Miracle Grow Moisture Control

BlackestKrim · February 12, 2011

I am going to plant a bunch of toms in containers (not SWCs) and am unsure about the soil. Right now Miracle Grow's Moisture Control potting mix is inexpensive at Costco, and I was hoping to use that.

Should I mix it with other substances (bark fines/pearlite) or is it ok on its own? Doing research on the forums I found this recipe:
3 parts potting mix
2p bark fines
1 p pearlite
opinions?

Is there any reason I should not use moisture control for tomatoes, but should make my own mix instead?

I plan on growing dwarfs and Stupice in 5 gal containers. I am also growing Black Sea Man in larger (10-15+ gal) containers.

recruiterg · February 12, 2011

Most people recommend not using moisture control MG. Use the regular MG potting mix without moisture control.

Gobig_or_Gohome_toms · February 12, 2011

2 years ago I did the same thing as Costo did not carry the regular potting mix and planted all my tomato pots (non SWC) with the moisture control potting mix and will never do that again plants did poorly. I would recomend using the potting mix without moisture control for your tomato plants. I can get the non moisture control mix at our local Fleet Farm for about the same price and that has worked better for me.

Craig

rnewste · February 12, 2011

What Craig says.

Plus, even in non-SWC container applications, I would still use the "3:2:1" Combo Mix. Otherwise, you are going to end up with "goop" midway through the Season (no aeration to the roots).

Raybo

BlackestKrim · February 12, 2011

If I can't find bark fines, is sphagnum peat moss a reasonable replacement?

I can find peat moss, vermiculite, pearlite, and MC (non-moisture) at my local hardware shop.

rnewste · February 12, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackestKrim

If I can't find bark fines, is sphagnum peat moss a reasonable replacement?

I can find peat moss, vermiculite, pearlite, and MC (non-moisture) at my local hardware shop.

No. Peat moss is not at all a replacement for bark fines. It will REALLY gum up your containers.

I have to believe somewhere in Austin you can find small pine or other bark. Check Home Depot. If all else fails, try a mix with Clay Soil Conditioner to see if the total mix is light and airy. You want microscopic "channels" for the air to get to the roots - - much like worms provide with in-ground growing. You need to simulate this environment in containers if you want a happy outcome. Earl taught me that a LONG time ago.....

Raybo

ireilly · February 13, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackestKrim

If I can't find bark fines, is sphagnum peat moss a reasonable replacement?

I can find peat moss, vermiculite, pearlite, and MC (non-moisture) at my local hardware shop.

Of those, the perlite would be closest in that it does not hold water and creates air space (albeit smaller voids than the bark fines), reduces density and creates drainage. Vermiculite holds some moisture plus you should get the kind made for horticulture and not swimming pool construction.

But the fines have their place and specific function in the mixes Ray and others formulate that are hard to duplicate exactly with other materials.

Some mulches can have some similar characteristics in terms of drainage but many are too coarse, sometimes because the shredders were not sharp enough. Any wood will increase C:N ratios in the near term but the source of the wood (heartwood versus sapwood versus bark) makes a difference to what ratio you wind up with in the mix.

Having said that, nature will adjust things the way it likes them pretty much regardless of what you or I do.

Elliot · April 7, 2011

what does MG at Costcos' cost? We have been using home depot's ultralite top soil and mixing it with dehydrated manure and some fertilizer. Anyone try this?

BlackestKrim · April 7, 2011

Update:
I have found that the Happygro compost at Lowe's is a good substitute for bark fines. It is light and fluffy and the particles are of the right size. I think it would make crappy compost, but it makes great bark fines substitute. It is not on the Lowe's website so perhaps it is only carried in certain stores.

The Miracle Gro at my Costco is all of the Moisture-control variety, and thu not desirable for tomatoes.

platys · April 7, 2011

My local Menards always has an excellent price on regular Miracle Gro potting mix - their largest bag has usually been almost half the cost as what Home Depot has been selling it for.

My one attempt with Moisture Control was not a good thing. It was fine for my flower pots in front of my house, but for tomatoes, it just would not even slightly dry out. It was like a swamp in there.

b54red · April 7, 2011

What do they use for their moisture control in the Miracle Grow? The reason I ask is down here where it is so hot I use water retaining crystals in my mix for containers and since using it my plants have done much better. I even apply some each season to my raised beds. Since using it I have had far less splitting of tomatoes after heavy rains and it has cut my watering by about one third. Before using the crystals my plants in containers never lived very long and were always unhealthy looking. It is very hard to get out and water containers twice a day during the really hot summer months. That is why I have soaker hoses in my raised beds with water crystals and heavy mulch. Heck if it wasn't for fusarium wilt, early and late blight, TSWV, other leaf spots, aphids, white flies, spider mites, hornworms, stink bugs, hail, high winds, high humidity, flooding rains and droughts it would be really easy to grow tomatoes here.

