Ok, so here's Chapter II to our what was discusson about the MG ad. Now this part is about the experiments we're doing. So check often for updates on our findings.
Heather - I'm not sure where I'll be getting my plants, but I'll let you know. I don't think it matters if we get our plants at different stores as long as, lets say I get 3 plants, but I get them both from HD, not one from here and one from there. I'll be using four 6" pots and my soil is called 'miracle soil'(not MG and nothing added) and I got it at HD. You could check and see if yours has it. It's in a peachy/orange bag. #1 pot will have an impatient in it that gets just watering, #2 MG, #3 water retaining gel and plain water, and #4 water retaining gel and MG.
Steve
Miracle Grow add - Chapter II: The Experiment
I'll be watching to see your results.
Should be interesting.
I just came across this thread and it made me realize that I've already done this experiment...well at least kind of. I wasn't this scientific with it. I had some Texas Star Hibiscus that I had started from seeds and I needed to pot a few of them up individually.
We had a Mississippi Round Up on May 20. So on May 19, I took 8 seedlings from the tray and put them in MG soil in individual containers to take to the RU. I forgot one of them. The one I forgot that was put in the MG on May 19 is now 6 inches tall and the other is only 2 inches tall. This is after just three weeks.
Just look at the photo of the two of them side by side. (The white leaf is caused by inability to really know what I am doing with the camera. Please forgive.) :)
Dee
OMGoodness That's incredible!
Thanks for posting this Dee!
Steve
Hey Steve. I know I replied to you, but it's not here. I think I've really lost my mind this time.
Ok, I've finally come up with what I'm going to test. I've decided to throw SuperThrive into the experiment also. I've heard such raves about how great it is, then I've heard other folks say it does nothing. I've tried to buy it several times, but the packaging always prevents me from buying it. I'll be very interested to see the results from it. Anyone with any suggestions on using please post away!!
I'll have 12 test plants, and they will be tested in the following soils with the following fertilizers and etc. I will be testing Miracle Grow (MG), Potting Soil (PS), SuperThrive (ST), Organic (Org) fertilizing methods, and Osmocote (OS). If anyone has any ideas of what else I should test please let me know asap and I'll get it in as quickly as possible. I don't think a few days will make a difference.
1. MG - prepackaged soil that claims to fert for 3 months.
2. My MG Mix - this was discussed in detail in the other thread, I'll be using OS as my fert.
3. Base - this will be my MG mix without any ferts in it.
4. PS - I haven't purchased it yet, but it will be cheap stuff, w/ nothing added unless perlite or something similar is needed for good drainage.
5. PS + OS - this will basically be an MG with PS as the base rather than peat as a base.
6. Org + Base - my MG mix with no synthetic ferts, organic ferts will be used instead.
7. Org + PS - PS with nothing added, organic ferts will be used.
8. ST + MG - ST will be used on prepackaged MG soil.
9. ST + Base + My MG Mix
10. ST + Base + Org
11. ST + PS + OS
12. ST + PS + Org
Sorry if that got confusing, it did for me too.
Steve, how often would you like to post updates on the results? Are you planning on posting pics? I am. I'd like to keep a journal of the experiment, thinking of doing it in my Dave's journal maybe. That way it'd be easy to find and anyone can check it out anytime. If you do the same we could link them.
Also, what conditions are you planning on keeping your plants in? I'm assuming part shade, but just how much sun and what hours of the day will they get sun? My Impatiens actually usually do best in full sun here! I'll do my best to create the same conditions you have.
Tomorrow will be a busy day and I should have pics to share by evening. Talk to you soon, I'm off to WalMart for supplies now. Water crystals, I need water crystals!!
Thank you for doing the work us....wanted to do this so often...have trouble following thru.....ditto on the pictures... would be alot of fun and inspiration to see them.
DBibb,
Looks like one plant was on steroids!
Heather what about Messenger and Mighty plant??I also soak my plants over night in Superthrive..No one has ever proved them wrong in over 65 years,and no one came forward with any disclaimers on it...So that's really telling me something..as they say the proof is in the pudden..!!I got good results...Do a test and see what happens..
MG steroids!!!!
Heather - My plants will be in part shade, getting their sun in the late afternoon. I wish I could take pics, but my BIL took back his camera, so I won't be able to :( I'll be getting a camera late summer/fall though, so I might be able to take some late season shots. I will try to keep a log in my DG diary though.
