Sugar, moleasses, simple sugars to improve soil life.

[Chuck]

I understand the sugars are feeding the microbes (soil) and not the plant. I was planning on using table sugar in my compost pile and running it through my driplines to feed my soil and I guess Im trying to work out some numbers to see what to use.

But after reading this I'm on the fence about the dripline and plants ideal. Maybe that is what killed Medowlarks plants, large amounts. Smaller amounts aren't likely to kill a plant such as in Chucks case. Looks like a double edged sword. I don't see any problem using it in a compost pile to help it break down faster.

Meadowlark and I use basically the same amount of molasses and with the exception of my using large amounts (1 1/2 cups) every 2 weeks to kill nutsedge. Why would you want to use table sugar instead of molasses?.. Table sugar has very little if any mineral content whereas molasses has all kinds. As far a either one going through a drip system I can see no problem just as long as you purge the system after running the stuff through it.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Why would you want to use table sugar instead of molasses?..

I guess you live in a country where they refine cane sugar, so molasses is cheap. Over here it is a speciality and roughly ten times the price of refined sugar.

 

[Chuck]

I guess you live in a country where they refine cane sugar, so molasses is cheap. Over here it is a speciality and roughly ten times the price of refined sugar.

I understand the sugars are feeding the microbes (soil) and not the plant. I was planning on using table sugar in my compost pile and running it through my driplines to feed my soil and I guess Im trying to work out some numbers to see what to use.

But after reading this I'm on the fence about the dripline and plants ideal. Maybe that is what killed Medowlarks plants, large amounts. Smaller amounts aren't likely to kill a plant such as in Chucks case. Looks like a double edged sword. I don't see any problem using it in a compost pile to help it break down faster.

I believe I was asking a question for a member who lives in Tennessee, USA. And isn't molasses also made from sugar beets, which if I am not mistaken, grows very well in parts of England and sugar is also produced commercially?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I don't know about the production stages of beet sugar, but a pound of molasses is £3.50p, a kilo of white sugar (2.2 pounds) is 80p. It is crazy really, it must always be a step less refining, I guess it is just down to quantity sold, I appreciate Yum Yum is in the US. just as an example really.

 

[Chuck]

I don't know about the production stages of beet sugar, but a pound of molasses is £3.50p, a kilo of white sugar (2.2 pounds) is 80p. It is crazy really, it must always be a step less refining, I guess it is just down to quantity sold, I appreciate Yum Yum is in the US. just as an example really.

Molasses is a byproduct of sugar refining. They take the sugar cane or sugar beets and crush them to extract the juice and then boil it to form the sugar crystals. They then remove the sugar crystals and the left over stuff is molasses. They then refine the molasses into different grades of molasses. The first grade is used as cattle feed and that is the grade of molasses you want for agricultural purposes. Further refining is for different grades of molasses for human consumption. So, where ever they make refined sugar there will be more molasses than actual sugar.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

That's better, tried googling 'molasses for cattle feed', 5 litres £7.90p. I hadn't made the connection, but of course farmers use it in silage production.

 

[YumYum]

Why would you want to use table sugar instead of molasses?.. Table sugar has very little if any mineral content whereas molasses has all kinds. As far a either one going through a drip system I can see no problem just as long as you purge the system after running the stuff through it.

I wasn't sure molasses will run through the lines or not and I don't have any molasses. I'm interested in feeding the microbes and not really for the micronutrients.

 

[Chuck]

I wasn't sure molasses will run through the lines or not and I don't have any molasses. I'm interested in feeding the microbes and not really for the micronutrients.

Molasses diluted to these proportions is just like water. I would purge the lines after each sugar or molasses applications to avoid a buildup.

 

[DirtMechanic]

@Meadowlark why is march 1 on my calendar with your handle? 5 foot rebar challenge?

 

[Meadowlark]

You are asking me why my handle is on your calendar? I certainly did not put it there


On second thought, you might want to check back on your reminder re rebar challenge ....

I put a reminder in my calendar. Haha I called it the rebar challenge! Its #3 rebar is that ok?

That was the famous claim you made " In dry years when I spray the garden I can run a 5 foot rebar into the ground with one hand by the time the summer garden has gone away."

This 5 ft one hand garden miracle was in clay soil...an act which I attempted but could not duplicate.... not even close to 5ft.

 

[DirtMechanic]

You are asking me why my handle is on your calendar? I certainly did not put it there


On second thought, you might want to check back on your reminder re rebar challenge ....



That was the famous claim you made " In dry years when I spray the garden I can run a 5 foot rebar into the ground with one hand by the time the summer garden has gone away."

This 5 ft one hand garden miracle was in clay soil...an act which I attempted but could not duplicate.... not even close to 5ft.

I was thinking that maybe it was time to check and see if you had been continuously applying molasses and if so what you had found longer term.

 

[Meadowlark]

The only thing I found was very strange...onions growing in the molasses saturated location froze out 100% vs onions planted without molasses that froze out at about 20-30% during a polar vortex event. I replanted those and will harvest in May.

Other than that, nothing to report.

 

[Nasir]

I see you guys post about using these to improve soil life. I have also seen something about adding newspapers.

I have some places that are compacted red clay with seemingly no life. I mean worms and bugs as I can't see microbes. Hasn't been dug up in decades. Even with all of the rains, water didn't even seem to penetrate but it is on a slight hill. This is an area I plan on planting some more blackberry bushes.

How much sugar per gallon of water is ideal?
How much, how long?
Should the soil be tilled first as I'm pretty sure air is at its minimum in this area?

Sugar can be used as a food source to encourage the growth of microorganisms in the soil, which can help to improve soil health. However, it's important to use sugar in moderation, as too much can be harmful to plants and soil.

For a gallon of water, you can use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar. Mix the sugar and water well until the sugar is completely dissolved. You can apply this solution to the soil by pouring it onto the soil surface or spraying it as a foliar application.

It's not necessary to till the soil before applying the sugar water. In fact, tilling can disturb the soil structure and harm beneficial organisms living in the soil. Instead, you can simply pour the sugar water onto the soil surface and let it soak in.

In addition to using sugar water, you can also try adding organic matter to the soil, such as compost or leaf mold, to improve soil structure and promote the growth of microorganisms. Adding newspaper can also help to improve soil structure by providing a source of organic matter that can be broken down by soil microorganisms over time. Simply lay the newspaper over the soil surface and cover it with a layer of mulch. Over time, the newspaper will break down and add organic matter to the soil.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Adding newspaper can also help to improve soil structure by providing a source of organic matter that can be broken down by soil microorganisms over time. Simply lay the newspaper over the soil surface and cover it with a layer of mulch. Over time, the newspaper will break down and add organic matter to the soil.

Fifty years ago when I planted beans I would dig a trench and line it with newspaper, not now. Modern paper nearly all has a percentage of plastic in it, the paper will rot, the plastic won't, the garden will become more and more polluted. I suppose it might be all right in an ornamental garden, the plastic is going to end up somewhere, but I don't want micro-plastic in my veg. patch.