Who uses molasses and see's good results? I've heard alot of good and bad

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
Molasses is old school. Its full of carbs which has all types of benefits but we now have fertilizers that will do the same thing without the unneeded ingredients.
for organics, black strap molasses is simply the best stuff to use.
Hydro guys i'd advise against using though. But for an organic soil? The best, and in my opinion simply irreplaceable
 

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
just to compare with my glucose c (dextrose)

dextrose 99.95% vit c 0.005%

per 100g

carbs 91g ( the mollisis is about 50g)

calories 365 (the mollasis is about 200)

theres no need for the other stuff in mollasis it should be in the soil any way....so why not use glucose instead?......its £1.80 for 500g i thought it was a 1kg.
black strap molasses is chock full of other micronutrients, as well as potassium, but like I said, if you are using molasses for it's NPK value, you are using it the wrong way, or at least overlooking it, molasses is for AACTs. You can use it for a liquid food, but I don't recommend it, it has consistently caused issues with nitrogen uptake, and typically people use molasses during the flower phase, (again, mis-using) so it really fouls things up, if you are going to use molasses, use it as a food source for the teas, NOT as a nutrient. It can (and usually will)create problems. I LOVE molasses but I avoid using it as a NPK source. You can, sure, but you are walking the fine line of having probs
 

Uncle Ben

Well-Known Member
your contribution

good info thanks.......when she said there too full it made sense but i said ...."we'll there not going to stay full for long". lol.

just a quick qaustion........i dont hear much talk about worms on riu but i understand how important they are and are just wondering if i can add live earth worms to my soil mix in indoor pots.......or is that a stupid quastion?
They're an animal and subject to drowning. Best use compost.
 

bradburry

Well-Known Member
ahh, well, I have no idea? but why would you want to? hydro usually has no issues with drainage, and beneficial microbes won't be there, so not sure why you'd want to.
Worms in hydroponics seems pointless to me, unless you are organic hydroponics, (which is really damn hard and messy)
even still, worms like dirt
theyd have nice swim ..lol
 

ButchyBoy

Well-Known Member
I have been reading a bunch on soil and Molasses... The info is not strictly cannabis related but related to soil it's self...


Here is a copy paste from some of my reading of others research over the years..

"Molasses provides a carbon source which
alters the C/N ratio in soil and this affects the
soil microbiota which in turn effects the
available nutrients."

Basically, I have not read anything that say's the plant uses it directly. At least not on a reputable site that is not full of a bunch of newb's or know it all's....
 

bradburry

Well-Known Member
black strap molasses is chock full of other micronutrients, as well as potassium, but like I said, if you are using molasses for it's NPK value, you are using it the wrong way, or at least overlooking it, molasses is for AACTs. You can use it for a liquid food, but I don't recommend it, it has consistently caused issues with nitrogen uptake, and typically people use molasses during the flower phase, (again, mis-using) so it really fouls things up, if you are going to use molasses, use it as a food source for the teas, NOT as a nutrient. It can (and usually will)create problems. I LOVE molasses but I avoid using it as a NPK source. You can, sure, but you are walking the fine line of having probs
i dont use mollasis. :)
 

bradburry

Well-Known Member
I have been reading a bunch on soil and Molasses... The info is not strictly cannabis related but related to soil it's self...


Here is a copy paste from some of my reading of others research over the years..

"Molasses provides a carbon source which
alters the C/N ratio in soil and this affects the
soil microbiota which in turn effects the
available nutrients."

Basically, I have not read anything that say's the plant uses it directly. At least not on a reputable site that is not full of a bunch of newb's or know it all's....
so is AN CARBOLOAD a waste of time?
 

The303Yeti

Well-Known Member
for organics, black strap molasses is simply the best stuff to use.
Hydro guys i'd advise against using though. But for an organic soil? The best, and in my opinion simply irreplaceable
I use to work in a refinery that made sugar and molasses. I'm not saying molasses is bad but im not a pure organic grower. I would say if you use molasses make sure you get the right stuff. We use to send ours off to have enzymes and who knows what else added to it.
 

