Hey all, So I'm in the midst of my first indoor grow and wanted to share a great homemade Cal-Mag recipe I came across and tweaked to my liking. I perfected this out of necessity - a spontaneous mag deficiency triggered a calcium deficiency after treatment and I needed a way to rectify both problems and couldn't find a store carrying cal-mag. Hope this helps you guys save a few bucks and organically help out your plants! *RECIPE* Ingredients - 5 or more eggshells (washed) [for calcium] - 1 tablespoon Epsom salt [for magnesium] - PH neutral water - 1 tablespoon Blackstrap "unsulfured" molasses (not required) [helps sweeten buds] - empty 1 liter bottle - coffee grinder - baking tray - funnel (if you have one) Step 1: Fill a pot with one liter of water and bring to a boil. Place eggshells in the water and boil for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Step 2: Remove eggshells from water and place on a baking tray lined with foil, making sure to save the water you boiled the eggshells in. Place eggshells in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit and bake until shells are dry (about 10 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool. Step 3: Place cooled eggshells in a clean, washed coffee bean grinder. Work in batches if need be and grind eggshells until they are a smooth powder (similar to baking soda). Once all of the shells have been ground to a powder, put the eggshell powder back in the pot of water you saved from boiling the eggshells. Stir. Step 4: Put 1 tablespoon Epsom salt into the water/eggshell-powder mixture. Stir until Epsom salt has dissolved (the eggshell powder will remain and won't dissolve. Step 5: Pour the water mixture (use funnel if necessary) into an empty, clean 1 liter bottle (or any sealable bottle of similar size). To help sweeten buds and add necessary sugar, at this step I add 1 tablespoon of Blackstrap Molasses (unsulfured, I use the common "Grandma" brand sold at most supermarkets). Once you have added the molasses, close the bottle and shake vigourously until your mixture is an even brown liquid. Step 6: Pour this mixture onto soil during your regular watering schedule to help any calcium/magnesium deficiency. Hope this helped someone! I've used this recipe multiple times on my outdoor grows and on my current indoor grow and it works every time! Saved me money on cal-mag! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Very true, Blackstrap Molasses does contain small amounts of calcium, iron, potassium, etc., but usually not enough on its own in my experience to do a ton for the plant suffering cal-mag deficiencies. I feel the Epsom salt and eggshells gets me much more of the desired calcium/magnesium...much higher levels then I would see from using solely molasses I would imagine. I primarily use molasses for its possible positive effects in bud development, taste, and, more importantly, to help feed beneficial bacteria in the soil. But for sure, if molasses works as a Cal-Mag alternative on its own for you, skip the extra steps! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Absolutely molasses shouldn't be entirely depended on if you're worried about a possible deficiency of cal mag. Some different brands are more nutritious than others. For example, Wholesome molasses contains 4 - 5 x more cal mag than Grandma's.
I am uncertain of the types of sulfurs in molasses and the concentration, but I do know my GO Bloom contains sulfur, that is meant to increase terpene productions, so I am also unsure if sulfured molasses would be a bad thing, though I use unsulphured...
