The above is correct about the wetting agent and also that miracle gro MC has cococoir fiber and no other additive to help maintain better moisture. I think it is a little wet myself but I have many customers that buy it and won't buy the regular miracle gro after using it and several were using it for tomatoes. I can't say I personally have used it for tomato here in Texas but I can speak for several customers that were very happy with it for a mix that they didn't make themselves from scratch like many of us that are on this forum do. I do like and continue to experiment with cococoir and have to say that I like what I have seen after my first year of testing. I still want to follow-up with a few variations this year. The quality of cococoir is the issue I worry about the most about so far but have been happy with what I am getting from a Phillipine source. Just a few thoughts on the subject from personal and customers experiences over the last year. Happy Growing David

I've had one planted for several years, can't find a pic right now. DH drilled drain holes in bottom. I lined it with landscape fabric, then filled with a good potting soil mixture. It does dry out quickly, and I have mine in a shady area. Mulch helps retain moisture. Some of the plants come back every year, one of them is Rose Campion, another varigated ivy. Often I put petunias in it, they take abuse fairly well compared to other flowering annuals. Dusty Miller is another good hardy annual, mine comes back sometimes after winter. I don't think it would do very well in full sun though, as the metal gets so hot. Any chance it could be moved to a more shady area? Or maybe plant a Crepe Myrtle beside it for quick shade? ..... Good luck, Kate, update us later please! I just love a planted wheel barrel! ~tenderlee

Since Miracle Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix contains synthetic fertilizers asking any question about it on an organic gardening forum is not something one should do. This is not an acceptable product for organic growers. However, as Rhizo has stated as long as the stuff is kept dry it should last almost forever.

Face it! Miracle Gro is just a commercial potting soil, albeit generally of reasonable quality. See one post above though for a demurral to that. The one thing that the Moisture Control product has, that others don't, is a measure of coir. That is, the fibrous outer husk of coconuts. And yes, coir does help significantly with moisture control. Be careful, however, as they do have another product with a similar name that has water-retaining crystals. If you like that, fine, just be sure of what you're getting. Moisture control! Now, what do we mean by that? The coir absorbs lots of water without becoming soggy and then releases it slowly as your plant uses it up. I've used it for several years as part of my repotting mix, to which I transfer young seedlings to grow until they are planted out. Using this mix allows me to water once a day without any worry that the medium will become waterlogged or dry out before the next day. I can do this right up until the plants are a foot high, a foot wide and drinking water like crazy. Then they have to be planted out. This is in a 32 oz. cup. I don't have any experience with container growing but I suspect that the same effect would occur in a larger volume as well. Your plants should do as well and maybe better. The principal difference, as far as I know, is that the coir is substituted for other materials, such as peat, vermiculite or perlite. It does hold and ration water better than peat and it has an advantage over vermiculite and perlite in that it is a natural plant material and will gradually break down and contribute to plant nutrition. There are other possibilities for accomplishing the same thing, though. For instance there are other coir products, some very expensive. Miracle Gro Moisture Control doesn't have very much. You could add more or make your own mix by getting blocks of ground coir and wetting them. These can be found at hydroponic dealers and are not very costly. A container-grown plant should do very well in a mixture of about 3/4 of good garden soil and 1/4 coir. That would also be a lot less expensive.