Unintentional Experiment: Vigora vs Miracle-Gro Potting Mix

[JohnWxNC]

I never expected my tomato seedlings to turn into an experiment this year. I have grown tomatoes from seed successfully for several years now. This year, things have not gone as expected.

Long story short: I grabbed a bag of Vigoro organic potting mix from Home Depot one day (I usually just use dollar-store potting mix that works great, but I was already at Home Depot). When potting-up my tomato seedlings, I ran out of Vigoro so I finished up with some extra Miracle-Gro moisture control potting mix I had leftover from another project.

What happened: Vigoro Organic Potting Mix tomatoes on the left half. Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix tomatoes on the right half.

[sprtsguy76]

I personally dont mess around with different potting mixes anymore. I had some back luck too in the past. I now use Fox Farms Ocean Forrest and will never use anything else. It works great every time and never lets me down. Seedlings on the right look great!

Damon

[pdxwindjammer]

Seriously? The Miracle Grow plants did that much better? Amazing!

[Tracydr]

Amazing! I was let down by MG organic and a locally made potting soil this year.

[bughunter99]

Note that this is not an example that Miracle Gro is good. It is an example that there was something wrong with the Vigoro mix he used. Those seedlings are sick.

Stacy

I bet if you look real close, you will find the Miracle Grow mix had some fertilizer in it.

I've used it when I didn't have anything else to germinate with and the plants grow like crazy after germination. In my opinion, they grow to fast with the fertilizer in the mix. If you mix 1/4 teaspoon of Miracle Grow fertilizer with 1 gallon of water and water the puny looking plants with it, they will catch up with the larger plants pretty quickly.

I prefer to germinate plants in mix without fertilizer and then add fertilizer soon after the the first true leaves appear. I prefer for my plants to grow in a more controlled manner.

Ted

[JohnWxNC]

Exactly right, Stacy & Ted! I have admittedly never been a fan of Miracle Gro fertilizers, specifically, partly because my soil already has very high phosphorous and I have never ever seen Miracle Gro make any noticeable difference on anything in my backyard. When I switched to organic fertilizers, my backyard came alive. The moisture control mix was used solely because I ran out of Vigoro. It may have saved my butt this year, though.

The first few weeks, I was more pleased with the Vigoro. The Miracle Gro plants were just growing too fast for my liking. As the weeks passed, though, the Vigoro ones just never did anything (although the roots in the pots are quite nice, just no plant growth). However, even though the Miracle Gro plants grew fast, they are very strong and sturdy. I keep them under a daylight shop light for 17 hours a day, and I have never had tomato plants with such strong stems before.

Both the Vigoro and the Miracle Grow had fertilizers mixed-in (I think both claim "3 months of feeding"?). I germinate using peat pellets (I have great luck with those under a humidity dome), then transplant to 3" pots with potting mix.

[SharonRossy]

Anyone try the MG Organic fertilizer? I've had pretty god results in the past.
Sharon

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

Anyone try the MG Organic fertilizer? I've had pretty god results in the past.
Sharon

No, but I tried the MG organic potting mix and the Jiffy organic seed starting mix. Both seem to have done well for me. But the MG mix seems to have a lot of big chunks of woody material...didn't like that too much. I prefer finer, or a mix I made myself. But had too many seedlings this year and had to purchase mix when mine ran out.

I've tried everything from the $1.50 per large bag stuff at Big Lots and the Ace Hardware stuff to all the different MG products. I seem to gravitate back every year to Fertilome Ultimate. It is a little more expensive, but it is a smoother blend with less woody material and no fertilizer. I want my mix as sterile as possible to prevent damping off of the new seedlings, and I don't want fertilizer included in the mix. I've found the MG fertilizer in very dilute amounts, applied after the first true leaves have appeared; causes my seedlings to green up real fast and grow at the rate I prefer. I plant my seed in late December each year and I want the plants to be about eighteen inches tall with heavy foliage and sturdy stems. I attempt to grow them in a manner which seems to work best for my area and my conditions. Folks in other areas and with other conditions may find different methods work best.

In my experience, the sooner I can promote a deep, luxurious; green color in my seedlings; the better they grow. I know the color indicates a good mineral balance and a high chlorophyll content in the plant. I've never understood if the high chlorophyll promotes photosynthesis or if it is only a by product of photosynthesis.

Ted

[afrance30]

Am I the only person who while scanning the list of threads thought this said Viagra vs Miracle Grow?

Originally Posted by afrance30

Am I the only person who while scanning the list of threads thought this said Viagra vs Miracle Grow?

Nope! I had a grin on my face the first time I read it. I just didn't comment on it.

Ted

[SharonRossy]

Ok, glad you mentioned it. I cracked up and had to read it twice. Too funny!

Gardening gives you a sense of humor!

Sharon

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by afrance30

Am I the only person who while scanning the list of threads thought this said Viagra vs Miracle Grow?

No your not i saw it too.

The Title of the thread is misspelled It should be Vioro not Vigora.

Looks like the Miracle Grow has Viagra in it.

I personally use Organic Miracle Grow for all of my potting soil.
For bigger greener healthier plants and vegetables every year.

Worth

"Vigoro" I think, unless I'm missing something. I believe it is the Home Depot store brand of fertilizer and gardening products.

Ted