Increasing Bud Weight... cheap.

[Jack Griffin]

I FINALLY broke down and bought a copy of Jorge Cervantes' Marijuana Horticulture.

On page 260 of my copy (5th ed.?), there is a full-page photograph of two similar-looking buds side-by-side. However, the bud on the right is significantly larger than the other bud.

The caption below the photo reads, "Adding sugar during the last 6 weeks augmented harvest weight of the bud on the right by 20%."

A few local growers i know swear to the effectiveness of feeding their plants sugar.

Anybody out there familiar with this theory?

I was just thinkin'... sugar is a lot cheaper than the other stuff we buy for our girls.

 

[The Joker]

If you are growing organically with permaculture and have an active bacteria colony in your soil. Feeding with molasses keeps the herd alive. Lots of what Cervantes writes is complete bullshit.

A PK boost in flower helps increase bud size as does genetics, root mass size etc. But don't expect to be growing with chemical ferts in soil and have sugar do much to your grow. I'm a hydro grower and started using Sweet to see what it does for flavor, but to increase bud size I rely on a big root system and P/ K boosters.

 

[Seamaiden]

That is correct, however plants can take up sugars directly as well. My son uses table sugar of all things, and has switched to AN (then again, he's 24yo and loves to get the latest and greatest) and I like his buds. Go easy on it, though, or you can make a mess.

 

[USER UNKNOWN]

a lot of growers use molasses, its a good source of the sugars you are looking for.

 

[SVC889]

yeah another option would be sunacant http://www.amazon.com/Sucanat-Sugar-1-lb/dp/B00015UC84

basically sugar and molasses combined, but all natural in the case you want to argure that its the same as brown sugar.

 

[Seamaiden]

I've got another half-gallon of malted barley extract, which is what I used last year. Hubby occasionally brews, but if the extract/kit is old he won't use it, and I won't let it go to waste. I got a lot of compliments on the weed I used it on last year, so I'm doing it again, this time thinned enough so it's pourable. I am using it in three types of applications--organic soil outdoors, perlite hempy outdoors, and coco indoors.

 

[amstercal]

Jack--What did you think of the rest of the guide? Would you buy it all over again? There are many of those "sugar" based products out there these days. I haven't seen anyone do a side by side yet where they say the sugar made all the difference, although I still use Sweet.

And Seamaiden, when are you inviting us all over for dinner? It sounds like you have a regular farm going there. :-) So seeing what your son's grows with AN, would you ever consider switching? And of course I'm not asking a proud mama to say anything negative about her son's grows, just whether you think the nutes made a diff. :-)

 

[SweetIslandFunk]

a lot of growers use molasses, its a good source of the sugars you are looking for.

I use molasses during flowering also. It's great stuff I had am amazinging dense buds from a bountiful harvest. However spread it out, every other feed or so. Too much and you'll have issues.

 

[cheaplastic]

Isnt molasses only beneficial to organic growers with an active bacterial colony in the root mass?

i cant see molasses being that effective in an all synthetic fert regiment with no beneficial bacteria/fungi present..

 

[sedate]

Lots of what Cervantes writes is complete bullshit.

+1.

Yes. The guy deals in snake oil, internet whispers, and superstition - and perhaps worst of all - ridiculously dumbed down grow advice.

however plants can take up sugars directly as well.

Do you have any literature or links on this?

My son uses table sugar of all thing

That would make him smarter than anyone whose actually ponied up *money* for Sweet.

Table sugar is composed of sucrose, glucose, and/or dextrose or fructose.

So that would work well.

I've got another half-gallon of malted barley extract,

Throw some - get ready for it - table sugar in that. You'll be a little dextrose heavy and leave a number of mycorrhizae species in the cold.

What did you think of the rest of the guide? Would you buy it all over again?

I like the grower's bible for the sheer number of awesome glossy pics - I got a zillion install ideas from the thing.

 

[Seamaiden]

How about just using panela/panocha? I thinned down the MBE.

I cannot remember where I read the information, I would like to cite it. This is not quite what I was looking for, but it speaks to what I've read.

 

[420king-spaded]

use molasses it works

 

[TheCoolestMan]

use molasses it works

Really? Well there's no real fact there. Molasses contain a lot of sugars that sticks the bacteria in the soil. A lot of people have swear by molasses but its not proven thats benefical to the plants taste and high. I've try with and with out i haven't notice a diference...

 

[altitudefarmer]

Molasses also contains potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc. It feeds beneficial bacteria in organic soils and can also repel (? I know ?) certain bug pests. I use 1-2 tablespoons per 5 gal bucket along with kelp on one of my non-feed waterings. In my experience with molasses, less is more. Google "molasses cannabis" and read away. This article in particular is excellent:
Gardenscuremolassesarticle

forgot to mention it's an excellent chelating agent as well, making your nutrients easier for your gals to use.

 

[SmokeyPipes]

Great article,nice link altitudefarmer!!

 

[500lbs Guerilla]

I use black strap throughout the entire cycle. Not only too feed beneficials in the soil or teas, but also for the micronutrients, and also as a natural pH down. You can get it in bulk for a great price. Living soil and fertilizer definitely leads to bigger healthier plants and bigger tastier yields.

 

[urbanite420]

You're mostly right about that, imo. the sugars in there feed the microbes, but the plant can also take up a little bit as well. molasses also has a few mineral nutes in it but i wouldn't consider them a significant source. it also has amino acids which the microbes can use and the plant itself can absorb some amino acids.

i did a grow once with table sugar and dr earths organic line (made teas and added sugar) in kelloggs patio plus soil (the only organic soil ive seen labeled as pest and weed free) and those buds tasted so bomb and were potent as hell. i don't know if it increased yield though as i didn't do a side by side. next time i do soil want to do a side by side sugar vs molasses teas.

Isnt molasses only beneficial to organic growers with an active bacterial colony in the root mass?

i cant see molasses being that effective in an all synthetic fert regiment with no beneficial bacteria/fungi present..

 

[Seamaiden]

I simply adore the Dr. Earth line of fertilizers. Even though making teas with it is stinky as hell. My preferred is Organic 4.

 

[altitudefarmer]

LOL, if it smells like a septic tank, it's probably pretty good stuff... The Earth Nectar/Ambrosia stuff is the same way...

 

[Marvin Dorfler]

I make a chicken manure/molasses tea that really works well.

You have to brew the chicken manure tea out in the sun for about a month before use, you add your molasses about 2 week into it.

Once it stops smelling to high heaven, you know that it's ready to use.