Malting barley as a soil amendment

[Crane]

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.2050-0416.1995.tb00872.x

I just added my first ever half a cup of ground up malted barley to one of my plants. Then I started googling about the science behind the procedure and found this study done about just this practice. Seems that the end result is a cocktail of different plant hormones. Pretty interesting stuff. The big thing to note here is that they used unmalted malting barley; this begs the question that does the malting process destroy some of the fungi and bacteria present in the unmalted grain?

 

[Crane]

Actually, I think rehydrated unmalted barley would be worth a shot. That is, then again, pretty much the same thing as sprouting them and making SST.

But could we deduct from this that SST adds hormones and such from the microbial activity on the barley, and malt adds enzymes? So they wouldn't be the same thing actually?

 

[Ennui]

Malted barley is barley that's soaked in water and placed between damp clothes to germinate. It's used in fermentation because it does something to the starch to make it easier to convert to sugar which gets processed by yeast into alcohol. I can't recall if brewers roast it or such to add flavor, been a long time since science class.

I don't see that killing anything, just changing something in such a way it can't be utilized by one target, in this case soil microbes but another, yeast, requires it.

There's no 'malt' in malted barley, as oxymoronic as that may sound.

 

[Crane]

Malted barley is barley that's soaked in water and placed between damp clothes to germinate. It's used in fermentation because it does something to the starch to make it easier to convert to sugar which gets processed by yeast into alcohol. I can't recall if brewers roast it or such to add flavor, been a long time since science class.

I don't see that killing anything, just changing something in such a way it can't be utilized by one target, in this case soil microbes but another, yeast, requires it.

There's no 'malt' in malted barley, as oxymoronic as that may sound.

Malt is heated to something like 195F as the last drying step in the malting process. My thought was that that is probably enough to kill the microbes present on the malt.

 

[Ennui]

Malt is heated to something like 195F as the last drying step in the malting process. My thought was that that is probably enough to kill the microbes present on the malt.

You're starting to refresh my memory. It's roasted to stop germination at a certain ratio of hatched to non-hatched kernels, but you could do it in the sun, also. You have to boil water at 212F for a few ticks to kill organic pathogens so the short stay at 195F won't kill much, most likely for that very reason or the heat may make other unwanted changes if too intense. I'm still thinking it's a starch thing. In un-malted form it's usable to microbes, malted, not. Again, going way back in the foggy grey bog, I'd have to Google to refresh, the reason they use that strain of barley is the high starch content. The more starch, the more sugar, the more alcohol.

Not saying you're wrong or I'm right, just what a foggy memory and common sense is telling me. I'm out the door, but I will research this further if no one pops up in the meantime.

 

[Ennui]

convert to sugar which gets processed by yeast into alcohol.

Was in a rush when I typed, I'd like to clarify this statement. I think I should have said 'Malting allows starch to break down into sugars more easily. Yeast then converts the sugar to alcohol.'

 

[Dusted]

Barley malt should be an excellent carbon source for the soil microbes.

 

[Crane]

My theory is that (according to the linked study) the microbes and fungi present on the unmalted barley produce different hormones that are directly usable by the plants. Soaking the grain might boost the numbers of the microbes and fungi and that's why sprouting the grains first may help.

On the other hand, malted grains are rich in enzymes produced in the malting process, and not so much in the hormones because the microbes might have been killed by the malting process. The enzymes break down proteins and starches in the soil into more usable forms of nutrition for the plant.

If this is true then SST and directly added malt have different effects. Hormones from SST and enzymes from the malt.

 

[Ennui]

I had a shufty at that link. First, every Google variation I tried just brought up the same article from many different sources and that was the only mention of the theory. Your link is vague, at best, more like a synopsis than a 'paper'. Also, they mention liquid grow medium so I'm wondering if it's meant to replace something in water they'd get naturally were they in soil. It says 'perfect conditions' too, and minimal amounts/benefits. As to enzymes, the reason they don't let all the eggs hatch and heat it to stop it is you can over-concentrate the beneficial enzymes. Having said that, from what I read, the reason to use un-malted malt grains is the process of soaking them to get them to germinate removes the microbes and other hitch hikers, if not completely then to negligible numbers. Simple as that. So I amend the starch theory to the KISS theory. Had a Hansel and Gretel moment and couldn't see the forest for the trees.

 

[bobrown14]

Malt is heated to something like 195F as the last drying step in the malting process. My thought was that that is probably enough to kill the microbes present on the malt.

Nope... you want the malted 2 row organic light colored malts whole shell not pre-milled.

The malting process is more complicated that what you describe.

What happens is the sugars and other growth hormones are sort of suspended with a quick dry process. This is for malted barley for BEER.

Once you grind up the malt to a fine powder and mix in with your soil, mix with water and water in.... both work. Just DONT make a TEA with it.

Malted Barley ground up has been a thing for a little while. Goggle "malted barley cannabis" and you should find a few places this has been used to grow weed over the years.
Start reading where it points to a guy called "Clackamas Coot" - he started this thing. He makes home made bread and also is a horticulturalist and all around smart guy.

Malted Barley ground fine - I use it.

It not only fires up the plants it also fires up the soil microbes. Both good things.
If you mix it with bottled nutrients meaning using chemicals to grow your weed, the use of malted barley wood be all bets are off.

Where you able to find the complete article??

