Using agave instead of molasses for carbs.
The "medicine man" from High Times, Adrew H. (his last name isn't a secret, but I forget it), teaches a course at the THC foundation here in Portland, which I took. It costs $70 and consists of seven individual two-hour lectures, with demonstrations and participation too (making clones and making/trying bubble-hash and honey-oil, etc.). Most states that have medical marijuana programs also have THC foundation clinics, so if you're lucky enough to live in one of those states, I highly recommend using them to help become a medical marijuana patient, and expert grower. Getting back to the subject: the "medicine man" teaches that molasses builds-up too much iron and potassium over time, so he recommends using agave instead. Agave actually has much more concentrated carbs than molasses, which has had most of it's carbs (sugar) removed during processing. Sucanat (Sugar Cane Natural) is raw sugar before having the molasses removed, so it can be used instead of molasses - it has more sugar and so provides a better boost. Agave may be a better source of carbs than sucanat though, and I've started using it instead, because the "medicine man" recommended making the switch, plus it makes sense to me scientifically. Our local "People's" cooperative has organic raw light agave in bulk, and that's what my babies get for a carb boost now. I stop using compost solution (which is all I use for nutes) at about week 5, and start using "
hygrowzyme" as a catalyst, continue using "
Earth Juice" for a catalyst, and start adding agave for a carbohydrate boost, which results in bigger, sweeter buds. The last couple of waterings I only use slightly acidified water to flush the soil really well, per medicine man's recommendation. That means the
hygrozyme and agave is only used for 2-3 weeks during weeks 5-7, but that's enough to make a difference!! I suppose using more
hygrozyme and agave a bit earlier in flowering might boost them more, perhaps alternating with compost solution during the first few weeks might be a good strategy. ANYways, that's how I'm doing it now, but I've constantly adjusted the way I grow during the last ten years, since I first became an Oregon Medical Marijuana Act program 'patient'. We have a medical marijuana awards each year, and clones of the winning strains are made available to patients - how cool is that? If you don't have a medical marijuana program in your state, please contact your local NORML organization to help make it happen - it CAN happen! It happened here in 1998 - Oregon was the second state after California to approve a medical marijuana law, but it only happened because "we the people" MADE it happen! Medical marijuana is opening the door for cannabis hemp, which will soon become the most powerful economic engine in the world (it's already begun), as it helps us transform our society to locally based food, education, and commerce. Cannabis will save the planet, but that's a different subject...