We'll probably go down in history for this.....500 years from now we'll be those crazy people with the soil experiments :D
Steve
LOLOL Steve.
I can't believe we are the first to do this. Especially w/ the ST. This may not make me popular...but I never really have been anyway...I find it hard to believe ST is all it says it is. I just don't believe in panaceas, for plants or otherwise. That's why I'd like to test it. Maybe I'll end up eating my words! It's very hard for me to get past the ST packaging, I see it and think "SNAKE OIL". I really don't believe that I'm the first in 60-65 years to challenge them like their packaging leads you to believe. So, let's do our challenge, if I'm wrong, I'll eat my words and publish it here. If I'm right I'll send ST the results and most likely it won't change anything.
I had a very interesting conversation w/ the owner of a (different) local nursery today. I love my dh, but I also love shopping w/out him...I make so many friends when I'm not rushed! =^) I found out what is in pro mix, not Pro Mix...but I'm willing to bet they are the same thing. He was the nicest guy, he started showing me around his greenhouse, showing me how they mix the soil, make their plugs, etc. He got a phone call in the middle of our tour and I wanted to stomp on his cell phone because I wasn't nearly done w/ our conversation...but maybe next time. Anyway, pro mix is peat moss & perlite with a little (very little) fert in it. That's it. That's the big secret stuff they use to grow stuff in at the nurseries. I know he wasn't pulling my leg, he told me how much he spent to heat his gh's last winter & how much money he made off of Pointsettias alone last year. So, there you go. Everyone who wanted to know what the pro's use, you got it. From looking at the mix he showed me I'd say it was almost 1/2 and 1/2 peat & perlite. He stressed very little fert, he said just enough to get them going. The other nursery owner had told me he used the same thing as Osmocote in his pro mix. All I told the guy today was that we were testing all kinds of stuff against MG and he jumped on board and started the tour!
I did buy a bag of potting mix from him to use for the test, and this presents me w/ a problem I didn't realize, therefore didn't consider. While talking to him about soils he said that the pro mix & what I ended up buying is peat based...some are bark based....then he refered to WM brand and said that no one really knows what the base of that is. I said that maybe it's GA clay, he laughed and agreed.
I left his place and went to WM, figuring I'd get some cheaper potting SOIL there. The only thing they had there was the WM brand that will not drain even if it's mixed with 2 tons of perlite. The only other potting soils/mixes had ferts in them. I've tried the WM brand and it's worth the price of the bag it comes in. I've mixed it w/ sand & perlite to the point that I had more money in sand & perlite than I did in potting soil...it was still mud. So, I didn't get it.
Now, I'm stuck w/ 2 peat based soiless mixes. The potting mix I bought tonight is Fafard Professional Formula - All Purpose Potting Mix. It's made of Select Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, Perlite and Vermiculite. It has no mention of ferts or gauranteed analysis of them...this is pro mix with no ferts. Add a bit of Osmocote and you'd have the perfect pro mix. It would also be soilless so, if I remember correctly, it shouldn't harbor diseases or bugs like soil will. You will also want to add wetting agents (water crystals) to your own mix because peat looses it's ability to pull up water when bottom watering and it looses it's water retention qualities over time.
I have some running to do in the morning and I'm going to have to come up w/ a well draining potting soil....somewhere. This may mean an hour trip one way for me....I hope not. I'll let you know what I come up with.
...and I'm still looking for water crystals. For goodness sakes, you'd think all it does here is rain! I asked one kid for them today and he looked at me like I was from Mars...everyone knows women are from Venus, sheesh!
I need to get to bed, tomorrow is going to be another busy day! =^)
Oh, on the Messenger and Mighty Plant...I would love to add them to the test, but I honestly don't know where I'd get them. If I asked for Messenger at a local store I know someone would tell me to log on to AOL!! Plus I've already got a good $60 in this test already...I'm not counting what I have on hand to use, only what I had to buy specifically for the test.
Just thought I'd throw in a link back to the old thread. But, be warned, it's long!!
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/594592/
Thanks for adding the link to the old thread Heather, I meant to but I must have forgot. I found my water crystals at the hardware store. It's called Home Hardware, but I'm pretty sure it's just Canadian. They sell a little bit of everything, household supplies, a bit of kitchen stuff, hardware(of course), that sort of thing. You could try looking in a store like that, if you haven't yet.
