Using Molasses

LUCKYDOG

LUCKYDOG

I took excerpts and plugged in -- from a few sites and some 420 friendly ones as well

Has anyone used Molasses or Blackstrap Molasses particularly on your plants in addition to waterings and feedings? I just read about it and it’s a great source of carbohydrates to stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms. In addition to sugars, molasses contains significant amounts of potash, sulfur, and a variety of micronutrients. Because molasses is derived from plants, and because the manufacturing processes that create it remove mostly sugars, the majority of the mineral nutrients that were contained in the original sugar cane or sugar beet are still present in molasses.
It is possible to use molasses as a foliar feed alone. It’s primary use would be to treat plants who are deficient in Potassium, although molasses also provides significant boosts in other essential minerals such as Sulfur, Iron and Magnesium. Organic farming guides suggest application rates of between one pint and one quart per acre depending on the target plant. For growing a fast growing annual plant it is suggested a recipe of 1 teaspoon molasses per gallon of water.
And it is supposed to be a good for Organic Pest Control as well...

I am going to start adding to my regular feedings and give it a go just curious if anyone has tried it ?
 
the first thing that comes to mind is ants being attracted to the sweetness, but I guess at 1 tsp/gal there may not be enough sweetness to attract ants or any other critters. I would be curious to know the outcome.
 
A buddy of mine who owns a growth store has recommended it to me time and time again. He says: "plants are carbohydrates, molasses helps provide some of those basic building blocks". So, I add it when fertilizing seedlings. Also, I've used it in compost tea to give food for beneficial bacteria. Of course, that is my limited experience with it. I'm sure there are much more seasoned veterans that have better info...

My assumption about the pest control would be the ability to help support a good bacteria thus out competeing other pests/diseases.
 
The only experience I have is when I mixed molasses in water when making compost tea. The molasses gives the bacteria something to feed on. The after the tea was done I sprayed it on my plants.
 
I've used it a bit. Can't really say I saw major positive effect, but definately nothing negative. I'll probably use it in a soil drench a few times this year.
 
I'm thinking along the line of chilehead70301 , might be good for the plant but I'm sure ants will like it.

Peace,
P. Dreadie
 
I am using it right now in conjunction with a brew of seaweed(thanks to the help of HawaiiAl(Alex) - have only used it for less than a week.

Some of my chinense types have grown up(higher), the smaller seedling types(4 leaves) have shown no real new growth.

I don't contribute this to molasses but the seaweed, I threw molasses into the mix to feed the seaweed to produce a tea.
 
crazy8 said:
The only experience I have is when I mixed molasses in water when making compost tea. The molasses gives the bacteria something to feed on. The after the tea was done I sprayed it on my plants.
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Not sure if there are any real advantages of spraying it on the plants directly, but like crazy8 It will increase the bacteria growth when brewing compost tea which has been proven as a very effective means of foiler feeding. I have researched the advantages of foiler feeding nutrients and using compost tea and have have huge success over providing ferts into the soil directly. I posted a few weeks ago about foiler feeding and included research that shows how and why it's so much more effective without any waste. As a result of the proven research I started a large compost container and a smaller worm farm in the garage last year. My only regret is that I didn't have access to fresh tea last year. The only other advantage I provide to my plants is feeding them with water from my fish tank that is heavily oxygenated, temperature regulated at 79 degrees, and it includes a large amount of beneficial bacteria and nitrates for the plants.
 
molasses is great to feed bacteria to grow in your soil. I use all Home made stuff to feed my plants and soil. You can learn a lot by goggling How to make fermented extracts and Beneficial Indigenous Micro-organisms lot of great reading. look for papers written by Gil A Caradang as he has recipes posted. if you have any questions please feel free to ask.
 
Thanks HawaiiAl I will check him out -- Im not sure about regular ants but it is supposed to be a great deterent/repellent of fire ants.

It must be BlackStrap molasses correct HawaiiAl ? otherwise molds can develope?
 
molasses is great to feed bacteria to grow in your soil. I use all Home made stuff to feed my plants and soil. You can learn a lot by goggling How to make fermented extracts and Beneficial Indigenous Micro-organisms lot of great reading. look for papers written by Gil A Caradang as he has recipes posted. if you have any questions please feel free to ask.
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Gil A. Carandang.

judging from his name, sounded a lot like a Filipino. =D

after doing a little googling.... I found that he really was. Also known as the father of Philippine Organic Farming.

awesome stuff.
 
you may or may not get ants with the molasses, here ants are every ware but my raised gardens, My wife and I eat alot of oranges from tree in garden, cut up orange and lemon peel into 1/4 sq spread them around all plant ants don't like it. Most gardeners on the Island are real aware of what they spray on there plants, The Islands are small water runs into the ocean could kill fish.
molasses is mostly cane sugar without chemicals added will benefit all bacteria. Tea's are great for your soil and plants try a Little sea weed, fish', molasses and water aerate with small fish tank air pump for 24 hours = GOOD stuff use within 12 hours bacteria start to die without pump for oxygen. Have fun Alex


ps: if your using liquid sea weed and fish 2 tablespoons to 5 gal of clean water without chlorine 4oz molasses, two large hand fulls of compost.
 
The only thing I can add is negative: I was doing a lot of reading about adding compost tea to plants this winter/early spring. A couple of studies reported that adding molasses could increase the incidence of e. coli, especially if manure is present. Given its positives/negatives and cost, I skipped it.

YMMV,

Mike
 
Yes but would the e.coli spread to the fruit or only stay on the plant? If I remember the last e.coli outbreak it was in spinach and those effected really didn't wash the product very well.
 
I've only read about it being used in compost piles or when brewing compost teas as a source of food for the beneficial microorganisms. And it's best to buy from a feed store not anything from a mainstream grocery store.

Franz -- look up Gil on YouTube. There are a few good videos on there. He grows a lot of unique fruit that are native to the Philippines. Check out masanobu Fukuoka too. He wrote a book in the sixties or seventies called one straw revolution. It has a lot of ifo on organic farming methods and such no till gardening.
 
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