Miracle Grow Moisture Control potting soil

[kaylyred]

There's a discussion on the American Hosta Society Facebook page about Miracle Grow Moisture Control potting soil and trouble with hostas not overwintering. I used the Miracle Grow Moisture Control last year, and every single hosta that I lost to crown rot was planted in that medium. Others I left in nursery pots, potted by their growers, survived just fine and look splendid already this year. So, I have to assume that either it's me...or the potting soil.

Has anyone else had trouble with Miracle Grow Moisture Control? Discuss!

[Kas]

I'm interested to see what others have to say. I have just planted a whole bunch of hostas in this potting mix this last week. Hope that wasn't a mistake! Of course, my potted plants are under evergreen trees or my bedroom addition overhang, so they don't get real wet during the winter.

Kathy

[Ginger]

I have all my Hosta in pots and have used Miracle Grow Moisture control for years. Never had any problems. I overwinter them standing upright all bunched up which has worked great for me, however I am in OK so winters usually are not severe.

[Noreaster]

I've had some rotted hosta that were left in pots with MG potting mix- could have been the regular stuff or moisture control. That led me to repotting everything with pine fines and perlite...but even so I still had some casualties this year.

[NancyL]

I used to use Miracle Grow Moisture Control potting mix. I had potted a bunch of plants in the fall for our spring plant sale a couple of years ago. After I had done many of them with the MC mix I asked a fellow MG about overwintering plants. She said the worst thing for plants overwintered in pots is to be wet coming out of dormancy. Mine were OK - I stuck them under the eaves of the garage so they didn't get too wet and they all made it. Too much water in winter is not good, it is hard to look at those parched looking pots in the winter but they come out of it just fine. Freezing and thawing doesn't help so putting them in the shade from a building will help stop that problem.

[kHT]

Sorry but that isn't something I'll use again. I lost so many priceless Brugmansia when using that stuff. I wouldn't even put it into the compost bin to reuse.

[Schattenfreude]

I think it might be better suited for thirsty annuals in a hot climate. Even then, I think I'd add some pine bark fines to it to improve drainage. I'd never use it with perennials, however. Heard too many horror stories just like yours!

Kevin in KC

[rufie98]

I potted my Great Expectations in moisture control potting mix two years ago in 2011. Did not add anything else to the soil. It is still in the same pot with the same soil. I overwinter it in an unheated garage. It is doing great. It is my pride and joy.

[party_music50]

I'm going to rant about Miracle Grow Potting Mix and Scott's specifically! About their potting mixes: I've never used their Moisture Control soil but have used the MG Potting Mix w/ fertilizer for *many* years, simply because it's the "best" thing they sold around here. I always buy in the 2 cu ft or 4 cu ft sizes of anything like that, if possible, and I kept ending up with what must have been tainted bags. The mix was completely water-logged in the last few purchases and smelled horrible -- it didn't smell anaerobic -- just bad somehow. Everything I repotted in mix from those bags either died or did very poorly, which really sucks because my indoor plant passion is for african violets and I was losing too many plants.

And then I was alerted to this article, which thoroughly disgusted me, and I have avoided purchasing ANY Scott's products since reading it: http://truth-out.org/news/item/11464-sc ... pesticides

I was *SO* happy last summer when I found a local garden center selling PRO-MIX!!!!!!!!! OMG, my violets are SO happy again! and the veggie seedlings and anything else I've potted using Pro-Mix is doing great. It's such a nice light mix -- but would obviously need more watering than anything w/ a moisture-retentive additive.

Put me in the anti-Scott's pro-Pro-mix category. :O)

PS: I just went out in the cold rain to check my new bag... it's this one: http://www.hydroponics.net/i/137312
I think my last bag might have been a different variant of Pro-Mix, but I can only buy what they have available for sale and last week this was my choice. I had no idea I could buy it on-line -- and that's a great price! I need to check their shipping costs. LOL!!!

[rufie98]

Thanks party_music50 for the article about Scott's. It definitely is an eye opener. Sadly, we will never really know how much precious wildlife was lost. The article is something we should all be aware of when we are purchasing our products.

[kHT]

I visited my folks this past weekend and my mom was having problems with some of her plants. You guessed it she is using MG Moisture control potting soil!!

[Hosta_la_vista_baby]

Hostas in containers? Miracle Gro? Moisture Control? Here's a bit of advice from a seasoned member of the Delaware Valley Hosta Society:
http://www.delvalhosta.org/_data/DVHS_NL_19-2.pdf -- Starting on page 3... "Great Potting Soil, Foliar Feeding, & Wetting Agent"

Cheers,
Di

[sweetee]

Thanks for that link on potting soil. That has some good information. I haven't had much luck with MG. I have to say that I tried Sta-green potting soil last year, because they were out of pro-mix. Every hosta I planted in it (all twenty), did not make it through the winter. That was a big loss for me. I lost two of my favorites; Labyrinth and Foiled Plot. Those were breeders I was waiting to use. I will never use it again. Just my experience, not saying it is bad stuff.