How To Use Molasses To Grow Better Cannabis Buds

If you grow your own cannabis, then you’re probably always looking for new and innovative ways to grow larger, healthier, and sticker buds.

If you’re looking to do this, then one thing you should try is adding molasses to the plant as it grows.

Molasses is used by many cannabis cultivators to encourage the development of larger buds.

Molasses or other types of sugar are frequently used in cannabis cultivation because not only is it very cheap, but it’s also simple to use.

Molasses isn’t only used in the cannabis industry though, in fact, it has been used by farmers for a long time as a way to improve the growth of a wide variety of crops.

If you’re on the fence about adding molasses to your cannabis plants, then keep reading to find out all of the benefits that this can give your plants, as well as exactly how to use it to get the best results possible.

What Is Molasses?

Molasses is a dark, sweet, syrupy byproduct that is created during the process of extracting sugar from sugarcane and sugar beets. Molasses can be either black or lighter in color.

Molasses has a long and storied history in regions such as the Southern United States and the Caribbean, where sugarcane and sugar beets are grown extensively.

During the early part of the 20th century in the United States, it was one of the most often used sweeteners; however, its use in culinary applications has since gone down a bit.

Molasses is commonly used in holiday baked products such as gingerbread, barbecue sauce, baked beans, and other foods that can make use of the concentrated sweetness that molasses offers.

Aside from this, molasses is commonly used in the agricultural industry as it provides many benefits to the plants and the soil they grow in.

Benefits Of Using Molasses – Quick Answer

Molasses offers several benefits to the cannabis plant itself, including an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide available in the soil for the plant to soak up, the prevention of salt buildup and nutrient lockout, a decrease in the number of insects that attack the cannabis plant (as molasses is a natural pesticide), and ultimately cannabis buds that are 10–20 percent larger.

What is the expected yield of a single cannabis plant?

Only Use Sulfer-Free Molasses!

Before you go out and buy molasses for your plant, you need to be sure you’re getting the right thing.

Because feeding the microorganisms in your soil is the sole reason for using molasses, you must use only molasses that has not been treated with sulfur.

Because sulfur dioxide, an element in “sulfured” molasses, can eliminate bacteria, you should avoid putting it in your soil if you want to keep it healthy.

Benefits Of Using Molasses In Cannabis Growth

1. Feeds Bacteria In The Soil

Molasses is used in cannabis cultivation because it helps feed the bacteria in the soil.

Molasses enhances the quality of the growth environment and nourishes the soil, both of which are necessary for cannabis plants to produce large buds.

The sugar is broken down into carbohydrates by the soil, which in turn feed the bacteria needed for growth.

After this, the bacteria in the soil produce carbon dioxide (CO2), which your plants then soak up and use to help them grow stronger and taller.

We know that when there is a large colony of helpful bacteria in the soil, which is known as rhizobacteria, plants can grow to their full potential.

According to the findings of a study that was carried out at Colorado State University, the addition of Mammoth P, which is a type of soil bacteria, resulted in cannabis plants that were larger, more robust, and produced 16.5% more output!

Molasses sweetener serves as nourishment for the beneficial soil microorganisms. Because of this, we advise combining molasses with rhizobacteria or living soil to grow the best plants possible

Can I Use Molasses If I’m Not Growing In Soil?

Molasses can still be used even if the plant is grown in a soil-free environment, but if you’re growing in this way then you will have to add rhizobacteria because it will not be naturally present in non-soil-growing mediums.

2. Works As A Natural Pesticide

Molasses can also be used as an organic insecticide thanks to its ability to effectively kill insects. Sugar is toxic to the bodies of insects because insect digestive systems are unable to absorb it.

3. Fills The Soil With Nutrients

Molasses is a source of the micronutrients sulfur and iron, both of which are favorable to the growth of plants and can be found in the molasses.

Chlorophyll production can be helped along by sulfur and iron in equal measure. Additionally, enzymes are better able to do their jobs when the iron is present.

Still, even while sulfur is necessary for plant growth, you should only buy sulfur-free molasses as you don’t want to overrun the soil with this nutrient.

4. Boosts Soil Structure

Molasses has been shown to improve the structure of the soil, making it more able to retain water.

Although this may be beneficial, you don’t want the soil to become saturated with water for too long as this can drown the plant.

For this reason, it’s crucial to only use the recommended amount of molasses, which is anywhere from one to four teaspoons for every gallon of water.

5. Reduces Risk Of Nutrient Lockout

The use of chemical nutrients might lead to an accumulation of salt in your soil, which causes a phenomenon known as “nutrient lockup.” Essentially, your soil becomes overloaded with salt, meaning that nothing else can grow in this soil.

If you notice that your plants are not growing well, the pH of the soil may have become unbalanced, and your cannabis plants could be suffering from nutrient lockup, which is very often a plant killer.

Does Molasses Make Cannabis Buds Taste Sweeter?

Molasses is never actually ingested by the cannabis plant; rather, its sole purpose is to act as a fertilizer for the soil.

Because of this, it’s a bit difficult to know whether adding molasses will make cannabis buds sweeter, even though many growers swear that it does.

As people have different taste palates, certain growers may likely believe that it affects the flavor, which could be where this rumor started.

But with no concrete proof either way, the debate as to whether molasses makes cannabis buds sweeter rages on in the growing community.

