots.

I think a lot of things about growing is placebo bullshit. But I will try them first just to cure my curiosity.