Agave Nectar as a sweetener

[sully508]

im always looking for raw organic matterials to use in my plants like brewers yeast, oat bran, molasses, natural hormones alfalfa meal, etc. i use fox farm nutes and humbolt micro. AN big bud 1-17-38 npk, and overdrive.
i came across a sweetener made from the nectar of the agave flower. its certified organic and certfied in purity by the colorado dept. of agriculture. its also used as a honey sustitute. looks like a aloe plant but is a flower that overflows this nectar from its cone shaped flower. 16gm. carbs. 15 gm sugars. i use 1tablespoon per gallon. 0mg sodium. ive been using it since just before 12/12. 4 weeks in, and my leaves/ buds are coated w/ white chrystals. just wondering if anybody has used it or heard of it?

 

[Droopy Dog]

I've heard of it and good things about it.

Just too much $$$$ compared to molasses, in the one store in town that has it.

DD

 

[ItsChrome]

I've heard of it and good things about it.

Just too much $$$$ compared to molasses, in the one store in town that has it.

DD

Yeah my thoughts as well. Only place i know that sells it is the health food store and its like $20 for a gallon.

 

[SteveHman]

Costco carries it in SoCal (I use it in my coffee, good stuff).

Does anyone know which type of saccharides plants prefer? I have been a home brewer for a long time and all sugars (carbs) are not created equal. Enzymes will also chop them into different length chains, some of which are fermentable and some aren't.

I would think that if you are using beneficial bacteria, they would break down the carbs into usable forms for the plant, but if you are using H2O2 in your system you are killing them off and then the plant has to rely on being able to utilize the carbs you've provided.

Just my opinion, but if you don't have an active bacterial system in place, I would stick to carbs that are formulated specifically for plant use. They are designed to be bio-available to plants, where as sugars from the supermarket are meant for consumption and are broken down by the digestive process and the bacteria in your intestines.

I'm also of the opinion (just my opinion) that sugars are used to feed your micro flora and not your plant. I use about 1/4 the recommended amount with the belief that I am feeding my beneficials and not the plant. (happy bennies=happy plants).

 

[SteveHman]

My Neice uses Agave Nectar (she is diabetic ) and I buy it for her to use when she visits.
I am attempting my first grow and have 4 healthy looking sprouts I am growing indoors and will use L.E.D. lighting.
Will using things like A.N.be as beneficial to my plants as the sugar/water/yeast mix? (sorry for the hijack )

Steak,
Don't put yeast in your res. The sugar, water and yeast is to generate CO2, and the other by-product is alcohol. As far if A.N. is beneficial is up for debate. I have read reports that go both ways on carbs in general. It is best to do some research on your own to understand the way ATPs work and how carbs are created by the plant and then used as an energy source.

Again, my opinion is that carbs feed your bennies and not your plant. (opinion based solely on my own research of sites dedicated to botanical information in general)

 

[sully508]

i use it in conjuntion with molasses, GH fruit n fussion, AN carboload, with AN pirana and tarantula,and GH cal/mag+. and pure agave nectar. i bought it at the super-wal mart for 3.68. located next to the honey. (theres no yeast in my mix thats nasty.) theres amber nectar which is darker, (i purchased the amber) and one light one. i use 4ml. per gallon. dont worry cause its 100% organic. brewers yeast is a multi B vitamin. its used in many common plant nutrients. GO bio root has BY in it. B-52 by AN uses it. i could go on and on. brewers yeast is in a pill form. not a powder. i chrush it up and dilute it. but it probably isnt great for a hydro set up. ive always grown w/ soil.
i start to use it at week 5 into flowering. once during veg.. along w/bigbud AN 1-17-38 and sweeteners like fruit n fussion, bud candy, blast off by botanicare, and especially hormones. gibberellic acid 3. GA3 is what they use to make record breaking/ biggest fruit, vegies and the biggest pumkins in the world. are grown with gibberellic acid3. its a natural vegan hormone. megagrow sells it. i veged for 12+ weeks of 20/4 and am 33 days (out of 63 days) into budding. its growing sideways and vertically. i should get 5+ z's per plant easy. nirvana's wonder woman shes giving me some sugary skunky buds and due to the long veg. they're so many budding sites and shoots.
high yeilding skunk. ill continue to use agave pure nectar. good luck w/ everyones grow. sorry i got off the subject