Aphid · April 25, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

What do they use for their moisture control in the Miracle Grow? The reason I ask is down here where it is so hot I use water retaining crystals in my mix for containers and since using it my plants have done much better. I even apply some each season to my raised beds. Since using it I have had far less splitting of tomatoes after heavy rains and it has cut my watering by about one third. Before using the crystals my plants in containers never lived very long and were always unhealthy looking. It is very hard to get out and water containers twice a day during the really hot summer months. That is why I have soaker hoses in my raised beds with water crystals and heavy mulch. Heck if it wasn't for fusarium wilt, early and late blight, TSWV, other leaf spots, aphids, white flies, spider mites, hornworms, stink bugs, hail, high winds, high humidity, flooding rains and droughts it would be really easy to grow tomatoes here.

lol welcome to my word B54red !I had to move out of my beds because I could grow huge plants bursting with tomatoes ..... than they die.
Talk about heartbreak

dustdevil · April 7, 2011

B54, don't forget the squirrels.

I've used MG potting mix with moisture control in pots and it does dry out. It has a small amount of bark fines mixed in. I think it has too much peat moss mixed in it to ever be top notch, but it does work.

b54red · April 8, 2011

I don't know how I left the little darlings off my list of challenges.

February 12, 2011	#1
BlackestKrim Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 147	Miracle Grow Moisture Control I am going to plant a bunch of toms in containers (not SWCs) and am unsure about the soil. Right now Miracle Grow's Moisture Control potting mix is inexpensive at Costco, and I was hoping to use that. Should I mix it with other substances (bark fines/pearlite) or is it ok on its own? Doing research on the forums I found this recipe: 3 parts potting mix 2p bark fines 1 p pearlite opinions? Is there any reason I should not use moisture control for tomatoes, but should make my own mix instead? I plan on growing dwarfs and Stupice in 5 gal containers. I am also growing Black Sea Man in larger (10-15+ gal) containers.

April 7, 2011	#8
Elliot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hicksville, New York Posts: 503	What does MG potting soil at costcos cost? what does MG at Costcos' cost? We have been using home depot's ultralite top soil and mixing it with dehydrated manure and some fertilizer. Anyone try this?

February 12, 2011	#2
recruiterg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4) Posts: 945	Most people recommend not using moisture control MG. Use the regular MG potting mix without moisture control.

February 12, 2011	#3
Gobig_or_Gohome_toms Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Zone 4 Lake Minnetonka, MN Posts: 967	2 years ago I did the same thing as Costo did not carry the regular potting mix and planted all my tomato pots (non SWC) with the moisture control potting mix and will never do that again plants did poorly. I would recomend using the potting mix without moisture control for your tomato plants. I can get the non moisture control mix at our local Fleet Farm for about the same price and that has worked better for me. Craig

February 12, 2011	#4
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	What Craig says. Plus, even in non-SWC container applications, I would still use the "3:2:1" Combo Mix. Otherwise, you are going to end up with "goop" midway through the Season (no aeration to the roots). Raybo

April 7, 2011	#10
platys Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 176	My local Menards always has an excellent price on regular Miracle Gro potting mix - their largest bag has usually been almost half the cost as what Home Depot has been selling it for. My one attempt with Moisture Control was not a good thing. It was fine for my flower pots in front of my house, but for tomatoes, it just would not even slightly dry out. It was like a swamp in there.

April 7, 2011	#11
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	What do they use for their moisture control in the Miracle Grow? The reason I ask is down here where it is so hot I use water retaining crystals in my mix for containers and since using it my plants have done much better. I even apply some each season to my raised beds. Since using it I have had far less splitting of tomatoes after heavy rains and it has cut my watering by about one third. Before using the crystals my plants in containers never lived very long and were always unhealthy looking. It is very hard to get out and water containers twice a day during the really hot summer months. That is why I have soaker hoses in my raised beds with water crystals and heavy mulch. Heck if it wasn't for fusarium wilt, early and late blight, TSWV, other leaf spots, aphids, white flies, spider mites, hornworms, stink bugs, hail, high winds, high humidity, flooding rains and droughts it would be really easy to grow tomatoes here.

April 7, 2011	#13
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	B54, don't forget the squirrels. I've used MG potting mix with moisture control in pots and it does dry out. It has a small amount of bark fines mixed in. I think it has too much peat moss mixed in it to ever be top notch, but it does work.

April 8, 2011	#14
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I don't know how I left the little darlings off my list of challenges.