Need Help With Molasses Question

[John3]

I have went to every feed and seed shop in our area and could only fine one with any molasses and it was in liquid form. They had a lot of feed products where molasses had been added to the feed but no granular or liquid except for one item at one shop. It also seems no one had heard of blackstrap molasses at any of the stores.
The company is:
Evolved Habitats
product is : Heavy Molasses at 82 Brix (btw what is Brix meaning here)
I have uploaded an image of the front label but can not find the back label even at the company's site or through google images.
On the back label it says:
made from sugar cane and sugar beets
Guaranteed Analysis:
Moisture MAX 27%
Total Sugars(as invent), MIN 43%
Brix, MIN 82
Ingredients:
Molasses
Propionic Acid (preservative)
And says: Not for Human Consumption

I think it's looks ok until I read the Propionic Acid (preservative) ingredient - will this kill the Mycos?
Also what does Brix mean here (the thickness of the molasses?)

[amideutch]

John, check out this website. For a smaller quantity you can go to any supermarket and they should have Black Strap molasses in the baking section. Ami

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/rega...exTag+Campaign

Heres another link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...W&linkCode=asm

[Doug9345]

Brix is sugar percent. I don't know about the preservative.

[John3]

Originally Posted by amideutch

John, check out this website. For a smaller quantity you can got to any supermarket and they should have Black Strap molasses in the baking section. Ami

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/rega...exTag+Campaign

Heres another link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...W&linkCode=asm

Thanks Ami - I'll return the gal shown here and look for the blackstrap in the food stores.

[John3]

Originally Posted by Doug9345

Brix is sugar percent. I don't know about the preservative.

Cool learned something. Thanks Doug9345

[riceke]

Brixis the sweetness rating of a product so you can rate the different sweetners by their sweetness. It's also used in tomato terminology to mdetermine their sweetness factor.

[fortyonenorth]

Great article on molasses from the Three Little Birds: http://forum.grasscity.com/indoor-ma...ur-plants.html

They, too, recommend BSM, but suggest any molasses will work:

Any kind of molasses will work to provide benefit for soil and growing plants, but blackstrap molasses is the best choice because it contains the greatest concentration of sulfur, iron and micronutrients from the original cane material.

[augiedog55]

I went to the local walmart yesterday and went the syrup isle. They has 2 kinds , both were unsulfered. I bought ber rabbit. I come in a 12 oz bottle. I hope this kind will works. I was reading on other websites about how hard it was to get to dissolve in water. They were having to boiling water and then adding it. The product I bought was easy to get to dissolve. I just put a teaspoon in the water and stirred and it was a done deal. I put some on my plant last night and its still alive. I hope this kind of molassas works.

[b54red]

I used to use the grocery store brands but the cost was way too high so I bought a large container of the feed supplement molasses two years ago and may still have some left at the end of this season. The cost was very little since I got it in a container of around 3/12 to 4 gallons for less than 20 dollars. I have been using it more liberally than recommended on most garden sites because we are plagued with nematodes and fire ants. It has helped with both and I also add nearly a full cup to my hose end sprayer every time I apply fertilizer. The fire ants don't like it very much but the wigglers don't mind a little sweetness added to the soil and all the plants really seem to like it.

I also use it as an aid in foliage pest control as a sticker. Another use I found is using it to boost the effectiveness of Sevin when spraying squash stems for borers or maybe the borers were not as bad the last two years. Either that or they like it and consume more of it or it helps hold a little higher concentration of Sevin on the stem for longer. It also helps control ants on the okra plants.

If you find yourself using more and more like I did then you will probably save some money going with the bulk product from a feed store.

[augiedog55]

Thanks for the imfo Red. I'll use what i have and head to the feed store.

[barefootgardener]

I buy our molasses at a small town feed and grain store. I can get a gallon of unsulphered for only $2.00. We add a bit it to water and feed for our goats in the winter, and for the expectant moms, and after they have kids.

Ginny

[RayR]

I use the same Evolved Habitats molasses . I was initially concerned about the Propionic Acid preservative as I knew nothing about it.
Propionic Acid is an organic acid that is used as a mold inhibitor, it is used in foods for human consumption also and in agriculture in things like hay storage. Although it is produced synthetically, it occurs naturally in the exudes of some plant roots and is produced by some bacteria in the decomposition of wood. It seems to be used as an anti fungal in nature to suppress pathogens and as an inhibitor by bacteria in competition with some molds.
In the heavily diluted form in which we would use the molasses, I don't think it would inhibit anything much other than some types of molds.

[noinwi]

If you need only a small amount, most health food stores will have Blackstrap Molasses. I recently got 6oz for a buck, but not for my garden. Although, after reading this I might try it for that.

[augiedog55]

I just got back from the feeds store. They had a 5 gallon container . Thats to big for me. I asked if they had a one gallon container and they said they would get one in by friday.

I was in Lowes today buying mulch, and saw 1G bottles of molasses, for plants, with all their Medina ferts and other 'healthy' gardening stuff. I didn't notice the price, but if I am there in the next day or two, I will check again.