Magical Molasses: Part II

Molasses for plants can be easily applied as a soil amendment and pesticide, whether you have just a few plants in your yard or acres of crops. Molasses is not applied to Cannabis gardens as a nutrient, but rather as a supplement that provides vital micro-nutrients, enabling microbial life in your soil to flourish and thrive.

Either on its own or applied in conjunction with other supplements and nutrient solutions, molasses is one of the most prevalent gardening additives - whether destined for small pot gardens or major commercial crops. The advantages of using molasses over high-fructose corn syrup or other forms of sugar include the presence of trace minerals, as well as its chelating and pest-controlling properties.

Various Methods Of Applying Molasses To Cannabis Plants

Molasses can be combined with a regular nute schedule, mixed into teas or foliar sprays, or watered into a large growing plot before seeds or clones are planted. Growers may choose between adding molasses to water - either during flushing periods or in combination with scheduled nutes - and watering the plants with this solution or applying it as a foliar spray. Other options include the use of molasses as a soil supplement by preparing your plot in advance or mixing the syrup into nutrient teas or compost.

Incorporating Molasses Into Your Watering/Feeding Schedule

A typical dosage is to dissolve between one and two tablespoons of molasses per gallon of lukewarm water - cold water is not recommended, as lower temperatures make it more difficult to thoroughly dissolve the viscous syrup. If you are not certain how much to use, begin with only one or two teaspoons per gallon, increasing your dosage as the plant progresses. This prevents plant stress and the occurrence of nutrient burn-like symptoms in the early weeks of the veg phase.

As plants generally require more potassium during the flowering phase, it makes sense to gradually increase the dosage once the plant has settled into its final stage of life. This solution is most commonly fed to Cannabis plants in the final stages of flowering, although many gardeners employ a blackstrap solution from early in the vegetation stage, all the way through to harvesting. Before the plants enter the ground, watering the helpful carbs and micro-nutrients into your chosen plot is a good way to condition the soil and prepare it for nurturing your babies.

When growing outdoors, note that molasses is an old hunter's stand-by that is used to attract - not repel - deer. Rodents, bears, moose, or wild hogs may also be enticed, depending upon the wild animal population in your area. Many growers are convinced that the syrup boosts trichome production. However, because the main benefits of molasses result from its soil-conditioning properties, a low-yet-regular dose is often adopted in organics gardens, from veg through flower.

Up to one tablespoon (about fifteen mL) per gallon of water is acceptable for regular usage; some experts suggest that sporadic applications can be dosed as high as two tablespoons per gallon, especially during the flowering period. Be forewarned, though, that applying too much molasses to marijuana can cause iron toxicity, calcium lockout and other issues.

Overdosing may also cause the taste of molasses to overtake the intrinsic flavor of certain strains, or result in rotting and terrible-smelling grow room. Some growers use molasses on their just-water days, or only during flushing periods, as combining new additives to scheduled, measured commercial nutes may cause unexpected pH fluctuations or other problems.

Many veteran Cannabis growers insist that flushing should be done with water only - even if your flushing products are 'organic' - to preserve the inherent flavor of each strain and ensure that it dries, cures and smokes properly. However, molasses is a safe additive for the flushing phase and may actually assist the soil in this capacity.

Using Molasses As A Foliar Spray

Foliar feeding - finely misting the leaves of plants - has several advantages. Firstly, feeding and pest control can be handled simultaneously. Also, dosage is usually lower, extending longevity and cost-efficiency of supplements. Finally, plants grown in high-humidity or poorly-draining areas can still be nourished and protected without unnecessarily saturating the soil.

Diluting your solution to half-strength or less is a good way to approach foliar spraying; this allows some supplement through to the plants, while maintaining caution and helping to prevent overdosing. One teaspoon of molasses dissolved into a gallon of water, sprayed onto the underside of the leaves will gently nourish the plants, while protecting against pathogens and other pests.

Only spray cooled-off plants and let them dry before turning the lights back on. You can experiment with dosages, as certain strains are less sensitive than others; however, it is not a good idea to spray heavily-flowering plants, as this can lead to mold, mildew and other issues. When creating your own sprays, remember to protect the feeding ratio between beneficial fungi and aerobic bacteria.

Some gardeners add additional ingredients to their sprays, such as compost, spirulina, cocoa powder or orange oil. One example of a tried-and-true recipe for a foliar spray is as follows:

• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 5 or 6 large cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon fish emulsion
• 1 gallon of water

Preparation:

• Liquefy garlic in blender; strain out solids - should yield about one teaspoon juice
• Add molasses, garlic juice, fish emulsion to a gallon of water
• Mix well and spray plants as needed; do not store solution for later use

When purchasing a bottle of blackstrap, check the ingredient list to determine its levels of carbohydrates, potassium, iron and vitamin B. It is generally not a good idea to switch brands if you run out mid-grow, as mineral content varies widely between brands and this sudden change may shock or stress the plants, leading to various incarnations of nutrient lock-out.

If you can only find the types containing higher sodium, calcium and magnesium levels, it may be safer to start at much smaller doses than with your former brand.

Making Nutrient Teas and Composting with Molasses

Some gardeners prefer to make compost, while others mix their own fertilizers or brew 'tea' that contains nutritious, organic products such as seaweed, worm castings or kelp; molasses provides the perfect carb boost to the blend. This allows the gardener more control over nutrient ratios and an ability to limit preservatives and other unwanted substances.

If teas made with molasses are not aerated and agitated, the production of anaerobic bacteria may increase; a bubbling air stone and circulation pump can help to prevent this from occurring. Be cautious when adding molasses to fertilizer tea mixes, as letting the solution sit for too long can cause explosive bacterial growth.

This can be tricky, since some growers let teas bubble an extra day or two to make up for the presence of preservatives, such as sulfur, in commercial molasses.