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Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I have on my desk a new experimental organic fertilizer.

9-0-1 (9% Water Insoluble Organic Nitrogen)

It is a true fluid. It passes the finest screen I have here.

Derived from: "Concentrate of suagr beet molasses fermented with wheat and soy protien."

I see potential here as an early season growth kicker as well as an addition to teas.

I've never seen anything quite like this. Comments?

7/6/2006 7:57:09 PM

Butler, Ohio

WOW....sounds potent

7/6/2006 8:17:41 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Not quite sure ...Geeze Steve...We all nod our heads but some of us,like me, are not sure what ya mean..would love to add nitrogen if it doesn't raise the salts like urea...but always scared of nitrogen come flower time.

7/6/2006 9:48:42 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

No salts Chuck. It really is unique.

7/6/2006 10:32:16 PM

Phoenix, AZ

What is the name of it?

7/7/2006 1:01:05 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

I guess the N is coming from the soy,I wonder if its anything to do with Brewers grains effluent,there is another sugar beet by product called Vinasse which is 35%K,never seen it mentioned on this site its a constituent of the 4-2-6 liquid feed I'm using.

7/7/2006 3:25:34 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

PHC (Plant Health Care) is developing this material. As yet there is none available to ship & the trade name might change so I'll keep it under wraps for now.

I know that Beet Molasses is often used by organic farmers much the same as Black Strap Molasses. Other research indicates it is used in ACT production.

This material seems to be a fermentation product whereby the proteins were utilized to produce the Nitrogen in the finished product.

I see uses for this in Arboriculture. An estate I've been working with was previously cared for by an arborist who relied exclusively on ACT. The number of large trees moved onto the estate is staggering. Where the soils had high %OM the trees responded well. But where fills were used, the trees are dying right, left & sideways. The former arborist stubbornly refused to use anything with Nitrogen. He wouldn't even try dry blood. He's been thrown out on his butt.

The Hedge Fund owning client still wants organic sources but has finally realized (tissue analysis vs. soiil tests) that teas & mycorrhyzal innoculants only go just so far in establishing the fertility levels needed sustain the recovery growth his trees & plants require.

It's too bad the losses are going to be so high but they waited too long to "find religion". Ironically the new "house man" used to grow (what else?) pumpkins, so we hit it off right away.

7/7/2006 7:52:05 AM

President - GPC

Tremor,

So I take it you would prefer using the BlackStrap Molasses over any other? What additional benefits does it have over a lesser type? I would like to know if its worth the extra expense to use......PS Thanks for all your "Leading Edge" research and information sharing.
Gary

7/7/2006 9:01:24 AM

Roanoke Il

Ive been using an organtic fertilizer for 2 years know made from beet roots sure smells and looks like molasses
5-1-4 made by garden safe love the stuff...mark

7/7/2006 9:18:36 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I wouldn't say that I prefer one type of molasses over another. It depends on the growers needs at any given time. Given what I know of this subject, Beet Molasses derived fertilizer would have an advantage early when we want Nitrogen for vining. Black Strap (spent remains from cane sugar production) would have the advantage later when we need the extra potash to finish.

Unfermented Beet would have a potential for carrying excessive salts i.e. calcium, potassium etc salts. But Black Strap would too. I'm not sure if one or the other has more. We should check.

Due to their sugars both would increase brix & should thus increase pest resistance. This is the likely reason for all of the recent molasses interest.

from Wikipedia:

Blackstrap molasses:

Blackstrap molasses is the dark liquid byproduct of the process of refining sugar cane into table sugar. It is made from the third boiling of the sugar syrup and is therefore the concentrated byproduct left over after the sugar’s sucrose has been crystallized. Unlike other refined sugars, blackstrap molasses contains a healthy amount of vitamins and minerals that are essential to one's health. Blackstrap molasses is a very good source of calcium, magnesium, and iron. One tablespoon provides 10-15 percent of the daily value of each of those essential nutrients.

continued

7/7/2006 11:08:49 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

[edit]
Sugar beet molasses:

Molasses from the sugar beet is different from cane molasses. Only the syrup left from the final crystallisation stage is called molasses; intermediate syrups are referred to as high green and low green and these are recycled within the crystallisation plant to maximise extraction. Beet molasses is about 50% sugar by dry weight, predominantly sucrose but also containing significant amounts of glucose and fructose. The non-sugar content includes many salts such as calcium, potassium, oxalate and chloride. As such, it is unpalatable and is mainly used as an additive to animal feed or as a fermentation feedstock.

It is possible to extract additional sugar from beet molasses through a process known as molasses desugarisation. This technique exploits industrial scale chromatography to separate sucrose from non sugar components. The technique is only economically viable in areas where the price of sugar is supported above the world market—e.g., in areas with trade barriers. It is prevalent within the European Union and other parts of Europe.

7/7/2006 11:08:55 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

One concern I have is a statement that a lawn care person made regarding Beet Molasses. He claimed to note a reduction in Dandelions when he treated home lawns with a similar material. Dandelions are dicots. So is Cucurbita.

More research is needed.

7/7/2006 11:10:33 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

Heres a link to some comparative analysis http://www.premiermolasses.ie/standard.htm

7/7/2006 3:08:21 PM

Montoursville, PA

Black Strap Molasses carrys a healthy amount, of carbon, in the package, of goodies. While beet pulps and sugars have been used as a soil builder, for many years, it will have a heck, of a time measuring up, to the total molasses package. This is just one more thing, to consider, in the realm, of using end product squeezed, to the last usable drop...which is good.

The dandelion comment is interesting. While I have always had dandelions forever doing their thing all over the property the plant is absolutely never seen as a seedling in my gardens. I haven't the foggiest reason why. Now I shall watch with interest. Maybe we should be using more molasses, in our other growing situations. Can't hurt a thing within reason. I shall greatly up the molasses on a section, of my lawn and see what happens.

7/7/2006 9:08:47 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

Sugar beet molasses is a thick brown liquid.
Molassed sugar beet pulp is the dried out shreds of leftover beet with some molasses added back for palatability,sounds similar different thing.

7/8/2006 4:37:29 AM

Abbotsford, B.C

Apparently, from a book I read somewhere (can't recall the name, sorry), dandelions prefer compacted, clay soil. Oh, now I remember the books name, Rodale's Organic Gardening, or something like that. Anyways, our garden soil is (generally) not as clayey as the surrounding area, and it is certainly not compacted. Who knows, this could have some sort of effect.

Cameron

7/12/2006 12:48:14 AM