How And When To Apply Molasses To Cannabis Plants

To use molasses properly, you should make up a mixture that is typically one to four teaspoons for every gallon of water.

However, the real dose will depend on the molasses you use and how many plants you’ll be applying it to, so it can be a bit difficult to give an exact measurement.

You can give your cannabis plants water that has been infused with molasses at any stage of plant growth, but you will get the greatest benefits if you do so during the flowering phase.

Still, molasses should be used at all stages of plant growth if you are cultivating soil bacteria since it feeds the microbes and helps the plant thrive.

However, molasses will not be beneficial to the cannabis plant during the vegetative phase if soil bacteria have not been used; therefore, you should only apply it during the flowering phase of the plant’s life cycle.

Here is how much molasses you should be using for each stage of cannabis plant development.

Molasses In The Vegetative Phase

If you are cultivating plants with the assistance of soil microbes, you need to add one tablespoon of un-sulfured blackstrap molasses for every gallon of water.

Molasses will maintain a healthy population of rhizobacteria, which in turn will maintain a healthy cannabis plant.

Molasses contains more potassium than any other macronutrient, and soil that is rich in potassium will be useful in increasing a cannabis plant’s resilience to disease-causing organisms.

Molasses In The Flowering Phase

During the flowering stage of cannabis growth, molasses will be utilized by both the cannabis plant and the bacteria in the soil.

During the flowering phase, you can use one to two tablespoons of un-sulfured blackstrap molasses per gallon of water. This can be done at any time.

During the flowering stage, there seems to be much debate as to how much molasses you should use.

The standard seems to be two tablespoons for every gallon of water, but some growers use anywhere from one to four tablespoons per gallon.

Because molasses is organic and does not contain as much concentrated nutrition as chemical nutrients, you have a lot more leeway to adjust the dosage without putting your cannabis plants at risk of being harmed.

If you are working with liters of water rather than gallons of water, the rate of conversion would be approximately one-fourth of a tablespoon of molasses for every liter of water.

If you are unable to measure in small amounts, you should create a liter and then pour the required amount into a spray bottle or cup of water.

How Often Do You Feed Cannabis Plants Molasses?

Molasses can be given to the plant with each watering, and the recommended amount is one to two tablespoons per gallon of water.

It is recommended that you keep an eye on the pH level of your soil while doing this so you don’t change it too much.

You should stop using molasses on your plants around one to two weeks before you plan to harvest the cannabis buds.

Does Molasses Affect The Nutrient NPK Levels Or The pH Of The Soil?

All fertilizers have an NPK value, which is made up of three numbers. NPK stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (chemical symbol K).

Molasses has an NPK value that is roughly equivalent to 1-0-5, however, this number can fluctuate slightly between different kinds of molasses.

Because of this, molasses will affect the levels of NPK in your fertilizers as well as the pH of your soil.

Molasses has the potential to increase the potassium content of the soil or nutrient mix that you use.

Molasses has extra potassium, which cannabis plants need during the blooming period to contribute to larger, heavier buds.

During the flowering phase, you should use anything from one to four tablespoons of molasses per gallon of water. This should be done every several days to give the soil a much-needed boost in nutrients.

Because of this, you should make it a habit to check the pH of your soil on a regular basis because molasses has the potential to alter the soil’s pH.

Is It Safe To Mix Molassess And Other Nutrients In One Pot?

Molasses can, in fact, be combined with a variety of other nutritional components.

If you are using additional nutrients, we would recommend keeping the dose level closer to 1 tablespoon per gallon so that you do not overfeed your cannabis plants.

If you’re only going to be utilizing molasses, the dosage can be adjusted more freely than if you were also using other ingredients.

Can I Use Dry Molasses?

Absolutely! Just make sure that it does not contain any sulfites. Dry molasses are pellets or other growing mediums that are covered in molasses and added to the soil, giving you the same benefits as liquid molasses.

Can Other Sugars Be Used In Cannabis Growth?

Growers of cannabis have been known to experiment with alternatives to molasses, such as various sugars that decompose in the soil, and give many of the same benefits to the plants as molasses does.

Sweeteners like corn syrup, agave syrup, and honey are often used as nutrient boosters in cannabis cultivation.

Still, molasses is, without a doubt, the superior choice among all of the organic sweet nutrients that you could use when growing cannabis plants.

Mollassses is a favorite among growers because it contains a greater concentration of micronutrients than other types of sugars or sweeteners.

You are free to experiment with other kinds of sugar, but keep in mind that the cannabis plants you’re growing won’t be able to absorb these sugars.

Their sole purpose is to be broken down into carbohydrates by the soil, which in turn provides food for the bacteria in the soil.

Unfortunately, like with molasses, honey or agave syrup won’t cause your buds to take on this sweeter flavor.

Summary

Molasses is a very useful addition to any cannabis grower’s arsenal. This sweeter is able to fill your soil with all of the nutrients that any plant needs to grow strong and healthy.

Molasses also have many other uses and benefits, such as being a natural pesticide, can prevent a nutrient lockout, and boosting the structure of your soil.

Be sure when buying molasses that you’re getting a sulfur-free one, as while this nutrient is important to plant growth, too much can have the opposite effect and actually can kill off your plants.

If you’re thinking about adding molasses to your cannabis plants, you don’t need to use much.

Check out the guide above for more exact numbers, but typically 1-3 tablespoons of molasses per gallon of water will be enough to give your cannabis plants a boost.