# Sweeteners?



## RTFK (Jul 29, 2011)

*some one told me that if you add sweeteners to my plant at a certain time before flowering causes much higher yields... any one ever heard or done that? he told me Molasses was a good example... i trust you guys more then him, lol any info would help thanks!




*


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## hellraizer30 (Jul 29, 2011)

not shure about just using before, but I do know using through out your cycle does add in plant health/size and potency


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## hellraizer30 (Jul 29, 2011)

I like pinaple rush by GH and in soil I like molasis


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## Rachs28 (Jul 30, 2011)

I veg for approximately 2 months or so and give my ladies molasses every 4 watering. After your second week of flower, your plant will be converting all its energy into growing the bud. Simply put giving them about a teaspoon a gallon every couple waterings gives them easily "digestible" energy they will then use to grow those frosty buds  Here's a link to the scientific reasoning http://forum.grasscity.com/advanced-growing-techniques/159810-molasses-2.html I have noticed the difference in the few first grows that I didn't use it and the next few I did. FYI Do NOT use it in hydro


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## wildcajun (Jul 30, 2011)

Yes i use sweetners also seems to help!!!


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## scotchtape51 (Aug 1, 2011)

can you use to much of molasses?


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## Biologically Incorrect (Aug 1, 2011)

Yes you can, use about 1 to 2 tsp per gallon (I usually use 2).

Peace out



scotchtape51 said:


> can you use to much of molasses?


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## grannybonger (Aug 1, 2011)

brand new idea, Sucanat, buy in at the grocers, got a ton of vitamins too. (artificial sweetener)


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## jdmcwestevo (Aug 1, 2011)

idk about yield increase but smell and flavor greatly benefit i add from first week of flower until flush and use botanicare sweet raw it brings out natural aroma and flavor of plant as opposed to adding other flavors like some other brands


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## Biologically Incorrect (Aug 1, 2011)

The added weight from the extra carbs and or nutrient uptake could contribute to added weight. I must agree on the flavor, compared to other harvest without much more frost & flavor 



jdmcwestevo said:


> idk about yield increase but smell and flavor greatly benefit i add from first week of flower until flush and use botanicare sweet raw it brings out natural aroma and flavor of plant as opposed to adding other flavors like some other brands


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## jdmcwestevo (Aug 1, 2011)

Biologically Incorrect said:


> The added weight from the extra carbs and or nutrient uptake could contribute to added weight. I must agree on the flavor, compared to other harvest without much more frost & flavor


if you put it that way sure i could add weight, but i wouldn't consider it a noticeable change in weight like you get from H&G Shooting powder or similar finisher. sweet raw does have a lot of mag in it which i noticed helps in flowering.


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## fallinprince (Aug 2, 2011)

Plants do not need carbs products like sweeteners should only be added as an aroma/flavor booster. it will not improve your yield by a noticeable amount in comparison to having in a dial in setup that never has leaves change colors.

Keep in mind sweeteners can actually hurt you more than help by adding sugars for bad bacteria to exploit to gain control if you dont have a correctly dialed in setup.

Co2, Beneficial bacteria/fungi,stable ph, topping, Scrog Will all increase your yield by much more than a sweetener.
Also adding a Silica product will allow for higher temps before heat stress stronger stems as well as a much more stable ph level personally i recommend this as a comes FIRST product

However for how cheap a jar of molasses is it doesn't hurt. in most cases

Ps lets see your setup buddy maybe put it in your signature


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## Biologically Incorrect (Aug 2, 2011)

Just a few of my ladies using molasses  Just built new grow room will show off soon enough!

Peace out





fallinprince said:


> Plants do not need carbs products like sweeteners should only be added as an aroma/flavor booster. it will not improve your yield by a noticeable amount in comparison to having in a dial in setup that never has leaves change colors.
> 
> Keep in mind sweeteners can actually hurt you more than help by adding sugars for bad bacteria to exploit to gain control if you dont have a correctly dialed in setup.
> 
> ...


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## hellraizer30 (Aug 2, 2011)

Biologically Incorrect said:


> View attachment 1716488View attachment 1716489View attachment 1716490View attachment 1716491View attachment 1716492View attachment 1716493
> Just a few of my ladies using molasses  Just built new grow room will show off soon enough!
> 
> Peace out


nice man keep using the molassis


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## greenthumb831 (Aug 3, 2011)

Biologically Incorrect said:


> View attachment 1716488View attachment 1716489View attachment 1716490View attachment 1716491View attachment 1716492View attachment 1716493
> Just a few of my ladies using molasses  Just built new grow room will show off soon enough!
> 
> Peace out


Nice buds!! How much molasses do you use per gallon? Ive bin using 2 Table spoons per gallon!! and it seems to be doing ok for now. What other nutrients do you use?


