Does anyone have any feedback on Supersoil brand potting soil? On another thread it was recommended that I not use Miracle Gro potting mix for my container vegetables, that I should use Jungle Growth, but that is not available in California. Is supersoil good?
SUPERSOIL
I like it. I use it for all of my potted plants.
Here on the east coast, I've never seen Supersoil. I've used Jungle Growth in the past but now use MG in all my EB's and pots as it's the easiest to find here, everyone sells it. Don't know why someone would not recommend it and for what reasons. Here's a pic (sorry about the bad light) of my backyard patio showing cherry tomatoes, several kinds of hot peppers, basil, squash, cucumbers and celery all in EB's or self watering pots and all using MG.
Rich
This message was edited Jul 24, 2005 8:08 PM
Rich, WOW! that looks soooo gorgeous! Thanks for the feedback. Miracle Gro is easy to get here as well, but I keep having people tell me how horrible it is. I dunno.
I use SuperSoil in all my containers. It has worked just fine for me. I only needed to modify it for my dwarf citrus and blueberries. Miracle Gro is a bit more expensive, I think.
Hey Quyen! Miracle Grow I think is more expensive. So I saw the Supersoil and thought I would give it a try.
Rich- The 3 rectangle containers in the front of your picture, what size are they, and what are you growing in those?
Those are 3 EarthBoxes which I believe are 12" x 30". Left to right, Cayenne Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Husky Cherry Tomato.
Rich
ritchh -- Eb brochure does not list MG for unexplained reasons. Perhaps it may be because of the amount of fertilizer it contains ? You are organic and organic won't readily burn so for you it works but for others I don't know ! Anyway all I do is follow their directions.
Never heard of Super Soil but that doesn't mean it won't do the job as long as it is not sandy like top soil. If you are paying at least $6.00 for 2 cu.ft. or $9.00 for 3 cu.ft., you are probably buying quality. Beware of bargains when it comes to your container mix. Saving a buck or two only to ruin your initial $30.00 investment is senseless.
I'm sure you are right Tplant about why EB does not list MG as an approved potting mix and yes the organic 5-3-3 I use has only about 1% water soluable nitrogen which makes it near impossible to burn plants. The fertilizer in MG is timed release which also makes it non-burning. The original post just refered to vegetables in pots and for non EB pots MG, in my opinion, is perfect. It is a very high quality mix that is extremely resistant to compaction when top watering standard pots. I grow basil, parsley, thyme, oregano and a few other things in standard pots and actually add Osmocote 14-14-14 to the MG at planting. Since it's all time release the plants seem to love it. God I wish I could find potting mix here in NJ for $6.00/2 cu. ft. bag. The going rate here is $11.99 - $13.99 and for anyone else reading this growing in EB's or standard pots, if the word "soil" is anywhere on the bag or if it is in 40 lb. bags and not sold by volume, do not even consider buying it!
Rich
Tplant, I'm going to just follow suit with you and Rich. I have ordered 3 EB's and will follow the instructions as outlined. Maybe these will work better for me.
We'll help you with the step- by-step set up. Meanwhile do you have a Lowes or Home Depot in your area ?
Thanks Tplant. I have Lowes and Home Depot a couple of blocks away from each other.
tplant-rich - are you saying i cannot use mg potting soil for containers? i was the one that bought the potting "soil" in "40 lb bags" and used it in my eb's only to be disappointed in the results.
in my post which i said the tomatoes in the eb's weren't doing good tplant sent back that i could use mg in the eb's. i took out the old dirt and replaced with the mg. they look much better now. where i live i get 52 quarts on mg potting mix for containers for about 9.00. all the other stores sell them for 12 and 13.00
The reason I said you could use MG was the fact that you already had it. However, if other brands are available, do use them. ritchh uses organic fertilizer which is weaker than chemical fertilizer and organic will not burn. If you are organic do as ritchh does - if not than follow directions of the manufacturer. Hope this clears things up for you ?
