Hey, go back next week and maybe they'll pay you to haul it out of the store. :-]

It's okay for tree repotting, but I do not use it on garden.
Peat moss is as good as anything they sale.
I have used it once, do not use it now. Let us know if it is not what you hope for. But this is just My opinion.

I used to use miracle grow garden/potting soil...until I found garden web:-)

Please dont take this the wrong way but I honestly cannot stand MG bagged soil anymore. It attracts gnats (sometimes I think they come with the bag), it dries out way to quick, its mostly peat. The MG blue bag (supposedly water wise) is the same stuff as the green bag but with more perlite. It is way too expensive. All the bags of MG that I bought on the "4 for $10 sale" are still sitting in my garage because now I only use them when I mix other products in with them to make them better. So now those four bags have literally lasted me 2 years...Lol

Im not knocking MG per-say but I only use it now when I amend it. Thats funny when I do use MG I use it as a base product to add things like pine fines, perlite, granite, etc... other than that I would never buy it. Better off learning how to make you own with less peat and more compost. Dont take this the wrong way please because I used to think I loved MG potting/garden soil but then I learned otherwise. Its not the worst stuff out there but its not the best when you learn how to use compost and such to make a better product for less money. Also when you buy compost and pine fines and the like in bulk you can literally save alot of money and have soil items that will last you a looong time.

SneakyP, pay now or pay later. Either way, you pay. Kidding aside, I wish you luck. No matter how we garden the important thing is that we are and can garden.

Sometimes a 'great' deal is no deal at all :-) It's a bit of a case of you get what you pay for. MG soil products of any description are lacking in a whole range of desirable characteristics. But that is neither here or there....what is more important is to dispel the myth that amending planting holes with anything is somehow a good thing. Use the native soil - what comes out of the planting hole is what should go back in. If you feel you must amend, add your amendments to the entire planting area - ideally what would be the mature root spread of the plant in question - or apply it as a mulch or topdressing.

Here is a link that might be useful: the Myth of Soil Amendments

Look folks yall do whatever it is that you want to do with your dirt and I wish you nothing but the best. I do amend my soil, I tilled in woodchips last fall, I grew a cover crop of clover over the winter, I tilled in leaves this past February, had a soil test done and added what was needed. This only the second time there has been a garden in this yard and there was a lot of clay. So when I plant I take the miracle-gro garden soil mix it with some top soil and also some of the native garden soil and add a little to the ground around the plant. I'm sorry yall don't like MG but it is something that seems to work for me.

My corn is over 6' tall,my tomato plants are mostly over 5' I have already picked like 10 zucchini am on my second batch of making dill pickles first was 7# this one is 14# also picked about 12-15 regular straight 8 and sweet slice cucumber picked 9 gallon containers of green beans and my watermelon and cantaloupe and pepper plants are all doing good and am also starting to pull my onions. Thats not counting the lettuce, cabbage,Swiss chard,broccoli,that I already harvested. I am going to go out and take some more pictures of my garden and will post a link so you can see I am not lying.

I didn't start this thread to start any soil arguments, I did it for anyone who uses MG and would like to find a good deal on it. Yall don't like it, I GET IT....maybe in time when I know AS MUCH AS some of you who have posted here than I will look down my nose at it like you do.

To those of you who did not come off like soil NAZIS thank you for your information. But if this is how the soil part of the forum is, I doubt I will EVER post in here again. I thought forums were supposed to be about helping people, at least it is in the forums where I am one of the more knowledgeable people.....but whatever.

I know I'm gonna go grab some of this. I'm going to rake it into my newly exposed clay to encourage my grass seed to germinate in a relatively hostile environment.

Yikes - talk about a dog pile!

I've composted for years and use my own mix regularly in our vegetable beds - don't have an opinion on their garden soil since we've never used it, but must say that we bought some MG "potting soil mix" during that recent sale and think it was a great deal, very nice mix. Flowers in our patio and porch planters are flourishing with it.

Some of you need to slither down off your high dung hill . . . that's not a marble pedestal you're standing on.

I went and got 8 bags today. It's a great price. Thanks for the heads up. I try to use my 'native' soil whenever possible but we made all new beds and had over 30 yards of soil carted in to raise the beds a little. Even though the soil company has a great reputation around here, who know what I really got. I like to mix in a little miracle grow when I plant. I did it all last summer and everything came back great and the worms are plentiful this yr so i think its working for me :) Some day I'll make enough compost for my huge yard and not need to buy soil anymore but until that day comes I will rely on bought soil. Thanks for the heads up!