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## Biologically Incorrect (Aug 3, 2011)

Thanks, some people don't appreciate the hard work it takes to make killer buds! I use 1 Table spoon or maybe a little less of molasses every other watering. I use Subcools super soil on the bottom 1/3 - 1/2 of the pot and Fox Farms Ocean Forest on the top. I give them tea (worm castings & bat guano) every third watering. I also add some of the super soil on the top about 2/3 into the flowering. Seems to be working great, have some new ideas going to be trying soon.

Peace out



greenthumb831 said:


> Nice buds!! How much molasses do you use per gallon? Ive bin using 2 Table spoons per gallon!! and it seems to be doing ok for now. What other nutrients do you use?


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## jdmcwestevo (Aug 4, 2011)

sounds good man plants look nice


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## homebrewer (Aug 4, 2011)

The 'sugars' in sweeteners are pointless unless you're trying to feed beneficals. The flavor of the sweeteners does not come through and the only real benefit is the mineral content of these products, which is usually pretty weak anyways. 

Nothing but minerals....because that's all that's needed.


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## Otokehort (Aug 4, 2011)

So this is one of those areas where looking at the physiology of plants and roots in particular, I'm not seeing a mechanism in the roots that allows anything other than water and inorganic ions to be passed through the plant's gateway membranes. I have found one article that talks to injecting sugars into the root zone, only to find a very small amount of the sugars showing up in the plant. Since these are not the same molecules the plant made itself to burn, I am also dubious that the plant has any chemical means of properly processing these extrenal sugars... I'd love to hear from anyone that has a plausible explaination for how sugar improves flavor ... nobody in commercial horticulture is pouring sugar on their greenhouse crops trying to get bigger or tastier product ... so given the billions of dollars at stake in that industry, if sugars were a big deal they would be used by someone, if not everyone and they are not. 

Love to hear from anyone who can point me to the science... I'm not finding it!

Kurt at Otoke Horticulture www.otokehort.com


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## greenthumb831 (Aug 5, 2011)

some of the shit i see on the shelves at they hydroponic stores are just watered down molasses. Molasses by itself is far cheaper and you get more. I use it to feed my soil rather then sweeten buds


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## ClosetSafe (Aug 5, 2011)

grannybonger said:


> brand new idea, Sucanat, buy in at the grocers, got a ton of vitamins too. (artificial sweetener)


https://www.rollitup.org/organics/432023-ph-my-compost-tea-4-a.html#post5733550

Sucanat sucks.


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## fallinprince (Aug 5, 2011)

you will find that the beneficial bacteria is naturally acidic and will constantly lower the overall ph of your setup too. just keep some ph up around and drop some in when need be ill ph my tea bucket today when i go visit. and tell you if mine did the same thing but tbh i wasnt concerned with the ph of that

the smell is what you actually should concern yourself with if it smells dead decaying and is horrible to inhale then make a new bucket of tea


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## Otokehort (Aug 18, 2011)

To echo a sentiment from an earlier comment: I come to this forum with the thoughts that Sulfur (found readily and plant-available) from molasses in a water soluble solution does make physiological sense. The plant will utilize nutrients if available - even to the point of toxicity which is why we watch pH. I do believe Sulfur also has physiological enhancements for end product. Sulfur is utilized in metabolism and structure and as noted, is one of those very very specific ions that plants do absorb, so I really like Sulfur as a candidate for some trials. But my real point here is that with the protection of MMJ laws, we can now start to run those trials and we don't need to guess anymore. I suspect we will discover rather quickly how to grow this plant like a pointsettia, or a geranium, or organic tomatoes. 



OtokeHort


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## trickJames (Aug 21, 2011)

Main benefit of sweeteners is feeding beneficial organisms in your medium. If your trying to get your bud to taste like berries then your going to be sadly disappointed.
If your running a sterile DWC or hydro set-up with H2o2, it's a waste of money, there are no beneficial organisms in your medium, the H2o2 kills everything. If your spending $30.00 and up for bottled carb products your getting scammed. Molasses is fine. 1-2 tbs per gallon, pre-diluted in a glass of warm water works as feed for beneficial bacterias in soil or hydro.

Fresh compost tea and molasses as a top feed is a great combo. Also Great White or Extreme Gardening's Azos and molasses are a great combo for a super healthy rhyzosphere.


