Molasses - Unsulphured or Blackstrap?

Hi all, sorry to hit on the age old topic of Molasses yet AGAIN, but I've run a quick search and can't seem to find anything that touches on this specifically.

I have a quick question I'll get to after this next paragraph (skip ahead if you want)

I love Molasses, use it through my whole grow, some people say this isn't necessary, but it's so cheap, so I say why not, I can only see it helping microbial activity... Anyway, I bubble tap water for 24 hours (using the old air pump and air stones trick) then add my Molasses (plus organic nutrients) and bubble for a further 24 hours, apply it as a soil drench, works beautifully mate.

Now I find myself stumped, I use Blackstrap Molasses, purely because its what's available at my local supermarket, however it contains sulphur, which I've heard kills certain beneficial fungi in the soil. Does anyone know if there's any truth to this? Is Blackstrap Molasses fine to use or should I go in search of Unsulphured Molasses? Any info and opinions would be appreciated.

For those who aren't sure of the difference between the different types of Molasses, here's some basic info:

Unsulphured - The product left over after the FIRST extraction of sugarcane, said to be the highest quality and sweetest (contains most sugar) of Molasses.

Sulphured - The product left over after the SECOND extraction of sugarcane, said to be of lower quality and is usually treated with sulphur dioxide, which acts as a preservative.

Blackstrap - The product left over after the THIRD extraction of sugarcane, said to be the lowest quality, darkest in colour, and least sweet of the three. However it tends to have the most usable vitamins and minerals with regards to plants. (As far as I know)

This is the Molasses most easily (and cheaply ) available to me:




Thanks for any advice/opinions. I recommend Molasses to all ORGANIC soil/soiless growers.

Cheers!

Edit: Just found a thread about pretty much the same thing.
https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/81825-unsulphured-molasses.html

g,day mate. according to the three little birds ,who have a huge thread on this ,maybe not on r.i.u but they seem to know thier stuff ,and blackstrap is the way to go ,i get it from the health food store ,cheaper than plant shops etc ,so that is what i use ,and no problems thus far.

Cheers for the info mate. Appreciate it.

GreenphoeniX said:

Cheers for the info mate. Appreciate it.

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My Blackstrap is unsulphured.

Aww you lucky frocker! ... I've been looking for unsulphured blackstrap everywhere, it's like it doesn't exist in my country! Am going grocery shopping tonight and will destroy the supermarket till I find some! haha

So I read up on blacksrtap. It comes from the third boil and not good for much other then cattle feed, that is to say thats what its major market is. It has the least sugar content of the three. So you might try a feed store if there are any cows around your area. good luck..

Yea mate, I mentioned that above

Blackstrap - The product left over after the THIRD extraction of sugarcane, said to be the lowest quality, darkest in colour, and least sweet of the three. However it tends to have the most usable vitamins and minerals with regards to plants. (As far as I know)

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I have Blackstrap Molasses now, but it contains sulphur, I'll look in the agriculture stores at their stuff, see if it's better, and it'll probably be in bulk, therefore cheaper and larger quantities. Haha!

Cheers for the input stumps

Molasses doesn't benefit the plant as much as it benefits the soil, which in turn benefits the plant. Molasses is used because it provides the sugar which beneficial microbes and bacteria feed on. The beneficial microbes and bacteria then help provide nitrogen and minerals to the plant. You want as much sugar content in the molasses as possible. Blackstrap molasses has a lower sugar content.

If you really want to provide your plant with the best nutrients, mix up some compost tea with two tablespoons of molasses. Aerate it for three days and provide two tablespoons of molasses per day. The microbes, bacteria and fungi in the compost will explode in the highly oxygenated water and will feed on the sugar in the molasses. These beneficial organisms will develop the fullest potential in your plant. You will be amazed at the almost immediate results.

Be sure to use water free from chlorine. Best to let the water aerate for three days but provide two tablespoons of molasses each day so the good stuff has something to eat. Put this on your plants immediately and as often as you like.

You can provide all the nutrients in the world but they won't do a bit of good if the soil isn't alive and ready to make the nutrients available to the plant.

Good luck!

I don't think that is entirely accurate. Any variety of molasses, first, second or third can be unsulfured. Sulfured molasses is typically made from younger sugar cane. Sulfur dioxide is added as a preservative.

Each boiling of the sugar cane juice results in more precipitated sucrose (for extraction), and thus less sucrose remaining in the final product.

GarryFroker said:

My Blackstrap is unsulphured.

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So is mine, both the stuff from the grocery (We cook with it quite a bit) and the stuff from the feed store ($8/gallon, sold as a deer attractant for hunters).

Wet

Third boil is great if you need a boost of K, some carbs and some calmag. Otherwise 1st boil is a slight dose of K and calmag but same amount of carbs as third boil.