JZ's Simple Guide To Using Molasses

J

Jozo-sha

New Member
Since my blog entry gets so little traffic, I decided I'd start a thread on the use of molasses in your soil grows. To make it easy for me, I'm blatantly stealing my previous text so I don't have to type it again ;)

Wanna use molasses?​

It's really SIMPLE:

Preparation
  • 1-2 tsp (5-10 ml) of unsulfured molasses per gallon of water. Brand does not matter, blackstrap or not doesn't matter. UNSULFURED matters.
  • Warm up the jar of molasses by sitting it in a big bowl of hot water for 10-15 minutes.
  • Before mixing up your nutes (if you're using them) pull a pint of the water per gallon aside and warm it up too.
  • Add one or two TEASPOONS (5-10 ml) of the warm molasses to the warm water. Mix until well dissolved.
  • Mix up your nutes, then add the molasses water.
  • Water as usual.
  • Mix up only enough solution for a single watering, as molasses water will grow bacteria and wild yeasts/fungi in short order -- if you really feel the urge to mix up a significant volume, keep it covered and refrigerated (under 40°F).

Usage
  • Use full strength anytime during flower.
  • Use every watering, every other watering or twice, doesn't MATTER.
  • Use in seedling/vegetative stages at 1/2 or less strength, adjust upwards if the babies like it.
  • Molasses feeds bacteria and fungi in soil, therefore will foster bacterial and fungal grow in your delicate hydro setups. NOT RECOMMENDED, OKAY?

Availability
  • Any major store that sells baking supplies
  • Horticultural molasses is available at home supply stores (check online, right?)
  • Feed stores have molasses too, cheap and good, almost always is blackstrap

I honestly hope that those who deign to actually read this post will realize by 'water', I mean the water you use to mix your nutes, if you use them, with any pre-treatments you'd normally use or not. You pH adjust your water? Do so. You use Cal-Mag? Do so. Savvy?
Click to expand...
This is what works for me, and I'd love to hear my fellow dirt farmers' take on molasses!


:bongrip: - JZ
 
I am not claiming to be doing this right, but I usually use a molasses boost of 5-10ml/gal when I want the plant to use up the salts in the soil.

So I try to do it like at specific times:
a.) Beginning a flush
b.) Switching from Veg to Flower
c.) Middle of flower to prevent salt buildup
d.) Late flower and final flush
e.) I try to stop using molasses and just run clear water for the last 5 days or so before harvest.

Works out to be like 1 time every 2 weeks or so.

Just my 2c.
 
Thanks JZ, good thread. I was unsure if it made sense to use molasses in veg because so many others only recommend it during first and last week of flower and what not. Ive used it during veg and my ladies are strong and vibrant. Is it necessary during veg or should i wait till flower? i dont want to over do it
 
Either way; I think if you're following the adage of 'feed the soil, don't feed the plant', molasses is perfect for use during ALL phases of plant growth. I use it from the point where I have my second set of nodes all the way through to the chop - no flushing required! :cheertwo:


:bongrip: - JZ
 
If you use Mycorrhizae, Molasses sends them into overdrive. I use one half teaspoon of Molasses per gallon of water, in Veg. Once every four feedings is plenty.
 
Since1970 said:
If you use Mycorrhizae, Molasses sends them into overdrive. I use one half teaspoon of Molasses per gallon of water, in Veg. Once every four feedings is plenty.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that! I'm trying to learn to feed my soil, so your directions make perfect sense!

+rep
 
Hi JZ,
I'm doing hempy, I've been told to use molasses, that it will be ok in hempy, but I don't want to grow any bacteria or fungus...I thought people didn't use it in hydro because of gunking up the pumps/filters and such.

What's your thoughts on molasses and hempy?
 
Unless you're dosing with mycorhyzzae in your hempy, I'd avoid molasses in it. It will foment nasty bacterial and fungal growth if it's not provided as food for existing good organisms.
 
Thank you sir! Just bought some molasses today as a matter of fact, so your timing is impeccable. Makes too much sense not to, especially since I'm in soil with mycos...

Also, JZ, your avatar is just great. I see it all over the place and it still makes me smile every time.
 
Jozo-sha said:
Either way; I think if you're following the adage of 'feed the soil, don't feed the plant', molasses is perfect for use during ALL phases of plant growth. I use it from the point where I have my second set of nodes all the way through to the chop - no flushing required! :cheer:


:bongrip: - JZ
Click to expand...


This is good advice.

Molasses is a food source for the micro-herd. Keeps the party going in the soil.

I've switched over to Malted barley ground fine - the same stuff we brew beer with. You can probably use both to kick things up. Lots of enzymes along with the sugars which really helps plant growth from the Malted Barley. Add in some Kelp Meal and some EWC and you got it nailed.
 
Using that much molasses will certainly cause issues in the long run. The amounts of Magnesium etc in molasses will eventually cause problems with salt buildup in the rhiozphere killing microlife and blocking out some nutrients. While Molasses is a good simple food source for microbes, too much of it will be very counter productive for the microbes. For soup style organic grows this may not be a big issue since most so called organic ferts chelate their nutrients with organic salts/acids bypassing the need for the microbes to do their part by breaking down the nutrients. For a living soil grow, too much Molasses will cause damage and 2 tsp per gallon of water fed routinely, is way way too much to sustain a true organic grow.
 
Fanleaf brings up a good point.

When I used Molasses I added it to a compost tea and aerate it with a lot of air for 24-36 hrs. This will build up the micro-herd colony.

I used to use about 2-3 tbs per 4 gal water in the ACT. Once I switched to malted barley mixed in to the soil I've been getting better bigger healthier plants.

Mg build up is a bad thing for sure. I never had a need for cal/mag in organic soil.
 
bobrown14 said:
Fanleaf brings up a good point.

When I used Molasses I added it to a compost tea and aerate it with a lot of air for 24-36 hrs. This will build up the micro-herd colony.

I used to use about 2-3 tbs per 4 gal water in the ACT. Once I switched to malted barley mixed in to the soil I've been getting better bigger healthier plants.

Mg build up is a bad thing for sure. I never had a need for cal/mag in organic soil.
Click to expand...
Your usage is a perfect example of how to use Molasses. For growing microbeasties in a AACT! Even too much in the tea will cause problems in the plant eventually because you want the microbes in the soil breaking down nutrients in the soil for the plant. Not sitting in a lazy-boy eating Molasses lol.
 
@fanleaf lazy-boy is a thing. I don't have 1 yet. lol

True Story - think I brought 1 home 1 time and my now ex-wife took it out the the curb with a amendment to our marriage agreement. Chair or you.... I'll keep only 1.

Maybe there was knife waving involved and threats to my privates. We soldiered on to an eventual divorce.
I still don't get it. lol :passitleft:
 
Back
Top Bottom