The guy at you local garden center sounds really helpful, we have to go at least 45min to find a real good one. The closest, about 15-20 min away, just has lots of young people who work there, not that I have anything against that, but they never seem to know anything. And they should if they're working in a GC.
Have you started any of your experiments yet? I haven't :D I'm veeeerrrrryyyy slow to get going in the morning. It'll be a bit later.
How exciting! I've never really done soil experiments. Now, one more thing I'm thinking of trying.....I think I'm going to try soaking my gel in a strong MG soloution for a bit so it can absorb. Maybe I can create my own 'slow release fert'?
Steve
Hey Steve & everyone,
Did you get anything potted up yet?
I'm very, very sorry to say that I have not. It's not for lack of trying, please believe me!! There is a reason for it. I'll make it short and to the point. I have back problems, if I don't get enough sleep the back problems increase. Over Thurs and Fri nights I got a total of 10 hours of snoozing. No problem for some folks, but a big problem for me. I also had other engagements that I couldn't cancel out on. So...I planned well and went to bed early last night. Had all my goodies gathered, even some extras I haven't mentioned to y'all...and started out mixing my MG mix today. I opened my bag of Schultz Perlite and....it was full of dried up creepy crawlers. I have no idea of what is in there. They are unrecognizable since they are so dried up, but there's a LOT of them, including the pods they came out of. Really gross. I e-mailed Schultz tonight, I told them about the experiment and that their response to this matter would be posted here. We'll see how they handle it, hopefully they handle it quickly and professionally. I have to double check the bag tomorrow by filling it w/ water to see if the bugs could have gotten in at the store...if no holes then I'm assuming they came from the factory.
Tomorrow I will get a new bag of perlite, but I will open it in store to be sure it's bug free. It's not the idea of the cost (although I'm going to double check the total but I think I'm over $100 now...easily if I count gas money). It's the idea of trusting a brand name. I didn't see the bugs till I started pouring it out...thank God I was pouring it into a bucket to measure it and not right into the soil mix.
The other things I have picked up to test are.....drum roll please.....Super Bloom and Rabbit Manure. I did finally find the water crystals, most folks around here don't know what they are....and don't care to listen long enough to have me explain. Oh well, they lost a sale. A nursery about 45 minutes away had them...I forgot I saw them there while shopping with my DSIL a couple weeks ago. I also purchased the SuperBloom (SB) there. The owner told me after she tried it she switched to it for all her nursery stock and would never even think of using anything else. Her stuff is some of the nicest looking plants I've seen, so I got some.
The Bunny Poo came from a local farmer...a close friend of the guy who sold me the alfalfa pellets for the organic tea. He has a bunch of bunnies, so he has a bunch of poo too. It kinda just works that way I guess, LOL! I got two 5 gallon buckets full, for free. The farmer's son shoveled it into the buckets and loaded them into my SUV for me (I guess cuz I was wearing pink, including pink gloves??). So, since the poo was free I paid the kid for his labor. I was soooo happy. The kid said he'd never seen anyone get so excited over crap in his whole life. ROTFL!!
I asked what they fed the rabbits and they gave me a label off of the feed bag...so I have the break down of the food. It's basically Alfalfa pellets, then they also feed fresh alfalfa hay. I found out where I can buy fresh alfalfa...but I don't know if that would work for making compost tea...I have to research that. I think Darius may know...if she happens along.
Also, I'm thinking I may change the ST tests a bit. It seems like a waste to me to test it on so many different things. The bottom line is either it's going to work or it's not. So, I'm going to test it on a synthetic fert and an organic fert. Since we are testing everything against MG that will be the synthetic I'll use. I'm guessing that the bunny poo will do the best out of the organics, so I'm choosing that for the organic test. I'll also test these in a potting soil and in the base I'm mixing.
Again I apologize for things falling behind here. I don't feel as though it will make a big difference in the results. If Steve hasn't started his plants yet we can wait till next Sat if that would be better for him. I'm not working so I'll go by whatever is best for him. If he has already started his I will pot mine up asap. I'll let mine go an extra few days at the end of the experiment if anyone really feels that is necessary, but I don't. I don't think we are comparing his results to mine, we just wanted to start at the same time. Starting in the same week should be close enough.
As always, any ideas & suggestions & corrections are welcome!!
