NewEnglandFarmer
Well-Known Member
So I ran across an interview with Clackamas Coot talking with some folks at KIS Organics and he extols the benefits of topdressing with malted barley: says you get thicker, stronger stems and bigger buds, plus a faster finish in flower. Supposedly the microbes in the soil love it and the enzymes in the malted barley (which is sprouted until just before a root comes out of the seed, then lightly roasted to arrest the sprouting) apparently spur the plant to grow more. Not the first time I've seen people talk up malted barley.
Just so happens I have about half of a 50 lb. bag of organic malted barley from my brewing days (don't ask how old it is, but it's been kept sealed in a dark cool place). Just for kicks I ground a bunch up and topdressed my plants (outdoor in living soil) during early July. Can't so I noticed anything but the plants are all healthy and just starting to preflower now. Thinking about another topdressing or maybe some tea.
Anybody else use malted barley? What's it doing for you?
If it's true that it accelerates the bud growing time, that would be a huge benefit in my climate (New England). Finishing even just a week early can make all the difference in terms of bud rot from cool wet fall weather or high-winds.
Just so happens I have about half of a 50 lb. bag of organic malted barley from my brewing days (don't ask how old it is, but it's been kept sealed in a dark cool place). Just for kicks I ground a bunch up and topdressed my plants (outdoor in living soil) during early July. Can't so I noticed anything but the plants are all healthy and just starting to preflower now. Thinking about another topdressing or maybe some tea.
Anybody else use malted barley? What's it doing for you?
If it's true that it accelerates the bud growing time, that would be a huge benefit in my climate (New England). Finishing even just a week early can make all the difference in terms of bud rot from cool wet fall weather or high-winds.
