papabisquits
Member
as a first time grower i have done a lot of reading on forums and read stuff mentioning black strap molassas. just wanted thoughts from expert growers.
thoughts on black strap
- Thread starter papabisquits
- Start date
LetsGetCritical
Well-Known Member
I never tried it, can you put it on your breakfast cereal?
LetsGetCritical
Well-Known Member
I did some gambling earlier. I might make a steak sammich tomorrow, dunno
bravedave
Well-Known Member
Not an expert but here is what I have gathered.
First, you read the bottle and think "cool" this has a bunch of stuff my plants need as you wonder whether your bong hit will taste like ginger snaps. Unfortunately, most have forms of Ca, K, and Fe that are not usable by the plant. So if you are in coco or peat the benefits are close to nothing. If however you are growing in soil then I understand it can be beneficial to microbes there and by virtue good for the plant. It is by no means a magic elixer for tightening buds and any flavor enhancement is imagined.
bravedave
Well-Known Member
Most who actually know I think will disagree. What does the plant use directly then?
bravedave
Well-Known Member
So you have no answer to the question? Ironically, that is the correct answer.
@papabisquits, what is your medium?
Purplehaze66
Well-Known Member
Get some and add a little on day 30 and 45, you might like the results
papabisquits
Member
i have some powdered black strap i want to use but recently had some nute burn and two weeks away from harvest. growing in soil. dont want to hurt the girls more so feeding ph water. is it safe or.will it burn the girls.more.
CouchlockOR
Active Member
If you are using synthetic nutrients then I doubt it will help. Molasses is for feeding the microbiology living in the soil. Synthetic nutrients are all salt based. That shit kills your micro life. And actually in my opinion as well as others, you don't need microbes when using synthetic nutrients. When in a liquid form the plant can readily absorb the nutrients making the microbes invaild. Microbes are of more benefit when growing organically. The microbes breakdown the larger organic particles and form a symbiotic relationship with the roots, and supply the roots with available nutrients as the plant provides sugars back. There are plenty of carbohydrates (sugars) on the market at hydro stores but they have varying efficacy. I used advanced nutrients bud candy for years. It's made with molasses. However it didn't really making much difference. It's kind of a snake oil.
Now if you are growing organically then it has many benefits. Especially with worm and compost teas. And if you do decide to use molasses use unsulferd blackstrap molasses. I use it at a maximum of 1 TBS per gallon of water in a tea. Then I dilute the tea with water 50/50. Molasses can easily be overused. It is very high in magnesium and you can overdose your plant with it. People think it will sweeten your bud which is not correct. Plants produce sugars for energy. Not pick them up and plant them in buds to sweeten. Just doesn't work that way. And that stupid photo Jorge Cervantes has in his book of a big bud next to a small bud showing the difference sugar made is an extreme exaggeration at best. Bigger plants yield bigger buds.
Now if you are growing organically then it has many benefits. Especially with worm and compost teas. And if you do decide to use molasses use unsulferd blackstrap molasses. I use it at a maximum of 1 TBS per gallon of water in a tea. Then I dilute the tea with water 50/50. Molasses can easily be overused. It is very high in magnesium and you can overdose your plant with it. People think it will sweeten your bud which is not correct. Plants produce sugars for energy. Not pick them up and plant them in buds to sweeten. Just doesn't work that way. And that stupid photo Jorge Cervantes has in his book of a big bud next to a small bud showing the difference sugar made is an extreme exaggeration at best. Bigger plants yield bigger buds.
Last edited:
qwizoking
Well-Known Member
Molasses is a great chelating agent has lots of nutes and provides energy for the plants. Is great for flower.
It makes me sad going into the growing sections these days.
People talking out there ass so matter of factly.
Ive been growing near 15 years. In multiple grow houses producing +30lbs a month. Arguably one of the most helpful and knowledgeable members on this forum. With degrees in chemistry and pharmacy, haven proven myself many times...and ass hats like dave in their first year, how many plants have you taken to harvest? Come on here spouting crap.
I passed that drug test too btw
It makes me sad going into the growing sections these days.
People talking out there ass so matter of factly.
Ive been growing near 15 years. In multiple grow houses producing +30lbs a month. Arguably one of the most helpful and knowledgeable members on this forum. With degrees in chemistry and pharmacy, haven proven myself many times...and ass hats like dave in their first year, how many plants have you taken to harvest? Come on here spouting crap.
I passed that drug test too btw
CouchlockOR
Active Member
Also burning is from excessive nutrient use. Back off the ppm a lil. Also when using synthetic which I'm assuming you are if you are pHing the water, flushing the plants once a month helps. Honestly I'd save the molasses and just flush the shit out of your pots and continue to add plain water for two weeks. Also unless your tap water is out of 6-7 range I wouldn't worry about the water pH. Or even a lil higher. Over time the soil will become more acidic from unused nutrients being left in it. A higher pH water will counter the low acidity soil. It's a good idea to check the runoff water pH. When doing so you can adjust the pH of water going in to counter offsets. I've used synthetic nutrients for over 20 years and I've never had fewer issues since switching to all organic. Well mostly. I use lights and there are some plastic pots etc but I make my own soil blend and add water or teas only. No pHing. No nutrient burns.
What exactly are you adding to your resivoir? Without knowing what you already give your plants it's hard to tell you if you should add anything else.
What exactly are you adding to your resivoir? Without knowing what you already give your plants it's hard to tell you if you should add anything else.
CouchlockOR
Active Member
You can use any. But blackstrap is more per weight since the water has been boiled off.
CouchlockOR
Active Member
Sorry that's kinda wrong. Plants produce their sugars. That's done during photosynthesis. That's called producing energy. Not providing it. Sugars are ten stored, turned into starch for cell growth or exuded by roots to feed microbes. Microbes use sugars just like molasses. Plants make their own sugars. Not suck it up from roots. Sugars are for feeding microbes. And in turn provide useful nutrients to plants to aid in growing. Molasses has some nutrients but mostly trance minerals. Google molasses and plants. You don't get a bunch of cannabis websites. You get organic gardening sites which explain the relationship between sugars and soil life. This is basic plant biology. So before you go spouting off as factual yourself do some research.