Heather
Needed to let everyone here know that I'm out sick because of pain, not from my back. I'm not real sure what is causing this, I've not had any injuries. My regular pain meds aren't really doing much to help. I'm thinking it's either going to be back on the muscle relaxers or a trip to the ER, neither or which is something I want. I'm going to bed now. I'll check in later.
Sorry things are working out this way, I feel bad this is all happening right now.
Heather
Sorry to hear about your back Heather, I hope it gets better for you.
I also must say I haven't got my pots potted up yet :) I keep meaning to get it done..........but haven't. This Sat sounds good and your right, I don't think a week would make that much difference.
Steve
Hope you get to feeling better Heather...Try to take it easy and relax...You'll never get better if you don't...
I am back and ready for action!!
Hi all, I am back from the land of the Midnight Sun, to a messy house, happy critters, a few casualties on the flower front and the deck looked like a growth explosion had taken place!! The casualties and the mess is what I expected having a 21 year old look after the house, ah well, saved money in the long run.
So today I promptly ran out and spent $$$ on more plants! And I haven't even began to replenish the casualties! :)
So now begins the projects eh? I will follow this with interest, however I will be conducting one of my own here, I am starting the houseplant containers, HD and Lowes had a great selection of smaller plants, all I need now is the soil and containers! Will post pics as I get them set up!
Good to be back, deadheading Petunias and generally feeling like a million bucks after 2 weeks off!!
Bec_No_Va,
Sounds like you sucked up a whole lot of that midnight sun!
Welcome home, BecNoVa - sahn!
Thanks for all your well wishes. =^) I'm getting back on track. I'm still attributing all this to lack of sleep and too much activity. A few days of rest has helped and I'm feeling better, but still not ready to dig in full force. I'm starting to putter around in the garden and did pot up a few things yesterday, but everything was sitting jobs...been staying off my feet.
Sat. looks good to me too. I'll start preparing things tomorrow so that they'll be ready ahead of time. My base mix for my MG mix is half ready now...just missing the perlite and I didn't add the water crystals yet.
I did call Schultz about the bugs in the perlite and they're having me send them the bag and a sample of the bugs. They are giving me a refund. They handled it very quickly and professionally. I didn't have to wait on hold for someone to answer the phone either. I figured it would be a big hassle and that's the only reason I posted about it. If I knew it was going to be this simple I never would have mentioned it. If this is how they deal with things when they do have a problem I'd consider them a very good company that stands behind their products...sometimes that's hard to find these days! They made me smile! =^)
Ok, I'm off to put, putt, putttt around some. Thanks for understanding y'all.
Heather
Heathr,
Go see my newly planted garden on the Coleus Chatter III thread!
Heathrjoy,
I hope I did this right! Go here http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/613749/
Yeyyyyyyyyy!
I posted a proper link!
Yippee!!
GG, I just checked your Coleus.....oh my, now I might have to add them to the list of must haves, I had no idea!! Very , very nice !!! I have been meaning to hit HD, Lowes and the local nursery for more plants but I have been bombarded with work ( I am up to my eyeballs in this really, really boring transcript about patent laws, yuk) since I came home and I have NO time!!!!!!!! If I get done working by the end of the week I will sneak out and fill the car up!! I must get my hands in some dirt! I am expecting a shipment of house plants this week and will be making my own mix for them, I used MG Cacti & regular soil last time and they are growing away!! Looking forward to reading the results of this trial!
Sounds like fun! Let us know what you pick up if you do venture out.
Feeling lots better here. =^) The weather is cooperating too, so all is coming together. Starting to look forward to potting up the Impatiens soon.
BTW, Steve, just out of curiosity, what color are yours? Mine are bright pink.
I started my own test...Will let you know in a few weeks which ones did the best...
Hey Ya'll,
Just a concern about the new flowerbed. I mixed 1-1/2 bag (small) of MG garden soil, and equal parts of Hummus and compost in the flowerbed. The soil seems to be a bit "tight". Should I worry? All the plants are still alive...some are even standing a bit taller. Should I have worked in more MG soil, perhaps? And if yes, how do I work more garden soil in from this point? Do I just carefully sow it in around the plants w/o disturbing them too much?
P.S. We're expecting 40-50% chance of rain this weekend...