Rich, when you said:
"if the word "soil" is anywhere on the bag or if it is in 40 lb. bags and not sold by volume, do not even consider buying it!"
Does that include potting soil? Earth Gro is manufactured by Scott's and is a Potting Soil. I attached a pic of the front and the text from the back of the bag. I called and they said that this was the only potting medium they had that did not have fertilizer.
Hey ? This is something new ! The top lines that show ingredients is incomplete. Do you know what the ingredients are ?
Sorry bout that is says:
Ingredients:
This product is regionally formulated from organic
materials (primarily derived from one or more of the
following: hypnum peat, forest products or compost),
sand, perlite and a wetting agent.
In Georgia, this product is regionally formulated to
contain 77-87% aged pine bark, sand, perlite and a
wetting agent.
Sounds like Jungle Growth the product I use !!
Great! Then I sould use this when my EB's get here? It's only $6.98 for a 2 cubic feet bag. Compared to the $11.98 I paid for Miracle Gro, that's a great deal for me. Now I have to check Lowe's for the Lime.
My Lowes has Dolomite lime. They sell it in 5lb bags and 40lb.(I think) sacks both about $3.00 each. One is on the organic shelves and the others are on a flat with the fertilizer sacks. I buy the sack as I have 13 EBs. May as well pick up a bag of Vigoro fertilizer. It is sold in a bag displayed with all the liquid fertilizer. If Lowes doesn't have it Home Depot does or you can buy a 50lb bag of 10-10-10 for the same price.
Now if you are 100% organic ---- See ritchh for further advice.
Thanks Tplant. Is there a difference in the production of fruit on plants grown 100% organic versus non-organic? Does it affect the shape of yield of the plant?
No. It's up to the individual. To be 100% organic means to use only natural products. No chemicals. Sometimes I'll use both. Depends on the severity of my problem.
Hi everybody, I recently joined and this is my first post, but I just had to chime in and add my 2 cents worth as I have 7 earthboxes (they are great) and about 30 15-gallon containers.
I just don't believe that Earthgro POTTING SOIL would be good for Earthboxes. You have to use a completely soilless mix (or close to it) and I agree with ritchh that the word SOIL in the title is a bad omen.
Even Miracle gro potting MIX would be better (even with the fertilizer )
but a lousey draining SOIL anything would be bad in an Earthbox. I have bought Earthgro Potting soil--it is still very dense though they add a little bit of perlite and other ingredients.
But I don't know for sure how it would work so the only way is to try it in one box and buy the more expensive soilless potting mixes for the others and compare the results. I may be wrong but I would not put potting SOIL in all 3 as you may be very disappointed --if it works nothing is lost , you know next time you can buy it for all 3.
Earthboxes are absolutely wonderful but you have to follow the instructions --once you get it down pat you can experiment a bit (if you wanted to) with adding compost or mixing a cheaper potting soil in with the expensive stuff to make it go further.
Good luck with your garden!
Thanks Cowpea, I went with the Supersoil, it was only $.50 more than the Earthgro, and so far so good.
Kanita - Supersoil is a great potting soil, especially if you are gardening in containers on a deck, or roof that can't take a 'heavy' potting soil. It is also free of perlite and vermiculite, which I prefer to avoid in potting soils.
Supersoil has no fertilizers or pesticides in it, and is considered one of the most 'clean' potting soils around, making it an ideal soil for use with reptiles that live in soil. (Box turtles, some lizards, frogs)
Lori
Thanks Lori. You don't add any perlite or vermeculite to your potting mix?
Kanita -
No, I don't add any at all. I can't stand the way it floats to the top, and looks like styrofoam. Honestly, I'd rather water more frequently than buy soil with it added. Obviously this is a personal preference, and not a 'professional' suggestion, but it's just the way I prefer to go about it.
If I have a potted plant that is drying out too quickly, I usually apply a layer of Cocoa hulls, and water deeply. It works like a charm!
Lori
Thanks for tip Lori!