Why do you call people who voice their dislikes about miracle grow NAZI's and high dung pile? Who is on a high dung pile? No one here has said anything mean or negative to anyone except the ones IN FAVOR of MG, so how are the ones who dont like it NAZIs?

This is a forum remember? There are always going to be different views and opinions. And if you read or listen to what everyone has to say instead of interpreting others disagreements as insults, then maybe you will understand.

SneakyP. If you would calm down and stop insulting others you would realize that no one is looking down their nose at you. If you would actually READ what we are saying instead of jumping to a negative conlusion then you will, as you said, know as much as the ones who you THINK are looking down their nose at you. Obviously these people, including myself have tried MG (for years in my case) and found it to be lacking and learned how to use other products. Now if we automatically assumed that others who disagreed with us were thumbing their noses at us and being "NAZI's, then we would have not learned and would still be using MG.

If it works for you, great, no one said for you NOT to use it. I dont use it anymore, plain and simple. Thanks for the heads up on the 4 for $10 but if we looked at your first post the same way you looked at others, we could interpret your first post as bragging, but we didnt because its not good to jump to conclusions. Once again thanks for the info on the good deal, but alot of us dont think its a good deal. Plain and simple. Nothing personal by it and I dont mean to hurt your feelings but I would rather spend my money elsewhere. And just because I say that doesnt mean Im trying to hurt your feelings or be a NAZI.

So what was everybody supposed to do? Agree with you? If you read up on the many posts in this forum you would have realized that MG is not one of the favorite subjects around here. And once again, no harm meant and I hope you stick around and "learn" something.

it was 2 for $10 here. Actually, it wasn't on sale but there was the old sign laying around so the honored it. Normally $8 per bag. Not a bad deal.

sneaky, there's nothing wrong with the MG garden soil. Lots of people complain about the MG potting soil when used in containers, and with justification, I think. But using their soil products (not the potting medium) in your outside garden is absolutely fine. I'm sure that it makes a good garden amendment, especially when you don't have access to large amounts of free or nearly free compost.

Is this the stuff? I note it says 2 cu ft bags on the website.

Lloyd

Okay I think I found the correct stuff. I've never used anything like this so I am totally ignorant about it.

Seems all it is is a "blended mix of forest products, sphagnum peat moss and manure" with a small amount of weak fertilizers added. I'm not sure why they call it "soil" but in any event at $2.50/cf it comes out to $67.50 per yard.

I'd be surprised if this is as good as a decent yard trimmings compost but as I said I've never seen the stuff.

Lloyd

It wasn't as good a deal as 4 for $10 but not bad

Here is a link that might be useful: This is what I got

That product lists 'forest products/compost' at 60-100%, 'sphagnum peat moss' at 10-30% and the four nutrients at all less than 1%. The description talks about "AquaCoir formula" so I am assuming that coir is part of the forest products category? Once again, I am not sure where the 'soil' part comes in.

At that price, a yard would cost $130.86.

I don't know why I find this so interesting. :-)

Lloyd

This is why people get confused. Miracle grow soil is not really soil at all, but they call it that. Soil is a combination of inorganic sand clay or silt with some organic matter mixed in.

If you can afford it, use it.

In the garden I wouldnt worry too much about it if you amended with a good amount of soil. If your soil WAS NOT clay. But in a pot I beg to differ

Normally one should amend with organic matter as everyone has soil. Miracle grow is not soil.

No no no. I meant amend the Miracle grow first with your original soil(as a play on words)...basically Im saying mix Miracle grow into your original soil. I wouldnt worry about it doing harm in the garden. I was thinking pots which I wouldnt use it in, and also It was a joke in regards to my older post towards the beginning of this thread in which I was amending MG before I used it.

Every year I receive a truck load or two of fresh wood chips from local tree companies. In fact,after months of begging and waiting, I have about 15 cu yards sitting on my driveway right now. I mulch heavily and fill my compost bins with the same stuff with added lawn and other trims.

When I planted my annuals, I pushed the wood chips aside to form 6" diameter holes, 4-6" deep or til I touch dirt. I then fill them either with compost of whatever garden soil that were discounting at that time from HD. Sometime MG, sometimes other brands.

