Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Mar 11, 2009 7:38 pm Well I always go on about it so here is a kind of how to on how to use it Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ ^Here is what you need, A hose, watering can, Molasses Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ ^ Gloop the Molasses into the watering can so you cover about half to 3/4 of the bottom. Please don't get too fussy on the exact measure. I don't Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ ^ Fill with water slowly. If you agitate it too much it will foam up a bit but that is fine ^ I like to put a bit in first and swish it a round a bit to dissolve some of it. Then apply it to the plants, over the leaves but it is what this does to the soil that is the most important. If you have fancy pavers then rinse them down after because the iron content in the molasses can stain. I get it on the pavers as I do the garden when mixing and just rinse it down after I have finished and it has never stained. Of course mixing it up on the lawn is better. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ ^After it is finished you have this on the bottom, so repeat the process until it is all gone Molasses is very very good on lawns and also any veggie crops susceptible to nematodes ( a microscopic worm that attacks the roots). Lawns often are as well. Queens garden here in WA uses it and so do many commercial orchardists. Molasses has returned unprofitable pawpaw crops back to very productive crops. It has ensured one of this states best citrus growers continues as just that. (he got me onto it ) The use of molasses has been the topic of discussion at a few turf grower seminars in Australia. What does it do? Well it sends the soils micro flora and fauna absolutely nuts. This becomes a natural defence for nastys. It also makes more nutrients available to the plant and is a natural chelating agent for iron which is commonly deficient in plants. (That means it helps the plant without using man made alternatives which can harm the soils biology) Most people respond with bags of fertiliser to combat these issues but in reality these products kill off many of the soils micro flora and fauna, the very things that truly make for healthy plants. Increadible stuff that is cheap as to buy. It doesn't need to be used all the time either. Just 4-6 times a year is all. Edit> For suppliers check this growing list and if you find somewhere not on it can you please add to it for us all numbers too where possible would be good viewtopic.php?f=19&t=32608 Re: Molasses and how to use it 3Mar 11, 2009 8:10 pm Thats really interesting and I hadn't heard of that before. Re: Molasses and how to use it 4Mar 11, 2009 10:02 pm I tell you what, not many have and there is very few in horticulture that have any training or experience with it. This is something that is happening most likely due to molasses being cheap and not having a horticultural corporation with a vested interest in it. (like milk on your roses ) They don't get anything out of it.
Where do you get it? well from stock feeders or agricutural suppliers. Horses love it and so do cattle There are universities around the world studying the affects of molasses on soil structure and plant health. I may be wrong but I think UWA here in Perth is? I have found loads of info to back up my experiences and what I have been told about it. The example on the Paw Paws was based from a trial done in Hawaii (? or somewhere like that ) on a paw paw plantation on a section of the plantation marked to be removed. On vineyards and orchards they run it through the irrigation. ...and no it doesn't attract ants when diluted in water. It will if you leave the lid off though. Oh and don't dilute water into it and then store it because it will ferment and stink like sick and maybe go bang yuck just store it neat and it will be fine Re: Molasses and how to use it 5Mar 11, 2009 11:11 pm I feed molasses all the time to the horses - it makes for lovely shiney coats .
The thing is that the ant's and other insects love the stuff, wouldn't it be all sticky and ant loveable in the garden ?. EDIT: Ignore me, I've re-read fu manchu's post. Ok going to try it tomorrow and see how it goes. Building Upside down house in Wantirna VIC Current Stage: Procrastination... it's just all too hard.... Blog: http://thereluctantbuilder.blogspot.com/ Re: Molasses and how to use it 6Mar 11, 2009 11:52 pm Great post fu - Will let my dad know to fix his nematode issues for him in the vegie garden.
