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Tipp City, Ohio

I went to the local feed mill. They sell molasses by the pound. I need to use my own container so I was wondering about how much a gallon weighs. I know milk is 8.6 lbs/gallon so I figure molasses is heavier. Is 20 cents/lb a good price?

Tom

3/4/2004 1:53:45 PM

Western Pa.

Tom,

I pay $2 a gallon. Go for it.

3/4/2004 2:04:44 PM

Montoursville, PA

I weighed one just now. Molasses full to the lid per gallon is 11 lbs. I pay a little less but lots of guys have to pay more. I could do even better buying five gallons but that is 55 lbs. to lug around.

3/4/2004 3:26:50 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Last year at the Local Feed Mill, I paid $3.25 for a five gallon pail. That comes out to .65 a gallon. There is 11.69 pounds in a gallon of Molasses.

3/4/2004 3:28:00 PM

Ann Arbor, Mi

I paid 15 cent a lb last year.

3/4/2004 4:37:02 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

Thanks for the info. I just thought it was odd to pay for a liquid by the pound and not for the number of gallons. Anyway I will be purchasing some real soon.

3/4/2004 8:45:17 PM

Wichita, KS

the cheapest "by the pound" item in the stores out here in California are bannanas, around $.55 per pound. The way I figure, $.20 per pound of ANYTHING is a steal!

3/5/2004 1:13:42 AM

Deer Park WA

The weight of molasses appears to go up proportinatly with the distance you have to haul it across the patch!

3/5/2004 2:47:08 AM

Montoursville, PA

I learned on this site that if you poke your hand down a little creature runway tunnel you may touch something squiggley and furry. If you grab it and squeeze you may have a handful of free molasses.

3/5/2004 5:49:34 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

lol. I think I would rather pay the 20 cents/lb than touch some molasses.

3/5/2004 9:19:23 PM

Mill Creek West by god Virginia

moleasses doc you kill me roflmao burrhead

3/6/2004 2:19:15 AM

Indiana

I just got 10 gallons of molasses, and it weighed 125 pounds. So that would mean 12.5 lbs per gallon. I am sure its off a little bit, but its quite a bit heavier than water.

Tom

3/9/2004 4:13:43 PM

Norton, MA

I've read 11.8-12 pounds in many places.

3/9/2004 4:18:27 PM

Indiana

tom where did you find it at?
Steve

3/9/2004 4:43:33 PM

Rocky-r@stny.rr.com

Okay, now that we know how much per pound it weighs and costs, how about application rates per sq ft? What is the norm, and when are you fellas (and ladies) putting it on the patch? In what manner are you doing it? Why are you doing it? These are some questions newer people would like to see on this site! I am an older grower, but this is my first year with molasses applications, so I need to know some of thes answers!

3/9/2004 8:36:58 PM

Eugene, OR

Good questions Rocky. I picked up 5 gallons of the stuff myself so I'm curious as well.

3/9/2004 9:04:14 PM

Taber, Alberta

Great question. I'll add another. Is there anything in my soil test that will tell me I need molasses, or does everybody need molasses?

Alan

3/9/2004 9:05:51 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Benefits of using Molasses.......
This feeds and breeds the aerobic bacteria in compost tea, and gets the beneficial species growing very well.As in growing microorganisms. Molasses also contains Sulfur which is a mild natural fungicide.
I use one tablespoon per gallon of water. To get the microorganisms working great in the spring, drench your patch as soon as you can in the spring. I also use one tablespoon of molasses per gallon of water in my sprayer and spray all the leaves on my plants twice a week. I'm not sure if the cucumber & Squash bugs hate molasses, but last year I had no bugs at all.

3/9/2004 10:05:59 PM

Montoursville, PA

My molasses treatments were 2-2-2 (two ounces of fish, two ounces of kelp and two ounces of molasses, in two gallons of water applied weekly to a 1000 sq. ft. patch. My applications were 90% foliar with about 10% run off to the patch.

In the early spring on manure that is not quite finished and leaves that need a little help I used Symbex (AGRO-K PROCUCT)AND PUSHED MY BASIC 2-2-2 as above to 4X or 8-8-8 ounces of the three products added to the Symbex. Three applications two weeks apart got me out of trouble and into a patch that looked, smelled and performed very nicely.

I found it was easier to get a good spray material by using hot water to dilute the kelp and molasses...adding the fish and Symbex last.

3/9/2004 10:25:55 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

PGPGA, Now if your interested in using Molasses, then maybe you should using Apple Cider Vinegar in your patch this year too. Your probably scratching your head and asking yourself ,why would PumpkinBrat be telling me to use Vinegar in my patch.......

3/9/2004 10:35:47 PM

Montoursville, PA

I also use aerobic compost tea. Molasses is used to feed the bacteria in the final hours of the batch making time period. This pushes the bacteria to their highest possible level per temperature, available oxygen,quality of aerobic tea making compost and other additives. You may read all about the making of aerobic teas and the machine that makes the tea at the North Country Organics Site.

Between the tea, the kelp and AGRO-K Vigor Cal-Phos I had very little mill dew last year. My total fungicide treatments came down to two seven days apart at the very end of the season.

3/9/2004 10:36:40 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

Doc,

They paying you commission up at North Country Organics?

LOL!

3/10/2004 1:03:44 AM

Long Island,New York

Ok...so apple cider vinegar and molasses....mixed with kelp and sprayed on pumpkin leaves.....sounds like Martha's already getting into the groove of "using whats available " in the bighouse... Id use balsamic and eliminate the need for the molasses, you get the sweet from there....... apparently we ARE making salad, not pumpkins......

3/10/2004 9:11:12 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

No. We're making salad. We're making a great place for the pumpkins to grow. Making the the best soil in your patch....

3/10/2004 11:15:07 AM

huntsburg,ohio

I don't know G.I used molasses last year.Must of been salad I was growing.Maybe them were really tomatos not pumpkins.Jerry

3/10/2004 11:19:06 AM

Montoursville, PA

]:o) you could heist those little blue and pink synthetic sweeteners from Starbucks when pick up the used coffee grounds. You can tell the employee you are sure Starbucks did not intend you to make second hand coffee without a good sweetener to goes with. No use to use natural products when you can get synthetics free. If it affects your worms the way it affects me you will generate a lot of worm casts our planners overloooked.

3/10/2004 5:41:55 PM

Western Pa.

Doc,

I'll bet Starbucks really LOVES you!

3/10/2004 10:09:46 PM

Montoursville, PA

We just had a guy try to go for a $1.00 a coffee go belly up because this town stands in line for the gas station .69 cents to go. Starbucks could'nt draw a breath here. We just got our dial teles and a school nurse that wispers sex wisdom to the seniors the week before graduation. My EXXON Station saves me the coffee grounds. Hottest spot this end of town.

3/10/2004 10:49:51 PM

Rocky-r@stny.rr.com

You northeastern PA boys really know how to live! haahaa.. Around here it is the dandy minimarts that love us and it is 59 cent refills if you have one of thier cups!

Do you compost the coffee grounds first or direct the grounds right to the soil in the patch?

3/11/2004 12:18:33 AM