Let's just say that stuff grew real well in HD garden soil, somewhat better than my home brew compost. I don't use much and after a year's growth, not much left in those holes.

Yes, mix into your soil is a good use for that stuff. I am never buying it again, after that bad experience with the strawberry plants in containers miracle grow potting mix keeps things too wet. It is impossible to find a good premixed potting mix.

SneakyP, your response seems quite a bit odd at best. At worst, it seems you purposely initiated an innocuous trap in order to begin an argument.

Me wonders if your name possibly befits you?

Phephito, I'm glad the stormtroopers have arrived...You can deactivate light sabers...Most of the confederacy go by catchy names, so you won't know nothin'... I'll see you in sector four, Captain...over and out...(faint hum is heard in foreground, curtain and lighs go down).

The Pilot

Okay this has gone on long enough now. If you will read some of the responses before my little rant where a few of the posters jumped in and made their snide little little comments and than jumped back out without benefit of explaining their stance than maybe you can see why I made my "NAZI" comment.

True I haven't been gardening long (only my second garden)and am more concerned with growing than the science behind it yet. I use the MG garden soil mixed with Topsoil and native dirt when transplanting in to the garden.

I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with anything I post. But at least have the common courtesy to at least explain your reasoning behind your disagreeing with me, THATS ALL I ASK.

In all the forums that I belong to that I am one of the more knowledgeable on I feel it is my RESPONSIBILITY to help inform and educate those that don't know as much as myself and others there do. Afterall isn't that why people join forums in the first place. WEREN'T WE ALL NEWBIES AT ONE TIME??

Blazeaglory I never inferred that you were one of the nazis as you at least had the common courtesy of explaning yourself. So if that is what you took from my post than I apologize for that. BUT like you said maybe you should go back and reread my post.

It appears to me that this "garden soil" is simply some vegetative waste for which you pay an exhorbitant amount of money so you can add some vegetative waste to your soil.
It seems to be have about the same ingrediants that potting "soil" contains.

Nazis slaughtered millions of innocent people. Let's not carried away here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Godwin's Law.

The interpretation of the comments is incorrect. I tried to tell you that in the PM and Blaze basically said it in his/her 22:05 post as well.

Lloyd

There are two sides to every issue. I like composting stuff, but some people may dislike it or find it too strenuous. Composting is like making your clothes by hand. You can buy clothes at Walmart, but they won't be as nice as what you make by hand. You can buy bagged mixes of organic matter, but it won't be as nice as what you make by composting.

But, we should respect the decisions of those who choose not to compost themselves. They can always put it in the city wide collection for mass composting, so it is not bad for the environment if you do this. So, there is no need to get on the cases of those who don't compost like they are killing the planet or something like that.

but they won't be as nice as what you make by hand.

You haven't seen me sew. ;-)

Lloyd

Sewing is a skill, yes and like with composting or cooking you can upgrade the ingredients to the best instead of the cheapest which is what they make those bagged soil mixes out of.

I think Hard Core is better then Nazis.
Never heard of Godwin's Law.
I make most of my on compost/soil for gardening, so the bag kind is not needed.
I use potting soil in my potted figs, agave, Japanese Maples
& potted rooted cuttings.
Thanks for the tip SneackyP, but I have already paid full price, for my potting medium.

I dont know if some big box mulches/bagged potting mix can contain verticillium wilt? I have the disease no where in my back yard until EVER for over 30 years NO DISEASES.Almost 2 weeks ago I potted 2 bonnie brand strawberry plants. in 2 five gallon pots. I used a mix of bagged potting , manure, and orchid mix. 3 days later the plants are wilting from disease a week later DEAD. So did it come in the plants soil or from the bagged soil? I have never had any problems with that particular bag of manure or orchid mix but the potting soil was new. I dont know but alot of people have been complaining about Bonnie Brand from Lowes having disease. Thank god I did not plant them in ground (If it was from the plants soil themselves).

I just caught up with this thread, haven't looked at it since Friday. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Sneaky P wrote:

"Toxcrusader I am sorry if your some kind composting snob. I just thought I would share with people who use it and would be interested in what I think is a good deal....sorry you don't feel the same."

Oh but I do! I was being funny but obviously forgot the smiley face. :-] That's a great deal, I'd probably buy some myself if I needed it. That was my way of saying, if it keeps going down at that rate it'll be free pretty soon. No comment on the product intended at all. My mother is so good at getting discounts that we joke that when they see her coming at the grocery store, they meet her at the door and hand her money so she'll leave.