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## cannawizard (Aug 21, 2011)

* sweeteners... the new mj gimmick.. lol

 ------> https://www.rollitup.org/organics/451687-wtf-molassess-j-k.html <------


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## zshaw369 (Aug 21, 2011)

yes, i use molasses and honey es from humboldts organic line start of with the molasses at 5ml per gallon then maybe go up to 10-15 ml a gallon,It feeds your micro life in the soil witch in return feeds your plant by upping your brix level in short


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## NyQuilkush318 (Jun 28, 2014)

jdmcwestevo said:


> idk about yield increase but smell and flavor greatly benefit i add from first week of flower until flush and use botanicare sweet raw it brings out natural aroma and flavor of plant as opposed to adding other flavors like some other brands


Hey bro am using sweet raw an am trying to figure out how to add molasses to the feed or flush


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## Shwagbag (Jun 30, 2014)

As others stated, the carbs are not for the plant directly, they're for the beneficial micro organisms in the soil, which in turn feed the plant. If you're growing organically, especially with a nutrient rich soil mix, the sugars will prove to be a helpful addition to the overall growing strategy. I love molasses, but i hate how messy it is. The main reason I love a rich soil mix is to simplify watering. I like to top dress with powdered molasses which is basically dried grains enriched with molasses, then inoculate every so often to ensure the population of good bacteria and fungi remains strong. Within a couple of days from just straight watering, I see growth on the top of the soil which I presume are our little helpers going to work


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## BWG707 (Jun 30, 2014)

I've heard that excess sugars in your plants can lead to a harsher cured product. Although I have used small amounts of molasses, usually during flowering. Couldn't say for sure if there was a difference or not but certainly didn't hurt anything.


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## purplehays1 (Jun 30, 2014)

i like techniflora's Sugar Daddy


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## AirAnt (Jul 1, 2014)

man, I 'sampled' some molasses that had been sitting in my basement for 3 years to see if it was any good. ended up throwing up a few times and taking a nap. don't try to eat rancid molasses, if you're ever considering it, let me tell you.


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## Wizard.of.Dank (Jul 6, 2014)

IMO molasses is a pretty big sugar chain for the microbes to break down, there is actaully alot of residule left in the soil that the microbes cant digest, if you guys really enjoy using molasses it should be used in a compost tea where it is more easily broken down, and used over a long period of time in the tea to feed the microbes. 

using a sucrose and glucose are more easily broken down by the microbes and ready to be used by the plant, dextrose is too big for the microbes to digest in a small amount of time. 

ive switched from using molasses, everyone in my area thinks its the way to go, i personally hate it, i think it coats the roots and soil in a thick black tar, it makes the soil smell. i think if you spend some time researching you can find something much better and soluble than molasses 

check out nectar for the gods sweetner, its a great start for organic sweetners thats already broken down and ready for the plant to uptake it


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## GrowerGoneWild (Jul 13, 2014)

Just a reminder to use unsulphured molasses,


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## budman111 (Jul 15, 2014)

Bottom line is "Sweetners" do NOT sweeten plants and have few trace elements and so have no real world value except feeding bacteria so if you have not given your plants Beneficial Bactria you will simply be feeding Pythuim and other nasty's, The only winner is the Vender salesman.


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## BustinScales510 (Jul 15, 2014)

The main ingredient listed in Bud Candy and Sweet is magnesium. They do impart a sweeter smell into bud, it can be nice with some strains but off putting with others like OG or Diesel where sweet isnt really what you were going for.


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## greasemonkeymann (Jul 15, 2014)

greenthumb831 said:


> some of the shit i see on the shelves at they hydroponic stores are just watered down molasses. Molasses by itself is far cheaper and you get more. I use it to feed my soil rather then sweeten buds


 absolutely accurate.
You are feeding the microbes in the soil, and you get a lil potassium and micronutes on top of that, but the advantage is to feed your soil, not the plant. Healthy soil is the key. Mychorrizae and teas are your friends


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## Squidbilly (Jul 15, 2014)

Most have molasses and cane suger, but the magic ingredients are usually mg and sulfur, which actually help with terpene are trich production, IMO. It's not the same as just adding molasses, that is strickly for feeding beneficial bacteria in your medium.


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## Squidbilly (Jul 15, 2014)

And the sulfur in the sweeteners should not be confused with the sulfur found in some molasses, that sulfur is a by product produced by making the molasses and not available to the plants which is why you want unsulfured molasses, but sulfur is listed as an ingredient in some sweeteners. 

There is alot of research that shows sulfur(the supplemental kinda available to plants) helps with terpene and trich production.

