Stop Me... before I do something...Stupid.. or What!

[LoveGrowingIt]

What does molasses do?

I've read about the disputed usefulness of molasses many times. I've also used it at the end of the flowering stage for the last few grows. I'm sure you're correct about the microbial bloom cycles. I do believe, however, that any benefits depend on how and when it is used. There are two times during a plant's life when I would assert that there may be a benefit to boosting microbial life. Those are 1) during vegetation when the plant is building growth inertia and microbial populations are expanding in the growing medium along with the plant's roots, and 2) late in flowering when the intent is to use up remaining nutrients in the soil prior to harvest. For the moment, however, what's pertinent is the latter. When I've asked people to compare weed that has had molasses at that latter time. To a person they say the molasses weed has better taste (or flavor). I'm not claiming that molasses can sweeten weed, even though it's generally accepted that certain nutrients can affect the taste, (That is why we stop feeding nutrients, is it not?) and it's well known that food coloring can change the color of some types of flowers, likely due to it being transported in solution with the water. My thinking is the enhanced flavor is due to keeping the plant vital long enough to use up remaining nutrients, especially those that cause an unpleasant taste experience. Granted, my evidence is mostly anecdotal, but even so, it has been repeatable in my tests, so much so that people have asked me to continue using it. I should add that I've only tested it with vaped weed and tinctures.

 

[Zill]

Love,

Read the threads. Adding sugar, agave, corn syrup or molasses is plant neutral.

 

[cpurola]

Thank you Cpurola. I wondered if I got that question right.

Adding molasses is plant neutral. Will the dead microbes feed the plant? All that organic soil detritus gets broken down. But consider that the microbe over population driven by sugar is by far a very tiny faction of the total organic matter. Besides, the explosion doesn’t last long. They are starving and respond very quickly.

Zill.

Thank you!
So, as decaying matter, the dead microbes 'might' be assisting the plant .
But the volume of dead microbes needed to assist the plant would be much more than normally found in garden soil.

 

[climbit]

To add or not to add.

 

[Zill]

Cpurola
You got it.

Climbit,
Do what you think works for you.

If someone conducted a controlled set of experiments with a statistical relevant number of plants in each group and things like greenhouse location, light exposure were incorporated into the study and showed, yup, sugars added influence the final bud development, influenced resin production I would be behind this 100%. But based on my experience - it’s folly.

 

[cannafarmer420]

Hey Natep,

When a soil microbe population explodes because someone added raw sugar to their environment it remain in high numbers until it runs out of fuel, sugar. Then the over population dies off. The survivors ( not a good word) will continue to subsist on soil organic matter like they were doing before the sugar was added.

The relationship is mutualistic, not symbiotic, and continues uninterrupted. Those microbe clowns catching a buzz on raw sugar will be gone in a few hours.

The plant runs the rhizosphere, if the plant decides it wants the microbes around it will put off the ideal sugars for it anyways. Black strap is kind of like I want to add fungi or make a compost tea, However for minor deficiencies of potassium or calcium it is much easier in organic than a ferment for example. In practical application it has worked for me. It has to be a good black strap molasses, but it has its place just like the rest of the tools in the tool box. I have had it in my tool box for years and have found many applications for it.

 

[cannafarmer420]

To add or not to add.

Like anything it depends

 

[SnappyJack]

That stuff is soooooooooooooo good.... I put that shit on everything!​

 

[Choppr]

Cannabis is a master at adaptation, she will grow in many different environments, and adapt to almost any media and nutrient blends, so your plant has found a way to grow on low nutrient levels and looks pretty good although low on "N", so shes adapted to 325ppm for 7 weeks...dumping 800 might be a little extreme, Id definitely start at 550-600 ppm... she looks like an Indi so she should handle it just fine, and you might be able to push her to 12+ wks. shes in flower but id do 50/50 Grow/Bloom since shes lacking the cal/nit, a balanced feed...Right On!

 

[SnappyJack]

Choppr ... thanks for the recommendation .. fed her yesterday with double dose of fert (15-30-15)... ppm was less than 600

 

[climbit]

Nobody needs that much molasses. Let me find out!

 

[Choppr]

Nobody needs that much molasses. Let me find out!