I figured as my other nutes contain sulfur I wouldn't risk the additional sulfur and would get unsulphured molasses. Haven't had any problems so why change now lol. Seems as though people on other threads are recommending the same. I figure if I can make it from shit I have lying around the house, then why waste money on cal-mag. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Didn't know sulfur increased terpene production. Wonder why everyone seems to recommend unsulphured molasses? Dammit now I need to research...another late night for ya boy! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Because one stoner recommended using unsulfured molasses 20 years ago and now everyone that uses it seems to think they need to do the same. J Read here: Why do plants need SULFUR?? - Dave's Garden
True, the jury is still out on whether molasses has beneficial effects for taste and odor. Regardless, molasses is commonly used in gardening circles to help feed bio-activity in the soil (as well as containing numerous positive nutrients). Additionally, Blackstrap molasses is high in calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. It also contains sulfur and a ton of micronutrients (not to mention beneficial sugars!) "Using molasses as fertilizer provides plants with a quick source of energy and encourages the growth of beneficial microorganisms." Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Using molasses for gardening goes back long before stoners. We've just adapted it to our cause! And here's a great quote I found on why we use unsulphured: "Sulphured Molasses has sulfur in it, yet it doesn't say whether it is plain sulfur, sulfite, sulfate, Sulfur Dioxide, or something completely different. Each of those sulfur presences will react differently in chemical environments. By being sulfured by adding sulfur dioxide (which is a preservative and has anti-microbial properties, also added to wine to halt or limit fermentation) you would sterilize that molasses and lighten its color. This is done when companies make molasses out of immature sugar cane, and the product needs help in the refining process. Sulfur Dioxide is added to lighten its color and to extend shelf life. That sulfur is bad for your soil microbes. It will kill them, as it is designed to do. Blackstrap unsulphured molasses is the thickest form of molasses, the darkest, and the most dense in terms of minerals." Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sulfur and not the molasses itself will aid in terpene production - so why use unsulfured molasses then? As far as "feeding microbes" if you want to do that then feed them something useful like kelp. Molasses for Plants - Garden Myths J
Did you read what I just quoted bro? The sulfur in sulphured molasses is a different type of sulfur than that used in garden nutrients. Two different things. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
""Sulphured Molasses has sulfur in it, yet it doesn't say whether it is plain sulfur, sulfite, sulfate, Sulfur Dioxide, or something completely different. Each of those sulfur presences will react differently in chemical environments. By being sulfured by adding sulfur dioxide (which is a preservative and has anti-microbial properties, also added to wine to halt or limit fermentation) you would sterilize that molasses and lighten its color. This is done when companies make molasses out of immature sugar cane, and the product needs help in the refining process. Sulfur Dioxide is added to lighten its color and to extend shelf life. That sulfur is bad for your soil microbes. It will kill them, as it is designed to do." Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
"sulfur is bad for your soil microbes. It will kill them, as it is designed to do." I call bull. Show me something not from a stoner website. In my days of using molasses I did not use unsulfured molasses and you can trust me that it didn't hurt my plants. It also wasn't a magic elixir. J
This isn't a debate forum. Use it or don't, up to you. I have never claimed it was a magic elixir, simply that blackstrap molasses has been used for ages in gardening for its beneficial properties. This post was simply a recipe for a beneficial alternative to cal-mag for those who prefer making their own nutrients. I'm not going to debate the merits of using a substance that's been proven beneficial. If you want to use kelp or what have you, then by all means. However I don't have kelp lying around in my baking cabinet. Molasses on the other hand... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
A "non-stoner" gardening website "Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane or sugar beets into sugar. Sulfured molasses is made from young sugar cane. Sulfur dioxide, which acts as a preservative, is added during the sugar extraction process. Unsulfured molasses is made from mature sugar cane, which does not require such treatment. There are three grades of molasses: mild or Barbados, also known as first molasses; dark, or second molasses; and blackstrap. The third boiling of the sugar syrup makes blackstrap molasses. The majority of sucrose from the original juice has been crystallized and removed. The calorie content of blackstrap molasses is still mostly from the small remaining sugar content. However, unlike refined sugars, it contains trace amounts of vitamins and significant amounts of several minerals. Blackstrap molasses is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the USDA daily value of each of those nutrients. Molasses is a very valuable addition to the compost pile, as well as to the garden itself. Unsulfured blackstrap is the preferred variety, due to the mineral content, but any of the UNSULPHURED ones will do fine. The benefits beyond the minerals are the natural sugar content that will feed the microorganisms in the compost or soil of the garden." Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Of course it is! Lol The last thing I'd do is take it personal. My point is simply that if you're going to use molasses that it doesn't need to be unsulfured. But of course GC is a debate forum for open discussion. J