 

[Crane]

Damn, I don't know what happened to the full text? I sure read it and copy pastedthe address?

 

[Crane]

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2050-0416.1995.tb00872.x/epdf

Would that link work better?

 

[bobrown14]

What they are talking about there in that article is SST or sprouted seed tea. Can be made with lots of different seeds and we get differing amounts of growth hormones and different sugars etc from the different seed.

I just went to "already" sprouted with Malted Barley and also Malted Corn and malted Buckwheat.

I do a mix of all 3 or sometimes just malted buckwheat + malted barley ....

It's an interesting article for sure. I like the talk about the microbes that live on the husks of the different grains. We know this has been a thing for a very long time.

For example a potato when added to a compost heap doesn't compost, nor will any "root" crop. The reason is there are bacteria that live on the skin of the root crop that help defend the host against microbes that want to eat or compost that root crop.

Same thing with grains. Cept different microbes with different jobs. With barley those microbes are there to help the seed grow into a seedling and a successful plant.

This is why when we make Sprouted Seed Teas, we throw out the first soak water. There are bacteria present that help "defend" that seedling from other seeds of other plants that would be in competition for that same soil space. Part of that "defense" is a microbe that acts like a sort of herbicide. It will let it's host seed grow but attack another neighboring seed to keep it from growing, illuminating the competition. Interesting stuff.

There's more we dont know than what we do know about the microbial world. Likely a lot more. Out of site out of mind... until we developed ways to see a world we never knew existed. The thing is bacteria/fungi have been around for billions of years. Shaping the world we live in, and us humans too.

In your article you pointed to, of particular note is the "discussion" section. Notice the names of the microbes they write about. These are common bacteria/fungi that we use in our microbial inoculations we use in horticulture when working with young plants.

I use 3 different types and inoculate the roots of every seedling I up-pot with:

1) Mykes Brand - Mycorrhizae for transplanting (same company that makes ProMix)
2) Bioag VAM - Endomycorrhizal plant root and soil inoculate
3) Sustainable Agricultural Technologies - Mycorrhizae

If you read the labels you will see many of the same micro-oganisms listed in the article you posted.

I use all 3 of these mixed with a little EWC at the base of every transplant and the soil mix will have some amount of malted barley mixed into the soil mix.

I've experimented with those 3 and some others together and separately and found this mix to work very well.

Microbes are the key to successful organic gardening and organic food production in general. Also for humans to live healthy long lives. Food for thought!

 

[Ennui]

Thanks for that, interesting.

 

[Skybound]

If you mix it with bottled nutrients meaning using chemicals to grow your weed, the use of malted barley wood be all bets are off.

I'm in rockwool using salts to make my own nutes and feed. I also use ACT twice a week even though the bennies quickly die after use, they still keep the bad shit in check before they go. That said, when you say "all bets are off", do you mean in the same way that applies to what happens when I use bennies? Like the barley won't leach out as much if in synthetic nutes as compared to organic nutes, or like totally won't jive at all?

 

[bobrown14]

I'm in rockwool using salts to make my own nutes and feed. I also use ACT twice a week even though the bennies quickly die after use, they still keep the bad shit in check before they go. That said, when you say "all bets are off", do you mean in the same way that applies to what happens when I use bennies?

The take-away with malted barley are the enzymes and they act as catalysts in the soil to help microbes break soil matter down into nutrients the plant can use.

It could work great with your system and how you grow but I can not say for sure as I have no experience. Could work great tho... never know unless you try it. Sounds like your teas are working so it would make sense that barley may work too.

Malted Barley for me is a soil amendment similar to Fulvic Acid. It's not a food for the plant but it is for the microbes that help the plants grow. If that makes any sense. lol

 

[Skybound]

It does make sense that it's not a food source, but if the enzymes are to have success with what I want from them (faster finishing plants), I would likely need to buildup the enzymes in the root zone without altering the nutrients that will pass through them 3 times per day, 15 minutes per time. There's still too much fuzzyiness for me to start and more research is needed for me to feel more comfortable and know more. That said, can you suggest a few search terms or phrases to get me pointed in the right direction? Like possibly which enzymes will promote faster finish times?

 

[bobrown14]

Terms to use for a search include "Malted Barley soil " along with these

indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) - growth hormone (this 1 of the growth hormones responsible for faster bigger frostier goodness and lots of science to back that up)

chitinase

amylase

(The big 3 here and where you might find something that works with your ferts.)

phosphatase

urease

protease


Not just malted barley either. I use malted corn (organic non-gmo) and malted Buckwheat and grind all 3 together and mix in my soils and top dress and water in.

I've not made teas lately as my soil is working great so most I do is add some Kelp meal/kelp tea, EWC (worm castings) and malted grain at up pot before flower. After that, it' mostly water for 60-100 days depending on strain. I sometimes add in some kelp tea both water in and foiler but not much anything but water after flowers are set and getting bigger.



link worth reading on "how to" apply Malted Barley

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0248/9641/files/Malted_Seed_Tea.pdf

Science on enzymes

https://senr.osu.edu/sites/senr/fil...kLLAVedHyBjOsVQDVDHwssEEUhpzLX3ESLko98argh23I

 

[Skybound]

Wow, thanks bobrown! I think I've seen those terms on kelp4less. Good site for organics and discrete shipping.

 

[bobrown14]

They sell the kelp Meal I use in all of my gardens! highly recommend. lol.