I can't see any reason why not. The weeds will just compost there in the bottom of the pot. The one thing I would caution you on is to not put in any weeds that have aggressive roots or bulblets like nut grass or oxalis. Those boogers are eternal.

Just to make sure we are understanding each other, Miracle Grow makes Garden Soil, which is to be used in in-ground beds only. And, they make Potting Mix which is for use in pots. I have had more than one friend or neighbor try using the Garden Soil in pots with very detrimental results.

It is the garden soil version of miracle grow. The pots will be grown outside for the summer till it gets cold and the veggies die out.

I don't know what kind of weeds they are that I pulled out. The pots are about 1 foot tall.

Make sure the weeds are not Japanese knotweed - they will grow from any piece of the plant and they survive anything...

Here is a link that might be useful: Japanese knotweed

To vague.
What size pot 1/3rd? What plants re-potting?
You could chop up your weeds a bit with pruners, toss them in a bucket of water and make a mash...get them nice and soggy...use them in a gallon pot on the bottom...just top them with just one soaked piece of newspaper and smash it down...gives a quick barrier that will break down soon. And will help kill off any weedy seeds.
(i'm all for using all garden scraps and such to fill pots...just pack it it in.)
If too fluffy full of dry twiggy air it might cause trouble for roots seeking the bottom...
why i said smash it, : )
Anything less than a gallon pot volume will not be 1/3rd enough for any plant.

1. Using the "garden soil" of any brand is not optimal for containers. It says right on the bag that the garden soil is not designed for container planting.

It's not an indoor/outdoor issue, but rather a weight and compaction issue. The "garden soil" contains heavy stuff like sand, silt, etc., and tend to compact in a container, leaving insufficient space for roots, water and air.

Use a "potting mix," bagged or home-made, containing peat, bark, etc., and designed for container use.

2. By filling 1/3 of the pot with weeds, aren't you taking away 1/3 of the space for the growing medium?

If there is a clear "break" between the potting mix layer and the weed layer, there could also be a drainage probl as the water would tend to stay within the upper layer rather than drain down.

3. As the weed decomposes, a few things may happen that you may not want. For one thing, the volume of the weed will decrease, causing the growing medium to sink.

You are probably better off just letting the weed decompose in a pile.

I may redo the pots, since they are only a day or two old.

How much should I pay for Miracle Gro. in nyc?
I forgot the prices that I use to by when they had what seems to me a good price.

What are the real sale prices and good prices on the larger potting & garden soils?

They have some one sale for memorial day and don't want to get fooled in to the prices to only find out that a week or two later they will drop the prices, and I got caught by the 'fake' holiday sale

I have no idea what NYC prices are like, though I wouldn't be surprised if they are higher than what I pay here in rural Indiana. I do know that the MG "Garden Soil" is less expensive than "Potting Mix". But it's not meant for containers as others have said, but rather for when you are planting in the ground.

Just as a price check, HomeDepot.com has MG Garden Soil on their website listed for $7.97 for a 2 cubic ft bag (sale price $6.88), while Potting Mix is $9.97 (sale price $6.88) for 1.25 cf and $13.97 for 2.5 cf bag. So you can see that the Potting Mix is close to twice the price of the Garden Soil. It has different ingredients, thus the price difference. You can check websites for stores in your area to see other comparisons.

But even the sale price is only $1-3 different, so I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. If you have storage space, you can track prices and buy extra when they are on sale, but if you don't ... when you need it, you need it! Think of it as paying a little more for them to store it for you. :)

Kathy

You could also pick up a bag of perlite and mix it with your garden soil which would then make it suitable for container use.

How would perlite help with making the garden soil for pots?

Is perlite the white stuff you see in the soil of potted plants?

I don't think even Perlite would make MG Garden Soil suitable for containers. That stuff packs down like concrete (don't ask how I learned that ;^) !) If you are going to go to the time and trouble and $$ to grow veggies, a couple dollars more for the right potting mix can make all the difference.
Edie

Mg soil is primarily peat and pine bark based along with other composted ingredients...grass cclippins etc... The main difference between the soil and potting MIX is that perlite is MIXED in with the soil to lighten it up, increase aeration, and drainage.

I would think adding 30 to 40 % perlite would make a suitable mix for containers. It needs to be incorporated very well though so you would have to empty the containers and mix it all very thoroughly.

This is just an alternative choice if you dont want to trash your initial investment and perlite is a lot lighter to lug home from the store.

Edit: yes, perlite is the white stuff you see in a lot of potted plants.

This post was edited by howelbama on Tue, May 20, 14 at 12:43

How would perlite help with making the garden soil for pots?

Is perlite the white stuff you see in the soil of potted plants?

I would redo your pots and just mix in a bunch of peat and vermiculite. I'm just not happy using perlite in anything. Nature does not have little white particles in it with the exception of quarts crystals and some worm and insect eggs. .

There are two different types of perlite, the pure, unhampered with type and the ultra heated, expanded type that is used in container gardening.
Perlite is an amorphous volcanic glass made from the hydration of obsidian. When it is heated to extremely high temperatures it greatly expands and turns white. It is used to keep soil from compacting but it is an un-renewable resource. I would rather use renewable things as using un-renewable things is not sustainable in the long run.

RE: Can I add pulled weeds to the bottom of a pot?
%%%%%%%%%%%
You can, but I don't think that it is a good option.
I would dump that stuff in compost pile/barrel and use it once fully composted .

Depending, how much green weeds and what king of garden soil there it, it can compromise the drainage of pots.

It is Your Pot !

skald89: Yes, pearlite is the white stuff you see in potted plants. The suggestion to add it to soil mix was to keep the soil from compacting. Peat moss and pearlite are two substances in potting mix that keep it light and airy.