On this blog we get mad at lots of things. Sure, anger is fun, but sometimes you’ve got to suck it up and say something nice for a change. So today I thought I’d point out a product that, while it comes from a company that I’ve had issues with in the past, is, itself, a good product. I like Miracle-Gro Moisture Control potting mix. The reason is that it utilizes coconut coir, a waste product from coconuts which holds lots of water and which can still maintain good aeration. That means a reduced amount of peat. I also like that the fertility present in this product (so you don’t need to fertilize right after you plant) is 3-1-2 which is appropriate for most situations. Now, could you mix up you own coir potting mix more cheaply? Sure, if you can find it. You could also fertilize with a renewable organic fertilizer. Still, I think Miracle-Gro got this one right.
Well certainly if the mix has a fair amount of coconut coir present as a major player, then yes perhaps they’ve got a real winner for once. I looked into coconut coir in the late 1990s as a possible alternative nursery potting media and discovered all the same qualities you mentioned. For me however, I was originally looking for healthy alternatives which would prevent “Damping Off” and the coconut coir seemed to have had certain properties which seemed to be a real possitive. Even now you can google some info and there appears to be many possitive testimonials and studies for this purpose. Like you though I still shiver at the sound of big corporation marketing ploys for the purpose of getting more people to purchase product. But, hey, if it really is a great beneficial product then good for them. And good for the end user, I mean the environment of course – *smile*
Thanks Jeff. Always appreciate your suggestions.
Just a pet peeve when it comes to marketing: “Grows Plants Twice as Big”….as what? Compared to???
To be honest, I would never trust anything with the name Miracle Gro. It’s just incompetent marketing.
All advertising should be taken with a grain of salt, but I have had very good luck with this product when potting plants into 4 packs or small individual containers. They don’t dry out as fast in the greenhouse and don’t need fertilizing with something else right away. I like this product much better than the regular Miracle-Gro Potting Soil. I’m not a commercial grower, just for hobby, and I don’t mind paying extra for this product to reduce some of the work load.
Coconut coir is great! Last year I started tomato seedlings in coconut coir and peat pellets side-by-side. The plants in peat did way worse than in coir
I was afraid of Miracle Gro because it always seemed like some engineered alternative to organic garden soil to me. I think it was because of too agressive advertisement.
Thanks a lot for this recommendation. I now grow my own seedlings (proudly!) and can use this product for this.
Hope I don’t intrude, this seems to be such an interesting blog that I had to comment.
Thank you
Olga
Try to winter over a Hosta in a pot in this and then tell me if you like it. It drains like a stopped up sink. It may be environmentally friendly, but it has to work well to be a good product.
Recent disclosures of atrocities committed by the people at Scotts Miracle Gro® are foremost on my mind. These massacres committed by executives who made the abominable decision to market toxic bird seed is beyond my comprehension. Scotts has also been sighted for selling a garden “weed preventer and plant food” as well as a product called Southern Max Fire Ant Killer, both with falsified pesticide registrations.
WSU already uses the first USDA certified Organic Coco-Coir potting soil mix in their greenhouses from Windy Meadow Nursery in Ferndale, WA. We have a lot of Customers who love this mix and the 1,000 varieties that are grown at the Nursery are some of the healthiest, sturdiest plants we’ve ever seen!