Mixing Bootstrap Molasses With Emerald Harvest Nutrients

[kingkola1]

This is my third grow. I am using 75% of the recommended nutrients recommended by Emerald Harvest, RO water, MHand HPS lights in 1/3 perlite, 1/3 fox farms and 1/3 coco with gnat nix on top. My1000W HPS light is now 22" from the top of the bud canopy, have good air circulation, ventilation, and try to keep the temperature between 70 and 80 F with the humidity at 50%. I am in week 7 of flower and thought I might try unsulfered organic Bootstrap Molasses at 1 tablespoon per gallon to increase the size and density of the buds. I think it is ok at add molasses during my mid week waterings mixed in with my normal Cal-Mag if I don't let it sit tool long, but also was wondering if it would be okay to use during the weekly Sundays feedings (i.e., will the molasses adversely affect/react with the other nutrients in the feed water and do more harm to the plants than good?) I have also read conflicting amounts from 1/2 teaspoon per gallon to 3 tablespoons per gallon. Please advise if it is okay to add with the Sunday feedings and how much is optimal to obtain larger, more dense buds.

As a side note, I noticed that when I mixed it with my mid-week cal-mag waterings (at 1/2 teaspoon per gallon) that it looks okay initially, but if I let it sit for an hour or so, I get little 1/8" flaky things floating around in the water like a precipitate of some kind. The pH and TDS were slightly higher than normal when using Molasses but not terrible and easily handled. Also, any concerns about ants or other pests due to adding molasses to an indoor grow?

[gdogfunkly]

I'm using different nutes, but after my research, I decided I would add molasses to my soil even in the veg state to feed the soil. My plants are very healthy and I've been feeding them molasses with each feeding for the last 3 weeks or so. I also added molasses to the soil before I transplanted to give a good food bed for my microbials (URB Organic....they says it has it's own food source, but I added molasses anyway) This is a long read, but very useful information about molasses.

https://www.420magazine.com/forums/indoor-soil-cultivation/114725-molasses-everything-you-want-know-your-plants.html

[gdogfunkly]

I'm in a basement in a 3x3 tent in mid winter, no ants so far.

[Cronk]

I've read so many posts , not here, that molasses is just food for bugs and doesn't add any weight to buds. I'm a noob so i have no idea if that's true. it did stop me from using in, though

[gdogfunkly]

Molasses is food for the microorganisms in the soil, which then allow the roots to uptake nutrients more efficiently. I can maybe see an issue outdoors, but indoors, I can't see ants just marching into the house to your plants. The molasses doesn't directly add weight to the buds...the idea is 'feed the soil, not the plant'. I'm happy with what I'm seeing in my plants, but can't say how much the molasses is helping. It's certainly not hurting, so I will continue to use it.

[D.A.A.S.69]

When I grow in soil ,I use 1 tablespoon Blackstrap molasses a gallon once a month from the beginning, then 2 times a month when flowering, does real well. The molasses I use lowers my ph a half point a tablespoon.

[kingkola1]

Yes, during yesterday's feeding (Sunday) I noticed the drop in pH of about 0.2 ±0.1 per Tablespoon and the TDS increased around 200 ppm.

[DingusKhan]

I also use molasses about once a week, alternating with bush doctor-microbe brew, and occasionally, light hydro-nutrients. I thought my leaves we're willing faster than the plant was maturing, so I mixed a half measure of grow nutrients to the bloom stuff. I hope it's not too much nitrogen for flower.

[oldjarhead100]

@kingkola My1000W HPS light is now 22. Do you have a lux meter ,if not I would get one I have a 1000 hps and mine is about 12 inches from the plants but more importantly they are getting 85,000 lux this is the maximum that plants can use ,At 22 inches they may only been getting a fraction of that ,so if you are going to use a hps why not use its full power

[kingkola1]

That is a good point. But I do have a Dr. Meter Lux meter. The top of my canopy ranges from 45KLux to 80KLux at 22" from the 1000 W HPS light. I change my MH and HPS bulb every 2.5 to 3 grows (and characterize the bulb Lux when new for comparison purposes (I believe the spectrum can change without the Lux being noticeably different hence the early change out based on hours). Everyone says my plants look great but the buds end up a little less dense than they normally see from a dispensary so I am trying to improve the smell and density on this grow with Molasses. I try to stay organic (Emerald Harvest is working on getting their organic cert still). I have seven plants under the one light now (have had 8 plants in the past and top them 2 or 3 times). I select seeds that have close to the same flowering weeks, then raise and lower the different plants to the light so the canopy top is flat and then rotate them every other day or so under the light so every bud gets close to the same light. The variety is fun but it is a bit more work (but then I enjoy working with the plants).

Last Thursday I watered with RO water and Cal Mag plus 1/2 tsp of Molasses per gallon. Yesterday (Sunday) I fed them with the Emerald Harvest nutes and 1 tablespoon per gallon Molasses per gallon since 1 to 3 Tablespoons seems to be more the "norm" from my reading than teaspoons. Thanks for the input. All I can do is compare this grow to previous grows and make a judgement call on how much molasses helped improve the density and smell.

[gdogfunkly]

kingkola1, check out this video. He lists the feeding he usesfor week 3 of flower in the notes section. This is the video that introduced me to Bud Candy, SourD and Hi-brix Molasses. I then began my research on them after seeing this. I actually have been using 5ml/gal (1tsp) to my last 3-4 feedings in veg. He uses 3ml/gal in week 3 of molsasses. I suspect because SourD and Bud Candy already have similar properties as the Molasses, I'll likely reduce the Molasses to accommodate the other additives. Listen to the part about what his patients say. That sold me on using it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RYKMpYj1io

[oldjarhead100]

If it was standing still it might be to close but as it passes over the plants the lux go up to 85 to 90,000 lux , I'm still out on the light mover . King you do everything I do during a grow

[kingkola1]

I initially got started on this Molasses idea from Nebula Haze from this web site http://www.growweedeasy.com/how-to-i...cannabis-smell.

[oldjarhead100]

thats a good read and it works