Hey DGC, CPuffy here hoping everyone is doing great and smoking on something great!!
So, I’m about to make my bi-monthly trip to the grow store, I’m walking around making a list and I remember that I’m out of Honey Chrome (the sweetener that I’ve been using most recently). Now I told myself when I bought the last bottle that when it ran out I was going to get Terpinator and compare the results!
The only problem I’m having with this now is after using the Honey Chrome for the last 6 months or so, yes I’m happy with my results. But, over that time I’ve also gotten to learn a ton more about growing, as well as the preferred styles of the majority of the DGC, and a ton of professional large scale facilities and I don’t see much use of these things!!
So my question is, do the use of microbes just offer the same if not better results when being paired properly with either organic or synganic grow methods, that the use of these “sweetners” becomes redundant and if not just much less effective as opposed to simply running a microbe rich (and happy) rizosphere?
Much love and thanks guys!! And stay dank!!
Your plants look great so it’s hard to argue with success. That said, a lot of organic growers (like me) feel like growing a plant in the best possible soil with a diverse and active microbial population really lets the plant express itself more fully, providing a better flavor and quality. I think the answer you’re seeking really comes down to personal preference and the grower’s skill level more that to a scientific “yes” or “no.” I’ve never been a big bottled nutrient grower and I’ve never grown in coco so I’m not really 100% on what these so-called sweeteners are supposed to ACTUALLY do for you; but the claims seem to be general statements like, “flavor enhancing” or a “source of carbs and amino acids” or as food for microbes. I add all those things naturally without having to grab a bottle and much of it is already in my soil before I pop a bean. I’ll put my flower up against most bottle growers and I feel like it’ll hold it’s own if not surpass their quality in terms of flavor.
I’m certainly not suggesting there’s anything wrong (on an ethical level) with adding them! Growers who are new or just prefer growing with a form of synganics, they may be a help or even a necessity to achieve a certain outcome. However, I do feel like any grower that’s on an organic path CAN learn to produce as good, if not better, quality without a bottled sweetener. I’m not a believer in the claim that feeding plants sugars adds to flavor – I’ve never seen ANY science to back up that claim and it doesn’t make any sense given the way a plant takes up things through its roots. IF this claim was true, most weed would have a strong flavor of molasses! Lol! I also don’t see any science-based reason to feed molasses to microbes in SOIL; although I do see the sense when feeding microbes to hydro mediums like coco. In soil, we add microbes to break down nutrients and minerals already present in the soil and to work synergistically with the plant to provide nutrition to the plants. Once they’re in the soil, feeding the microbes with sugars like molasses only serves to divert them from doing the work of breaking down soil-locked nutrients. I’d be more focused on increasing the microbe populations than supplementally feeding them – when you’re talking about soil growing. The microbes are what provide everything to the plant, including its flavor. If the plant can get everything it wants nutritionally, as a result of the microbial life, it can express itself to its ultimate capacity. A plant can only be a good as its genetic capacity and NO amount of ‘flavor enhancers’ can take it past that capacity. In other words, if the genetics say it’s a #8 capacity, there no way to feed it into a #9.
I know I didn’t give you a completely straight answer but hopefully it helps some.
@dtom420