Jerry Baker has a "Green Up" concoction of 1 can of beer, 1 cup of baby shampoo, 1 cup of molasses or karo syrup, 1 cup of Liquid Lawn food, and 1 cup of ammonia in a 20-gallon hose end sprayer to energize and "green up" the lawn. The shampoo/detergent supposedly softens the soil, and the beer provides the enzymes and jumpstarts the chemical process.
What'd ya'll think? Tobee?
I think you would end up with a sticky mess! I don't think the molasses would thin out enough to get through the sprayer.
I know that Darius posted a warning about MG and other non-organic gardening materials. I cannot say I am completely organic yet, myself, but I do wonder that there is not more attention to this in this forum. Certainly, chemically-enhanced container soil is far less worrisome than the use of chemicals on garden beds, etc., but shouldn't we all be a bit more concerned about the constant use of products like MG?
By the way, our NPR gardening show guy claims that products such as MG are not only environmentally bad but, also, ineffective. I have often wondered what his evidence is for the latter claim. Maybe I'll suggest he look at some of your photos!
A final note to a long post: Heather, I'm glad you are better. It is such a drag to want to work in the garden but to be stopped by an aching back.
Very nice Coleus GG! I like the caladiums too. Very showy.
Heather - I actualy don't have any impatiens right now.....I planted the rest of them today :) When I get more I'll try to get bright pink to match yours! I'm looking forward to seeing the results of this....
Steve
GG, I think you posted to the wrong thread...and I'm not sure what to say about the soil. The green up concoction sounds horrible to me and I'd never try it, but that's just me. It could work wonders!! I'd be concerned about what kind of bugs & critters it would bring in, especially w/ the smell of ammoinia (cat urine). Actually, I wonder what all mixed up would smell like after sitting in the TX sun for a few hours? MMMM. Just the faintest whiff of molasses sends my tummy twirling, no idea why. If you try it let us know how many pairs of shoes you lose to it!! he he he
So, I'm driving along the other day, thinking about peat moss. Everyone does this, right? I was thinking about what peat moss was made out of and what potting soil/mix was made out of...since I wasn't able to find anything not made of some type of peat for these tests. Then it occured to me that I was assuming that I knew what peat was. I'm sure at some point I've read it somewhere and I knew what it was at one point long ago, but I didn't remember. I know what sphagnum peat moss is, especially the Canadian kind, because folks make such a fuss over it. Other than that I was clueless. I'm not being blonde, I'm being honest. So, I looked it up tonight. I didn't do a lot of research on it...since I came in from potting things up at midnight & need to get to bed.
Peat is aquatic and semiaquatic plants that have partially decomposed very slowly. Basically, from what I gather, that's what we're buying. In the list of what grows there is reeds, sedges, rushes, and mosses (like sphagnum). So, wa-la, there's your peat. All of this material comes from swamps and bogs in temperate climates.
So, at least now we have a definition on peat. Don't we all feel better...and now we can concentrate while we drive! =^)
Sissy, I'd be very interested to here what your NPR guy has to say. What is NPR anyway? My expectations are that the bunny poo will out doo everything, but we'll see. I hope it does, I would love for one of the organics to show far better results...but we'll see what happens. I would much rather have an orgaic garden, and started a compost pile this year to work towards that goal. It would be wonderful to be able to show folks a prize-winning size plant at the end of this experiment and tell them it was grown completely organically...and easily. I'm finding for myself that organic is actually cheaper than using synthetics and I waste next to nothing because of the compost pile. How great is that?
Steve, please don't feel that you have to get any certain color of Impatiens. I just got what was available at WM. Pink is also my fav color, so that didn't hurt anything either! Going there tomorrow to pick up some more stuff...the Petunias I got there this year are fragrant, who would have guessed??
Loretta, what are you doing...and being so sneaky about? I bet she's dying the water crystals w/ food coloring to see if it changes the colors of the flowers...or adding scented oils to them to see if the fragrance shows up in the blooms. That girl is always thinking!! =^)
Heather:
NPR is National Public Radio. Our Philadelphia station has a gardening show called You Bet Your Garden run by the former editor of Organic Gardening Magazine. He also has a website, but I can never find it unless I look through the NPR site. I waited years for NPR to have a gardening show [one I could hear, at least]. He is a pain, in my opinion, but very knowledgeable and his website has given me some great advice. As to MG, in particular, he always rants about those products. He swears they are very bad for garden plants, as well as environmentally unsafe. I keep wondering why someone from the MG company doesn't demand that he produce some evidence for his claims about effectiveness.