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
I use to work in a refinery that made sugar and molasses. I'm not saying molasses is bad but im not a pure organic grower. I would say if you use molasses make sure you get the right stuff. We use to send ours off to have enzymes and who knows what else added to it.
just blackstrap, the un-sulphured blackstrap. You want the stuff that's left over
 

bradburry

Well-Known Member
.the last mollasis i used it was really high ph .....even like a qt of of a teaspoon in a litre of water.
 

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
I use carbo load and it has always worked great for me.
this is sorta why I almost didn't post in this thread at all, it's undoubtedly going to turn into a "organic vs hydro" thread.
I used this and it worked...
I used that and it worked...
Point is, you can grow great herb fairly easy, using a whole plethora of techniques, snake-oils and so on. I've seen people grow beautiful herb using miracle grow and fertilizer "spikes" for gods sake... sooo
The thread was about molasses, and it's usefulness (or lack thereof, depending on who you ask)
I stand by my statement, if you are organically growing and are NOT familiar with molasses, then it'd be advantageous to learn, if you are hydro or use bagged soil mixes, then you probably don't need it much to begin with.
 
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The303Yeti

Well-Known Member
this is sorta why I almost didn't post in this thread at all, it's undoubtedly going to turn into a "organic vs hydro" thread.
I used this and it worked...
I used that and it worked...
Point is, you can grow great herb fairly easy, using a whole plethora of techniques, snake-oils and so on. I've seen people grow beautiful herb using miracle grow and fertilizer "spikes" for gods sake... sooo
The thread was about molasses, and it's usefulness (or lack thereof, depending on who you ask)
I stand by my statement, if you are organically growing and are NOT familiar with molasses, then it'd be advantageous to learn, if you are hydro or use bagged soil mixes, then you probably don't need it much to begin with.

I agree. I have used mollases and it worked I just moved on and have started using other nutes. I never had and "bad" issues with using it i just prefer carbo load.
 

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
I agree. I have used mollases and it worked I just moved on and have started using other nutes. I never had and "bad" issues with using it i just prefer carbo load.
if you are using it for purely NPK reasons I can understand why you stopped.
I know NOTHING about carbo load. But I don't have any bottles, of anything.
Well, unless you count the molasses
 

The303Yeti

Well-Known Member
What exactly was "great"?
My root systems are huge. I use veganic special sauce and carbo load all through veg and flower. The only reason I use carbo load is because I know it works and its convenient. I'm not the type of person to bash the other stuff just because I don't use it. I have even used honey. Carbo load and molasses do the same thing. They are both pretty much sugar. The whole point is to feed carbs to beneficial bacteria. I really don't think carbo load is going to give you buds from land of the giants but neither is molasses. Its a combination of things. As long as bacteria is getting carbs I say stay with what your comfortable with.
 

bulimic

Well-Known Member
kinda true, but also false. molasses and mychorizae have no relation to one another.
you are correct that myco does indeed help the roots absorb more nutrients by extending the soil web

Hmmm, odd. My biology professor literally went over mycchorhizae last week and how they help plants, and I asked if you could feed them molasses he said they would break down the carbs into digestible sugars.
 

az2000

Well-Known Member
My biology professor literally went over mycchorhizae last week and how they help plants, and I asked if you could feed them molasses he said they would break down the carbs into digestible sugars.
Probably a matter of semantics. From wikipedia:

"This mutualistic association provides the fungus with relatively constant and direct access to carbohydrates, such as glucose and sucrose.[5] The carbohydrates are translocated from their source (usually leaves) to root tissue and on to the plant's fungal partners. In return, the plant gains the benefits of the mycelium's higher absorptive capacity for water and mineral nutrients due to the comparatively large surface area of mycelium: root ratio, thus improving the plant's mineral absorption capabilities."
-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza#Sugar-water.2Fmineral_exchange
It sounds like the plant doesn't uptake carbs, but gives up less of its own manufactured carbs for the benefit received.

Most people don't talk using such subtle distinctions. I think it's normal (and mostly accurate) to say the sugar "feeds the plant," or "gives the plant carbs it needs." That's the end result, but the route isn't that direct.

However, what's lost without the subtle distinction is the role of the soil's biology. If that were more prominent, people might give give greater priority to their soil's microbiology. Maybe feeding a little sugar through the entire grow (not just end-of-life flush). Or, use occasional teas. They might be reluctant to overfeed synthetic nutes (which suppress) only to flush them at transition as part of a ritual.
 
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