How to Fertilize Your Garden Soil With Molasses For Healthier, More Productive Plants & Why It Works

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In this video I briefly wanted to talk about using Molasses in the garden. Molasses is an indirect fertilizer that works primarily as a food source for microbes in your soil. In healthy soil, there is a vast ecology and network of microorganisms that work symbiotically with your garden's plants. When applied to compost or garden beds, Molasses can temporarily boost the microbe population in your soil.

Depending on how you apply Molasses to your garden, the boost in Microbe activity can be temporary or permanent. If you choose to feed your compost pile, Molasses water, the boost in microbe activity will only be temporary: Once the food source of the Molasses is consumed, the microbe activity will dwindle off. However, if you feed Molasses water to the base of a healthy plant in your garden, a majority of the microbes can be retained by developing a relationship with your plant's roots.

Plants are used to having a symbiotic relationship with beneficial microbes. Typically, plant roots create a substance called exudates. Plant roots exudate a variety of molecules into the rhizosphere, including acids, sugars, polysaccharides and ectoenzymes. Exudation of these compounds has various benefits to the plant and to the microorganisms of the rhizosphere. By adding Molasses water to the base of your garden, you are temporarily boosting the number and activity of microorganisms. As the Molasses is consumed, These microorganisms will attempt to change their food source from the Molasses to exudates. In this way, Molasses can be used to boost the productivity of your vegetable garden or fruit gardens.

I recommend feeding Molasses water during or after a heavy ran to ensure this microbe food source can seep into the soil and promote deeper root growth. If your garden is level, I recommend watering with Molasses in the middle of a heavy rain storm. If your garden is not level and experiences run-off, then apply Molasses water towards the end of a heavy rain. Typically 1/4 cup of Molasses Per Gallon is recommended, but you can use a more concentrated solution is watering during a rain storm.

QUICK EDIT - a minute into the video, I meant to say that sulfur dioxide has anti-microbial *properties* (not bacteria)

Timestamps
--------------------------
0:00 - Intro
0:17 - Explaining Why You Shouldn't Mix Molasses With Tap Water
0:41 - Two Common Types of Molasses You Can Find at Grocery Stores and Most Online Retailers
1:39 - How Molasses Works As An Indirect Fertilizer
2:21 - Healthy Soil Microbes Are Part of Vast Ecology
3:45 - How Vegetation Works In Symbiosis with Microbes
4:43 - How Molasses Increases The Microbial Activity In Soil
5:22 - How Molasses Can Unlock Nutrients In Soil
5:42 - Two Ways To Apply Molasses To The Garden
6:37 - Applying Molasses To Compost Piles VS Directly To Garden
7:19 - The Best Time to Fertilize Your Garden With Molasses
8:26 - When NOT To Use Molasses In Your Garden
9:24 - Why You Shouldn't Foliar Feed Molasses
9:47 - Outro

#gardening

[nevilleferguson]

I spray it on my plants it also works as a insecticide it works excellent

[Garricher]

If you are in a warm area and run A/C in your house you can also use the condensation that comes out on the side of your house by a pipe usually PVC.

[westcoastbayaream.g]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge I really appreciate this have a good day cheers

[lilfazegaming]

I wish I seen this earlier but most informative video on here thank I know a lot more now

[kennyb]

Nice video and informative. I’ve been using molasses a few weeks now

[tonysufaj]

How should I mix molasses you said with rain water where am going to get rain water every day brother? And can I mix it with other nutes thanks

[crazysquirrel]

What about drawing bugs and in particular ANTS??

[daddyfixit]

This year I used down to earth amendments with mollasses and worm castings and compost to make aerated teas. Do you mind telling me what you use in veg and what you use in fower? Also any periodic feeds that differ.

[EaglesLand-gz]

Hello I have a question I'm using Em1 with non sulfer molasses and activate it for 10 and have the plants which are cacao cacao plants and persimmons plants and the soil I'm using is pro-mix mp hope you can approve this sense you sound like you know what you are doing

[McfarlandDavid]

mix a teaspoon with a gallon of water shake well and water 1 liter per plant each day, microb population will increase each day.... ur welcome!

[jamelgrant]

Love the video, very helpful! One question and apologies if its been asked already and I missed it in the comments. Im using living soil with added dry amendments (444 and 284) plus worm castings would there be any additonal added benefits to using molasses as well or do I have this covered with my dry amendments? Thanks in advance.

[Rascal.]

Out of curiosity.. Is there such a thing as too much microbes if so what negative side effects would there be if any?

[calipropane]

Good video, what cycle do you start adding molasses water?

[elsmariebeukenboom]

You mention rain water but you do not say what ratio to dilute with. I waited for that but it did not come.

[orionx]

Molasses is concentrated sap of sugar cane, If you dilute it enough, why wouldnt the plant be able to absorb that form of micronutrients in the molasses. Its literally the food for the plants that xylem cells and phloem sieve tubes transfer since its a mix xylem and phloem sap from both species.

[esgaralvarez]

Do you adjust ph level when using molasses with rain water ?

[ghettygram]

So your saying molasses has NO NPK value??

[bgeagle]

Sorry but I see no need to dechlor my water. I've grown for 30 plus years and never had a problem with my outside grows with water killing my beneficial bacterias. I also have had aquariums for 50 plus years and it's amazing the similarity's in both ecosystems!!

[EaglesLand-gz]

Marijuana is a drug I use to smoke it but I quit because it creates pressure