You know, I have a huge mound of bunny poo, under the rabbit's cage. But, I never know how to use it. It must be soaked with pee, after all; can I just scopp all the mess together and put it in the gardens?
And, you are right: the store bought chemicals really add up, especially as they cannot be carried over year to year.
Heather:
NPR is National Public Radio. Our Philadelphia station has a gardening show called You Bet Your Garden run by the former editor of Organic Gardening Magazine. He also has a website, but I can never find it unless I look through the NPR site. I waited years for NPR to have a gardening show [one I could hear, at least]. He is a pain, in my opinion, but very knowledgeable and his website has given me some great advice. As to MG, in particular, he always rants about those products. He swears they are very bad for garden plants, as well as environmentally unsafe. I keep wondering why someone from the MG company doesn't demand that he produce some evidence for his claims about effectiveness.
You know, I have a huge mound of bunny poo, under the rabbit's cage. But, I never know how to use it. It must be soaked with pee, after all; can I just scopp all the mess together and put it in the gardens?
And, you are right: the store bought chemicals really add up, especially as they cannot be carried over year to year.
Hmm..I may be posting this twice, as the machine is being funky. Apologies if it does show up twice.
Heather, I haven't yet read much of the posts here, but there's been a family emergency so I don't know when I'll be getting to a garden center next for my plants. I will for sure though be hitting a sale @ the beginning of July with my Dad. So I'll be able to start it then for sure.
Sorry about this,
Steve
Steve, don't worry, take care of what you need to and get back to us when you can. If you can't do the tests at all we'll understand. I hope things are ok w/ everyone in your family and with you. Please take care.
I did get everything potted up today, with much help from my dh. All systems are go here and tomorrow I will post more info and pics. I'll also be posting everything in my DG journal. I would start this process tonight, but it's late and I'm really tired.
On the bunny poo...and I'm no expert on this stuff...I just Googled it to find a mixture for myself. I used 3 parts soil and 1 part bunny poo. I don't want to get too icky...but if the bunny poo is too wet or too stinky I would put it outside in some type of container w/ drainage holes in it and let it set for a while before using it. Or just pile it like compost...and let it compost for a bit, turn it now and then. If you let it set in a container w/ holes the rain water will wash out some of the urine and smell and the sun will dry it some. Then it will be much eaiser to work with.
When I got my poo from the farmer he had some setting out like I'm explaining and that's what he recommended I take, so I did. He also had some that was fresh & sitting under the cages. His son brought some of it out and the smell was overwhelming...we were in a field...I thought I was going to be sick & I have a very strong stomache. I think it was a bit too fresh...possibly just made!! LOL!
Also, the poo I used has bedding and bits of alfalfa hay mixed in it. I don't know if there's any way to avoid that, but I don't see how it's going to make a huge difference. If it does make a difference I'm sure I'll see it in these tests.
Hope that helps! Oh, and my puppy can't keep his nose out of the pots that have poo in them. Just something I thought you may want to consider.
I'll see you all tomorrow! =^)
Heather: The 'airing out' idea makes sense. I don't notice a very strong smell when I am out by the cage, but maybe once I dig it up some I'll notice the odor.
As for the dogs, mine are so happy with deer and goose poop to roll in, I gues the rabbit stuff seems too tame to them. Ick.
Sissy, I'm betting you clear out the bunny's mess much, much more often than the farmer I visited. His poor little critters are not getting the best care in any area and I'm certain that's why the odor there was so pungent. Plus, his were in a shed...completely closed off to the outside. If what you're dealing w/ isn't too wet or too smelly I wouldn't be afriad to use it right away, especially as a top dressing. You may want to keep it back a little ways from the stems of the plants and water very well when applying it, but I think it should do ok. Do a Google search on fresh rabbit manure to double check me because I'm certainly no expert and just going by memory of what I've read. You can ask in the soil & composting forum too.