So the sweeteners aren't a gimmick, they are just misleading. They load them with sugar and call them sweeteners so people think they will 'sweeten' the bud. The sugars in Sweet and Floranectar feed any beneficial bacteria in the medium, but the sulfur and mg help with terpene and trich production. If they were just watered down molasses they would be a waste of money but me and many other seasoned growers swear by the products and have used just molasses before, with differing results.


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## rory420420 (Jul 15, 2014)

i use molassas every feeding,and inocculate w myco (paul stamets is awesome,please try his!)...all my buds have sweeter tastes and sugar all over..smells also..will not grow without either.


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## budman111 (Jul 16, 2014)

BustinScales510 said:


> The main ingredient listed in Bud Candy and Sweet is magnesium. They do impart a sweeter smell into bud, it can be nice with some strains but off putting with others like OG or Diesel where sweet isnt really what you were going for.


Cant forget the "Cranberry Extract"... ROTFLMFAO...A fool and their money...


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## 941mick (Jul 16, 2014)

Wizard.of.Dank said:


> IMO molasses is a pretty big sugar chain for the microbes to break down, there is actaully alot of residule left in the soil that the microbes cant digest, if you guys really enjoy using molasses it should be used in a compost tea where it is more easily broken down, and used over a long period of time in the tea to feed the microbes.
> 
> using a sucrose and glucose are more easily broken down by the microbes and ready to be used by the plant, dextrose is too big for the microbes to digest in a small amount of time.
> 
> ...


Couldn't have said it better!


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## yankeetransplant (Jun 10, 2015)

grannybonger said:


> brand new idea, Sucanat, buy in at the grocers, got a ton of vitamins too. (artificial sweetener)


Sucanat is anything but artificial....in fact it translate to and stands for sugar cane NATURAL.....is is also know as rapadura (sp?)....it is cane that is pressed and the juices stirred until dry..in south america, u can get it in cakes....it is also the base sweetener that is used to make molasses....it is not cooked, spun dry to crystalize, bleached or anything like that.....that is why it maintains all it nutrients and vitamins....it is granular when u buy it, not crystalized (and brown)....buy some powder citric acid in brewers supply store....mix 1oz of both into a quart of warm water to dissolve it good and u have a quart of great sweetener for your plants....this mix is ideal for hydro....molasses is for soil.....coconut sugar works as well and also contains good stuff for your plants....its made from the sap of the coconut flowers in much the same way and is brown and granular....u can make about 4 gallons for less than $10....


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## homebrewer (Jun 10, 2015)

yankeetransplant said:


> Sucanat is anything but artificial....in fact it translate to and stands for sugar cane NATURAL.....is is also know as rapadura (sp?)....it is cane that is pressed and the juices stirred until dry..in south america, u can get it in cakes....it is also the base sweetener that is used to make molasses....it is not cooked, spun dry to crystalize, bleached or anything like that.....that is why it maintains all it nutrients and vitamins....it is granular when u buy it, not crystalized (and brown)....buy some powder citric acid in brewers supply store....mix 1oz of both into a quart of warm water to dissolve it good and u have a quart of great sweetener for your plants....this mix is ideal for hydro....molasses is for soil.....coconut sugar works as well and also contains good stuff for your plants....its made from the sap of the coconut flowers in much the same way and is brown and granular....u can make about 4 gallons for less than $10....


Sugar is sugar is sugar. There is no need to go to any extra effort to find some exotic carbohydrate source for your microbes.


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## dungeontrees (Jun 12, 2015)

Biologically Incorrect said:


> View attachment 1716488View attachment 1716489View attachment 1716490View attachment 1716491View attachment 1716492View attachment 1716493
> Just a few of my ladies using molasses  Just built new grow room will show off soon enough!
> 
> Peace out


We're any of those grown in a DWC set up or jus all soil?


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## Mmcary82 (Jan 17, 2021)

dungeontrees said:


> We're any of those grown in a DWC set up or jus all soil?


Sweeteners do not make your buds taste or smell like candy. It’s fake news. If you wanna use molasses or buy a 40 dollar jug of snake oil just remember there is no magic pixie dust. It’s basically food for microbes. You will live and learn my friends.


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## Qube (Jan 17, 2021)

Mmcary82 said:


> Sweeteners do not make your buds taste or smell like candy. It’s fake news. If you wanna use molasses or buy a 40 dollar jug of snake oil just remember there is no magic pixie dust. It’s basically food for microbes. You will live and learn my friends.


100% agree but they might not be able to live or learn after all that time.


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