Aloe and Malted Barley

[Folate]

If I am using powdered aloe with no preservatives and I have approximately 20 min to use it, will it work as a drench? Can I use it to soak my soil/medium prior to taking cuttings? Will the soil/medium somehow prevent the aloe from changing?

I picked up a 1lb. package of Briess CBW Golden Light Dry Malt Extract. The ingredients list malted barley and water. I figured I would give this a try in lieu of molasses. Does this have any enzyme activity remaining when added to water/drench? Is it strictly a sugar for the soil/medium? How much would one add to a gallon of water?

I am grateful for any and all replies,
Folate

 

[xmobotx]

yes, yes & yes

i wouldn;t try barley malt in lieu of molasses but there are those using it for the enzymes from the barley. i prefer to sprout the barley fresh. waitaminute ~in lieu of barley for what?

that barley malt extract might be OK for a soil drench in flower {i wouldn't use molasses for that}

 

[bigshrimp]

I've used light malt extracts as a soil drench, some plants are sensitive to it so i would start very low. I use about one tablespoon per five gallons water.

They seem to like it foliar sprayed quite a bit.

 

[Eureka Springs Organics]

I have never used the powder, but I have used the liquid preservative free Lilly of The valley aloe as a foliar. Your plants will indeed "perk" up, but as to what actual benefits it gives I have detected none.

If you get no noticeable effect(yield, flavor, trichome production, smell, etc.) why continue to use it?

That is the question I could not answer thus I don't use it any longer.

 

[umbralindigo]

Hey folate, aloe is great IMO, and the malted barley I had bought a large box of it, and used three bags of it, too pretty much no avail as far as results went.
As xmobotx said sprout them babies, you will notice results then.

 

[xmobotx]

aloe as a plant-based amendment has the gamut of "nutrients" ~we tend to use very little of it but can use a lot.

it is true that other than the "praying" leaves, there isn;t much in the way of notice-able effects {although praying leaves is fairly significant} unless of course, your plant{s} has {have} suffered insect pressure or is somehow "sick" ~in which case the salicylic acid makes a significant difference encouraging the plant's immune response

 

[umbralindigo]

And "one ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" it has been said.

The praying leaves are certainly significant, but what in the hell does it mean? I notice a more vibrant green to the plant, and a robust, stronger growth pattern when using these enzymes... I'm guessing since its just more of a catalyst than anything, we probably shouldnt be seeing much? It makes everything else just work better and faster.

Hey folate, I take babies dipped (sit in for like 15 mins or so) in a glass of aloe water and then put into Pro-mix Ultimate Organic mix and then water with 2 oz. of aloe water for each little pot.
I also drench my peat in it when rewetting it or when getting near to using it (after "cooking")

 

[Folate]

OK folks, thanks for the good replies. The combination of your input sends me in a particular direction with loads to think about.
Will try using my Aloe water (from the 200x powder) for a cutting and see how it compares to no special treatment. What do you think happens at the soil/medium as well at the plant/cutting level to arrest the creation benzoic acid, if drenched within 20 minutes of reconstituting?

The malted barley I have is similar but different to molasses? Is a sugar source, but differs nutritionally.Is that correct? And is inferior in enzymatic action to sprouted seeds, but does retain some enzyme activity.

Here begins my experimentation!
Thanks again,
Folate

 

[bigshrimp]

The malted barley I have is similar but different to molasses? Is a sugar source, but differs nutritionally.Is that correct? And is inferior in enzymatic action to sprouted seeds, but does retain some enzyme activity.

Here begins my experimentation!
Thanks again,
Folate

Yes, and i'd be interested in your results from the malt. Not too many people using this.

 

[Granger2]

I've been using Dark Barley Malt Extract pwd. from the brew store for about 4 crops in EWC ACT and occassionally in my Earth Juice nute mixes. I haven't done any side by sides, but my main use is as a smell/taste enhancer. I also use MO, not mixing them. All I can say is that the plants respond quite favorably, and the finished product is mighty tasty. Good luck. -granger

 

[Aotf]

Just went to the local brew store today and picked up 2lbs of diastatic malt extract aka powdered malt/barley/etc. 1lb of dark and 1lb of light malt, there was also an amber too, pretty cool.

As per Cootz, this was the 3rd version of the Seed Sprout Tea and as per those instructions: 1 tbsp /gallon before watering add aloe/ protekt / coconut water. I have heard that maybe V2, where you actually step the malt [soaking and resting] and then drying retains more enzymatic energy, but it is a lot of work.

