Dried Molasses Question

[jacobtowne]

I bought a bag of what is sold as dried molasses yesterday at the local feed store. Athough the people there call it molasses, there is no such ingredient that I can find on the label, which states the ingredients as follows:

Corn Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles, Sugar Byproduct.

It is called Mr. Sweet 38% Feed Completer, and has "no less than 38% total sugars (as invert).

I bought this to speed decompostion in my compost piles (as soon as they thaw) with an eye toward finished compost (I hope) by next fall, when I'd like to make my own organic potting mix according to one of Coleman's recipes.

Have I bought the wrong thing here?
JT

[Pharmer Phil]

JT, that sounds like the Sweet 100 that I used to buy for the horses.
It may work, but Compost pharmer , or someone else who uses dried molasses could probably tell you more.
I suppose the grain would not cause a problem, unless it contains Rye, which can inhibit seed germination, and stunt some bedding plants.

We use Liquid Molasses, used to top livestock feed, I use 1/2 cup, mixed in a quart of hot water, added to the compost pile, in a smaller ratio, it also makes a good foiliar feed, provided you have a good hose-end sprayer. We get this in the Equine section of our local farm store, don't suppose you have this Franchise where you live, but you may, we get this at "Fleet Farm" it's under 5 bucks a gallon.

[Compost Pharmer]

I stopped buying Molasses from the feed store. The last bag I bought didn't smell or look like dried molasses. Dried Molasses looks like very fine ground coffee grounds and smells real sweet. If your hands are damp, the molasses with stick to them. It also clumps up and gets hard if you let it get damp. The stuff that was sold to me, the feed store called it 'Sweet PDZ'. I was told it was dried molasses that you feed to horses. I am going back to the organic nursery for further purchases.

One more thing with molasses, if you put it on top of fire ant hills, and water in, or spread it around your yard and water in, it will drive away the fire ants. They don't like it because it creates so much microbial activity. Yes JT, it works wonders in the compost pile. When ever I turn my piles, I always add handfuls to each layer and water in.

[jacobtowne]

Phil and Compost Pharmer: Thanks for the responses.

I talked to a gent at 4 Seasons in Kentucky, the maker of this product. He said that it is 38% sugar, the same as molasses, and is intended as a replacement for dried molasses, which is more expensive. I paid $18 for a 50-pound bag.

The corn is a by-product of whiskey distilling, something about dried mash. To this other corn things - I think he said fats - are added, as well as sugar.

He further said that this product might actually be a little better than dried molasses for stimulating microbial activity, since it has more protein - 14% - and that he would not hesitate to use it for composting.

As we say, the proof is in the pudding. When the compost pile thaws, I'll give it a try.

What I do not know is how much to apply.

JT

P.S. Phil: I began by searching for feed-grade molasses, such as that in the photo you posted. I called all the feed stores I know of in the area, and no one carries iit. Some say that their suppliers no longer stock it. There is evidently no demand for molasses here.