Ok, I'm ready to post some info on the test now!! =^)
I'm not sure where to begin, other than the beggining, so please bear with me...this is going to be long, my posts always are anyway. In this instance I'd hate to leave anything out simply trying to be short in my posting. I'm also going to set all of this info up in my DG Diary and keep track of the whole experiment there, that may take a bit to do, so don't be holding your breath. I'll give as much info on everything as I can. If I leave anything out please feel free to ask any questions. Make any suggestions & comments you'd like...d-mail me if you don't feel comfortable posting in the forum...I'm fine w/ that & welcome it. I repeat again that I'd love as much input on this experiement as possible!! =^)
Here is the list of the test plants I have potted up and their corresponding numbers. All pots are marked w/ numbers and what they are being tested in/with. After potting them up I started to think about how would be best to measure their growth. It seemed very unscientific to me to just look at them at the end of the growing season and judge by myself which one looked healthiest and most lush. Besides, all of the plants are not exactly equal starting out, they are all very similar, but not exactly equal. So, I decided to ask Mark (my dh) to help me measure them. We measured the height and width of each plant. The height is measured from the top rim of the pot, not the soil level, since the soil level can change. We measured the highest and widest points, not inculding flowers. I couldn't think of any other way that would be good to measure growth...if someone else has an idea I'd love to hear it!! The numbers following the test mixes are the heights (ht) and widths (w) of the plants.
"Base" is my MG mix with no ferts in it, I will list the exact contents of everything later, including the contents of the Potting Soil used.
Here we go! =^)
1. Miracle Gro - ht 2 5/8", w 4 1/2" x 4 1/8"
2. My Miracle Gro Mix - ht 2", w 5 1/4" x 5 1/2"
3. SuperBloom + Base - ht 2 1/2", w 5 1/4" x 4 5/8"
4. SuperBloom + Potting Soil - ht 2 1/8", w 5 1/8" x 4 1/4"
5. Poo + Base - ht 2 1/8", w 5 1/8" x 4 3/4"
6. Poo + Potting Soil - ht 2 1/2", w 5" x 4 1/4"
7. Alfalfa + Base - ht 2 5/8", w 4 3/4" x 5 7/8"
8. Alfalfa + Potting Soil - ht 2 3/8", w 4 1/4" x 3 7/8"
9. Osmocote + Potting Soil - ht 1 1/8", w 4 1/4" x 3 3/4"
10. SuperThrive + Miracle Gro - ht 1 3/4", w 5 1/2" x 4"
11. SuperThrive + Poo + Base - ht 2 1/2", w 5 3/4" x 4 5/8"
12. SuperThrive + Poo + Potting Soil - ht 1 5/8", w 5" x 3 3/4"
13. Potting Soil - ht 2", w 5 1/4" x 3 3/8"
14. Base - ht 2 3/8", w 5 3/8" x 3 3/4"
Abbreviations
Miracle Grow - MG
SuperBloom - SB
Alfalfa - Alf
Bunny Poo, Rabbit Manure - Poo
Organic - Org
Osmocote - OS
SuperThrive - ST
Potting Soil - PS
A pic of the 6" pots they are planted in. The gray and terra cotta one in front are the same pots, just different colors. I only used one pot like the terra cotta colored one in the back on the left.
My Base Mix
2 parts Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss
1 part partially composted/partially cut up Pine Bark Mini Nuggets
1/4 part Perlite
3 teaspoons Soil Moist water crystals mixed w/ 12 cups of water
The Peat Moss was fresh from a newly opened bag and I made sure it was all pulverized and had no clumps. I was not able to get my hands on any kind of composted pine anything, and I didn't start gathering my materials early enough to compost it myself. Shame on me! I purchased a bag of "Mini Pine Bark Nuggets" from Wal-Mart that are used for mulch. I used from the bag what was at the bottom and was wet, it was very soft. What I had to use from the inside of the bag I chopped into small pieces, smaller than 1". The water crystal recipe I got from a local gh owner, and it's the recipe she uses when potting up her plants, it's not what is listed on the package. I mixed it the night before so the water would be absorbed well. After everything else was in the mix the water crystals were added and mixed in, little by little. We separated the mix and worked the jello-like water crystals in bit by bit until they disappeared.
My MG Mix is the above with OS added as a fert.
This mix drains very well, I'd say about the same as MG, maybe even a bit better. I'm excited to see the results.
BTW, I just noticed the other day that MG has changed their contents labeling on their bags. Now their first ingredients are "composted forest products" then sphag peat moss. Also "composted soft wood bark" or however it was written, is missing. Glad I looked at it when I did!
Here's a pic of my MG mix compared to MG out of the bag. My MG is in the wheelbarrow, MG out of the bag is in the oval container.