And so long as OZ has a sugar cane industry we should be fine for supplies of low cost molasses. Re: Molasses and how to use it 7Mar 12, 2009 6:29 am ozkarnak I feed molasses all the time to the horses - it makes for lovely shiney coats . Me too. My ponies LURV it. I give them a syringe full before they get their yucky worming paste........ Just love the smell of it. Never thought of using it on the garden. Thanks Fu Life's too short too drink bad wine Re: Molasses and how to use it 8May 31, 2009 8:16 pm Hi again Fu! I've got my molasses all ready to go. Just a couple of questions if you don't mind... 1. do you fill the watering can up to the top after half covering bottom of it with molasses? (9L watering can) 2. any tips for getting the molasses out of the bucket? (my container doesn't have a spout like yours in the picture) 3. does molasses have an expiry date? I have WAY too much of it if it only has to be used every 6 months I'll have this lot for years hopefully! "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Molasses and how to use it 9May 31, 2009 8:46 pm 1. You can fill it as much as you like I fill it to about where it nearly comes out the spout. But it isn't too important. 2. Use a ladle or old cup to scoop it into the watering can. Better still is filling a smaller container with the molasses so you can pour it. Use a funnel to get it in 3. Not too sure on the expiry date, I never encountered it. You can use it more often than every 6 months, especially on turf. On lawn you can use it every month. Fill it up over the lawn or the garden. If you mix / fill over pavers, rinse them off with the hose. Re: Molasses and how to use it 10May 31, 2009 8:56 pm Cool thanks Fu. Hope the weather holds up tomorrow so I can get it done. "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Molasses and how to use it 11May 31, 2009 8:58 pm WHAT! Holds up! That is the best time to get out in the garden! In the rain Re: Molasses and how to use it 12May 31, 2009 9:11 pm hmmm maybe one day! Not that enthusiastic about gardening just yet Fu! "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Molasses and how to use it 13May 31, 2009 11:56 pm Good tips Fu. Might have to try this as well as the seasol in the roundup. I imagine the molasses would make the garden smell sweet too! Re: Molasses and how to use it 14Jun 01, 2009 12:20 am It sure does. I was put onto it by an Italian bloke who grows fruit trees the old way. I did some of my own research on it and also found others who use it commercially in nursery irrigation. It was also the subject of a turf management talk some time ago here in Perth. On the seasol thing, try it for yourself three ways to experiment with it. Choose the same weed type or patch of turf you want dead. try glypho on its own, then glypho and urea (teaspoon as is sometimes recommended) and glypho and seasol. I can tell you which will be most effective Re: Molasses and how to use it 15Jun 01, 2009 10:31 am I've had tubs of molasses for years and they hold up ok (to the point that I'm happy to feed it to my horses) so I wouldn't worry about a used by date. Building Upside down house in Wantirna VIC Current Stage: Procrastination... it's just all too hard.... Blog: http://thereluctantbuilder.blogspot.com/ Re: Molasses and how to use it 16Jun 01, 2009 10:38 am oh great thanks ozkarnak I just did it (put it on the garden that is) and I only used the teeniest amount of the (feels like) 25kg that is in the bucket "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Molasses and how to use it 17Jun 01, 2009 12:09 pm Ok, I learned something new!! Molasses in the garden! We used to give Molasses in warm water to the goats as a tonic and they would go nuts for it. And my nutter of a mother even has a hot drink with it sometimes. Just mix with hot water. Re: Molasses and how to use it 18Jun 01, 2009 5:30 pm Some technical related info on molasses and it's use in agriculture and horticulture including turf management. http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/horticulture/5406.html http://www.optimaagriculture.com.au/for ... ses_ds.pdf http://www.harc-hspa.com/Publications/VEG3.pdf http://www.turfnet.com/view_news.php?obj_id=254 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/new ... fgrass.htm Re: Molasses and how to use it 19Mar 02, 2010 9:50 pm This I find very interesting for WA folks that have a heap of coastal brown ants. These are treated with the same stuff fire ants are treated with so I wonder if this will work? This is a copy of something I found online... Quote: I’ve used molasses successfully to not only keep fireants out of my Texas lawn but to also increase the quality of my soil, lawn and garden. I apply granulated dried molasses at a rate of 25-50lbs per 1000 sq ft but I’ve heard that diluting liquid molasses in water and spraying on your lawn works well too and may have added benefits. Molasses is a powerful carbon (sugar) source that really kicks up the overall number of microorganisms in your soil. The microbes in soil feed on hydrocarbon chains, of which sugar. This increase in microbial activity and competition upsets the fireants somehow and they move out to more sterile locations. Re: Molasses and how to use it 20Mar 11, 2010 9:27 pm Fantastic to find a complex, naturally-derived soil conditioner, which incidentally is a waste product (yay efficient use of resources!). Have CSIRO cottoned on to this stuff yet? I smell ripe funding opportunities for research That sucks! Hope it all works out. 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