Seed soaks have become a regular part of my routine [2x a week] and I am interested in using the malt without having to wait the 36 hours or so from an aerated seed soak. Lot less work if it works and I just don't have enough overall soil to have to go thru a seed soak routine 2x a week to keep it fresh, so maybe 3x a week soil drench with the malt powder is key?

Here is a nutrional analysis I found that is probably fairly similar:
http://www.diamalt.co.uk/nutritional.htm
By weight, most diastatic malts are probably >90% carbohydrates and are loaded with micronutrients. The guy at the store today also said that 7 .lbs of powder is worth 5 lbs of malt syrup, so I think it deserves some attention as maybe not a molasses replacer, but certainly a possible alternative.



Another thing, "Briess" clicked a light on........., I was researching earlier about the difference between my light and dark malts if there were any? and I came across a Briess article about certain malts being blended with corn and other things because the enzymatic activity was enough to overcome the overall quanity of grain, kind of interesting stuff

http://www.briess.com/food/Processes/nswhat.php
Other unmalted grains or starch sources can be converted into extracts, using malted barley as a natural enzyme source in the extraction process. this is done most often for economy and, in some cases, to make a lighter flavored syrup. Most commonly, corn or raw (unmalted) barley is used as an adjunct (cheaper source of starch) to make these extracts, which are properly labeled as "extract of malted barley and corn" or "extract of malted barley and barley". The latter is sometimes correctly, but confusingly, referred to as "barley and malt extract". For many years, coextracts of malt and corn and blends of malt extract and corn syrup were mistakenly labeled as "amtl syrup" or "liquid malt". This mislabeling and adulteration led to the establishment of methods (such as stable carbon isotope ratio analysis) to detect corn products mised with malt and to the issuance of an FDA policy statement on malt extract labeling. Since then, these coextracted sweeteners have generally fallen out of use, because much greater savings can be realized by simply blending malt extract with corn syrup in applications where economy or a less intense malt flavor is desired.

 

[budsicles]

Doesn't aloe have antibacterial and antifungal properties?
Might that be counter productive for the beneficial micros?

 

[Team.Lift]

Budsicles, so does coconut water, and neem. I think it may be nothing to worry about, not sure it annihilates ALL bacteria and fungus. They may be specific.

Take for instance, I now brush my teeth with nothing but coconut oil, neem powder and baking soda. I have better mouth flora than I have in years. The coconut kills nasty odor causing bacteria and anaerobic components. So does the neem, and the baking soda, but then why wouldn't my mouth have gone to hell? These products are specific, not broad spectrum dangerous chemicals.

Go have a read at the Aloe sticky, the last post is useful and may answer your question better.

All that said, I use aloe mostly to foliar with when I have it. Coconut for soil drench and neem for both only if absolutely needed.

 

[Eureka Springs Organics]

With all of these different additives isn't this making organic growing scarely similar to bottled hydro?

We all know coot is really a cannabis plant with a human skin over him, but shit seems like it keeps getting more and more complicated.

I thought the point of everything was to grow organic plants simply?

I think I may be getting set in my compost tea ways.

 

[h.h.]

A handful of malted barley has enough amylase to have an effect on other grains as well. That's why it is used in the production of corn whiskey. It helps convert the starches of the other grains into sugar. In doing so, one could entertain the possibility of it helping separate the microbes from the compost when making tea.
That said, it may be one of the better sources, but it is not exclusive. In the old days grains were chewed to inject amylase.When seeds sprout, they produce amylase to some degree.
That's one of the beauties of compost. Seeds sprout and die off. Lots of enzymes. Lots of good things to sustain life. There's really not much need to import.
Anybody who has read the aloe thread knows my position. Pretty much what Eureka said.
The world is at our fingertips. Look there first.

 

[Team.Lift]

Aloe has a different foothold in this paradigm of gardening. That is to "beautify" a plant. Among all of the other amazing things it does. I'd have to say one was crazy not to like aloe.

I agree with the idea that this thread solidifies hydro mentality into the organic mind frame.

In general, compost should be your best ally, you got it. However, when I think about how much we manipulate the gardening process by bringing it indoors, the least of our concerns should be using aloe for cloning. Considering one might just trying to be making everything naturally faster. This is needed by some in order to make money to support families and livelihoods. That is not a crime or something some should feel bad about.

 

[h.h.]

Yes, except most folks are paying for aloe to use on their plants with little return. I probably have 100 aloe plants. I just don't find any benefit in using it on my other plants. The fact that it is a sticky here encourages those supporting families to waste their money. There is nothing to support it's use whatsoever. Only anecdotal comments that you will not find any other place. At that, many of the comments are very similar to Eureka's. For that matter, why stop at aloe. Carrot juice should have some benefits. I used fresh young coconut for awhile. I found it made better people food.