Texas Barbeque...I like the Hickory House, lol! even when I grew in soil I was always of the mind if It aint happening in nature my plants dont need it! but Im guilty of the addl sugars myself... Last I checked though It aint rainin molasses....lol, i do love the fact growers will try almost anything to eek out a little more of their Plants...myself included! In Hydro I do run Megacrop "sweet candy" from start to finish on all my grows (carbs, aminos, vitamins etc) they aint no way im adding "thick black gunky" to my reservoirs lol (GA Below)

Choppr ... thanks for the recommendation .. fed her yesterday with double dose of fert (15-30-15)... ppm was less than 600

Just realize its not going to save the leaves that have been sucked dry, the yellowing(chlorosis) is usually caused by not enough Nitrogen in the media to carry her thru the stretch, and then this becomes a cascading issue into flower, the plant will then pull stored nutrient(nitrogen)from the leaves...and its hard to come back from this...remember just before the 12/12 flip Give a Higher dose of Grow formula, the high Nitrogen (cal/nit) = Energy! Stretch takes a lot of growth energy to stretch 10-20" inches in 12 days...Stretch is the last burst of energy of the Veg Cycle. (stretch is Veg) Many new growers will feed bloom ferts too early, and will loose half their leaves after stretch and into early flower...
(give her some addl Ca./Mg too since shes fruiting) keep at it my'dude You got this!

 

[Gmix]

Cannabis is a master at adaptation

Ain’t that true it’s a weed something some don’t fully take on board.
I always look at it like cannabis will grow despite what the grower does to it

 

[SnappyJack]

Chopr ... Take a good look... this image taken 2 weeks ago... would you think their was a nitrogen shortage?

 

[Choppr]

By the looks no, the leaves show normal green color, but if she's still stretching you wouldn't know until after the stretch, if there is a lack of nitrogen in the media (you stated 300ppm total ppm) she is pulling nitrogen(mobile nutrient) from her leaves as she stretches and into early flower. I grow Sativa's almost exclusively, some will stretch twice their size in 15 days, I wont know I fucked up until early flower...(2nd/3rd wk of flower).

 

[Choppr]

Ain’t that true it’s a weed something some don’t fully take on board.
I always look at it like cannabis will grow despite what the grower does to it

What's often over-looked is a millenia of their DNA, they have adapted to many geo locations, and this is stored in there DNA - Take the fact that most of Us harp constantly about VPD (me included) But what about Plants that have adapted to the "Arid Dry Deserts of Afghanistan" or the "High Humidity Ranges of the Kush Valley's" these plants have stored these adaptations in their DNA, all/most of our modern Strains are Hybrids of these Landraces, they will adapt to almost any environment because its built into their DNA over the millenias - fun stuff...

 

[SnappyJack]

Something to consider... end of stretch... occurred: Image Creation date/time 12/30/2023 - 11:31:51 AM

that's about 4 weeks ago... that when she stopped "stretching" ........ note: she is currently beginning her 8th week of flower.

 

[Eledin]

Everyone is talking about the suggars and the microbes and what you guys say is true but what about the suggars that the plant takes directly from the soil to fatten the buds? Youre not only feeding your microbes when you use suggars, I use suggars in small quantities to feed the microbes through the grow but when its time for the buds to fatten I add extra suggars. I like to use bud candy because its not just molasses and/or other simple suggars, is a combination of specific suggars that the plant likes to take. I only use bud candy at the end of the grow so its really very affordable for me, for feeding microbes I alternate between molasses, agave syrup and sugar beet juice. I like diversity, they all bring different ratios of micro nutrients to the table.

 

[climbit]

Everyone is talking about the suggars and the microbes and what you guys say its true but what about the suggars that the plant takes directly from the soil to fatten the buds? Youre not only feeding your microbes when you use suggars, I use suggars in small quantities to feed the microbes through the grow but when its time for the buds to fatten I add extra suggars. I like to use bud candy because its not just molasses and/or other simple suggars, is a combination of specific suggars that the plant likes to take. I only use bud candy at the end of the grow so its really very affordable for me, for feeding microbes I alternate between molasses, agave syrup and sugar beet juice. I like diversity, they all bring different micro nutrients to the table.

One more word about molasses and I’ll legit return the bottle I got!

 

[Eledin]

One more word about molasses and I’ll legit return the bottle I got!

Molasses