Use 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of water every time you water. I am still having a hard time finding a hose end sprayer or other type sprayer that doesn't clog when using the molasses, but for the garden I just use a bucket waterer. The molasses also works great on the compost pile. I just pour it on when I add large quantities to our pile & then water in good. If you happen to find a hose end sprayer that works for you please let me know. Happy gardening!!!

I was really hoping to use a hose end sprayer. I have a barrle that I can connect a hose to , for feeding manure tea, I guess I'll use that. Is it OK to mix the manure tea and mollasesse water in the same feeding?

Now I'm more worried about using manure for tea than anything else. You do know that manure is a dangerous material around the garden, right - full of disease pathogens? And when you soak it in water, spray that water around, and inhale it, you're inhaling the germs, right?

Sorry,I forgot you have to be very specific on this forum. I haven't used manure in my garden for 3 years. Not because I am afraiad of using it in any way, but because i don't like dealing with going to go get it and how heavy it is. i manage to make most of the compost i need and use that. So my thread should have read compost tea not manure tea. So can i mix some mollasses in my compost tea and apply at the same time?

Yes, you can add the molasses to your compost tea. You do not need to add extra water, just add the straight molasses to the compost tea. In fact, it is a good idea to add 1 tbs of molasses per gal to most liquid applications, just makes them work better. If you are mixing the molasses with the compost tea you shouldn't have too much of a problem with the hose end sprayer. You can strain the molasses thru cheesecloth if you have problems with clogging. Strains very slowly tho.

I apply a tablespoon in a watering can full of water. The oinlyn use I know is helping the decay system handle incorpoated leaves, crop residues, and compost. Regards, Peter.

I am confused. I was also thinking of using molasses on the garden and compost pile this year, so I read this thread. I notice the comment you made, dchall, about manure being a disease pathogen.

I am not able to make enough of my own compost and was going to pick some up from someone who is willing to share theirs with me, but they do use horse manure when making their compost. I thought animal manures were an age old component of fertilizing the soil? Even Elliot Coleman uses duck and chicken manure on his property. What did I miss?

Thanks,
prairie

prairiemoon, I think dchall is referring to the dangers of using manure that isn't composted.

I wouldn't worry about a well-rotted compost that has manure as one of its ingredients (though normal handwashing after gardening is wise, as is washing fresh produce).

It's a terminology thing. Once manure is composted, it becomes compost. Anyone can tell the difference once they know how. Manure smells like manure. Compost smells fresh like a forest floor after a rainstorm.

There can be a danger for the following sources

Cow manure ***IF***the cows are in a slaughterhouse situ and the have been grain fed for about 2 weeks, There might be a problem with e-coli h157 if you don't compost it for 30 days

Steer manure from a slaughter house, ***IF*** the steers were fed cotton gin trash, the Sodium content is about 50 PPM vs dairy cow at about 27PPM.

Manure from your local dairy herd, your more likely to be shot by a terrorist than have a problem with this manure

Byron