I have 2 tomatoes potted in MG Potting Mix right now along with several other plants. They look great. Granted, I found one of the two bags in a dumpster (torn and partially spilled) but I was very happy to get it.

Homemade is best, but sometimes you have to buy.

I have a hoya growing in the MG moisture soil...............my soil is now growing yellow mushrooms!!!!! I have told everyone not to use this brand soil. Some say they have tons of nats now because of using it. I don't know, but now I am going to have to empty that huge planter and get rid of the soil. Yellow mushrooms do not come from Hoya plants!!!!!! Makes me mad, cause the bags are NOT cheap. I paid 17.00 for the large bag and now going to have to toss it in the trash.

Neysa in California

"my soil is now growing yellow mushrooms!!!!! I have told everyone not to use this brand soil. Some say they have tons of nats now because of using it. I don't know, but now I am going to have to empty that huge planter and get rid of the soil.
No need to toss the soil, or repot the plant. MG has a good amount of only partially decomposed organics in the mix. When I first used it, I also was surprised at the number of gnats and funguses growing, but they soon disappeared as the material decomposed some in the pot. I probably only took a month before the bugs and mushrooms were done. Actually, as noted above, the funguses are not harmful to the plants, help to decompose the woody materials in the MG, and they often look quite nice in the posts. I usually make my own soil mix, but one year I had a lot of pots to plant, and not a lot of time, so I bought about 40 bags of MG mix. My observation at the end of the year (these were greenhouse plants) was that the MG mix was not as bad as I first thought, but that I'll take the time to mix my own if I can.
Renais

Many gardeners overreact to mushrooms and fungi. They are important decomposers of woody material, which is usually a major ingredient in potting mix to provide aeration and drainage. Generally they are not harmful to other plants. If you don't like them, pull them up and toss them in the compost pile.

Mother Nature is not and will never be sterile.

Re: The post just above from blazeaglory about plants dying after planting in a mixture of 3 products...it's quite a leap to assume it was verticillium and that it came from the potting mix.

Does anyone know what really is in the MG Garden Soil ??? I just mixed two bags of this stuff with two bags of compost and used it to plant my garden Iris in my iris bed. I hope I have not destroyed my iris. I really want to know what the ingredients are in this stuff.

It varies around the country on where they mix it up - sometimes its partially composted rice processing residue, sometimes partially composted 'forest products', who knows what all but mostly any old organic matter. They mix in their blue crystals, and voila. Its sure cheap potting soil. I don't think it would bother your iris, just don't fertilize them with anything else for this season.

According to the label this "garden soil" is made of peat, and/or sphagnum, moss, processed forest products (finely ground bark?), coir, compost, and fertilizer, with no soil included.

So it is not really soil.

kimmq is kimmsr

Great. So, where do you buy real soil ?

P.S. - Why would anyone use MG Garden Soil for Container gardening ?????

You shouldn't use that product for containers. They make potting mix for that. I've used it to grow tomatoes and flowers in pots and it works fine. I agree with kimmsr that the MG Garden Soil is not really soil, as it has no mineral soil content but is basically composted organic matter.

If you need soil, either 1) amend what you have (with compost, including MG Garden Soil), 2) if you need small amounts of additional soil, buy a bag of topsoil, or 3) if you need large amounts, buy a truckload of topsoil or amended topsoil from a garden center.

Wow. If I had known that, I would have bought Top soil instead of Garden soil and amended it with the appropriate components. I realize that my Iris rhizomes appreciate rich organic matter, well that's exactly what they got and nothing else !

This is actually a pretty funny thread. Yes, fungus gnats come in every bag of MG garden soil, but guess what? If you compost like I do and if someone miles away let late blight get out of hand on their tomato plants, you'll more than likely get blight in your compost pile too. Blight winters over very well in a compost pile. Very little you can do about that. Sometimes though, you need to bulk up a bed & MG does okay and always, unless you have access to a nearby commercial farm, you'll never have enough home-made black gold.

I never said my plants got V wilt from the bagged soil...

My strawberries had V wilt, I was simply asking where it could have come from or if it could have come from a bag of MG or similar. I never said anywhere that it did in fact come from a bag.

Re-read my previous post and you will see I was asking questions in regards to MG and bagged medium containing V wilt, not implying ..

Just wanted to clear that up...lol