I use MG organic potting soil with black cow mixed 50-50 then I add to that mixture my compost and I toss in a couple scoops of ground hardwood charcoal & couple scoops of non clumping cat litter (the cheap stuff, no purfume, to add in a bit of clay that Florida sugar sand lacks). I mix it all up using my cement mixer. I find the cement mixer does a great job of getting it all evened up together and my arms don't fall off from mixing.

Lou

I've used it as a starter mix for pepper and tomato seedlings, recommendation from seedling mix experiments over at the Hot Pepper forum. It works great, but you will see little creepy crawlies in it, just FYI if you start things inside.

Tom

Hi

I used it one time in a container and it attracted bugs, if you use it in the soil should be okay because everything decomposes eventually, in the containers I have used miracle grow for containers without moisture control mixed with some pine bark fines and perlite to make it lighter and fast draining.

Silvia

It is a little heavy so adding perlite does help. I think it may have a lot of compost. If you want to use OMRI listed organic mix they have some at home depo called Lambert's.

The only thing I have against stuff like this is the price. Seems like a bit of marketing hooey/price-gouging to me.

Believe it or not, I've had great results w/ the stuff they sell @ Big Lots: 'Black Magic'@ $3/bag. I don't often fill my veggie containers w/ potting soil, tho - I generally use compost & garden soil mixed together. I reserve the bagged potting mix for smaller pots - herbs & such.
I'm such a cheapskate = J

I love love love the MG organic potting soil for starting seedlings. I do add perlite to it and as Tom said you will see harmless critters in it time to time......must be eggs that hatch when water is supplied. I wick all my seedlings and they are constant fed with dilute fertilizer solution, grown under lights and come out huge, thick and strong. Like Tom I tried it after it was recommended by a hot pepper forum.

Thanks for the replies. Actually hot peppers is what it was used on in containers of hot pepper plants that I bought from the hot pepper festival last month in St. Pete. Funny, I do see little flying bugs around it all the time in the afternoon.

Just want to make sure no one thought it was a bad idea using the stuff for whatever reason.

I also wanted to use it in my new Dwarf Cavendish banana plant, and Brown turkey fig plants I just purchased when it is time to plant in larger containers, and also for any future containers I use. I agree, it is expensive though.

thanks again and if anyone thinks it is a BAD idea to use the stuff for food bearing plants that will be used to feed myself and children, please let me know and why.

peace

You will have to supply extra nutrition for the potted plants, especially the banana. If you know anyone with a pet rabbit have them save the manure for you and just add it right to the mix, even 25% of the total volume can be the rabbit manure as it won't burn (just make sure it is the manure and not the urine). You can also add it to the top of the pot and it will rot down quickly and provide fertilizer and a very rich soil.

It is kind of pricey, but you can add other organic stuff, I like Black Cow and Black Hen and also add Perlite and pine-fines.. you don't need to throw it away later, re-use it in outside beds... be frugal -- did I say 'cheap'? LOL.....sally

Hey BR, a few months ago tried the coir cubes with Bell peppers for the first time, loved the fact that it drained better than the Burpee grow cubes and thus didn't grow any mold but it has absolutely no nutrition in it so the peppers didn't mature at all like they do in the Burpee cubes. Tell me again what your diluted fertilizer solution is, I've got to try it with the next round.

Tom

saldut, I just bought some black hen to try for the first time. I have used Black Kow for a few years and love it. It is a little pricey, but worth it. The Black Hen smells pretty cool doesn't it?

carolb_w_fl is black magic you buy the brand name or does it go by another name? If so, for $3.00 I might wanna try it.

Thanks again so much for the help everyone.

Thanks for the tips on the banana plant bamboo_rabbit, I really want it to do well, I wonder if the Black Hen will do the trick or if it needs more. A post for the banana forum I suppose.

Tom,

I just use plain water no fert on the small seedlings until they have their first true leaves and at that point transplant them to individual cups and wick them. The fert I use is Green Light and it is 12-55-6. Very high in phosphate for the root growth. The directions call for two teaspoons per gallon but that is for feeding every 2 weeks. I use 1/2 tsp per gallon and of course the wicks are in that constantly and never allowed to dry. Let me know how it works out for you.

Black Magic is the name on the bags - which are green. Unfortunately, the last time I was @ Big Lots, the clerk told me she didn't think they would have any more until next year = (

She might've been wrong, tho....

therealdeal, if you are in St Pete, you can get the Black Hen at Neeld-Gordon Feed store, on 13 ave. north abt. 19 st, it's just west of 16 st. -North, just before you get to the tracks and overpass, they set back from 13 ave. a bit on the south side of 13 ave., with a Mower repair shop... he also carries Alfalfa pellets and other stuff you don't find at HD, at good prices.... it's an old-timey feed store with a pot-bellied stove to heat with in the winter and boards for the floor, very old.. he has some antique implements around the place also.....sally

The fert I use is Green Light and it is 12-55-6. Very high in phosphate for the root growth.

Thanks BR. I see it's also got chelated iron in it, looks like a good starter product, when do you start backing off on the phosphate, or do you?

Tom

"Thanks BR. I see it's also got chelated iron in it, looks like a good starter product, when do you start backing off on the phosphate, or do you?"

I don't. They stay wicked in that solution until they get moved outside to harden off. I do not use that product at all once the plants are outside and in the ground. Once outside I don't as a rule fertilize veggies once they are outside...sometimes a shot of 8-8-8 granular but my ground is very rich due to the rabbit manure and seldom have a need. But while say peppers are on the green light they will sometimes initiate flower buds while inside.I pick them off but seems a good sign.

Makes sense, the difference between mine being in containers the whole time due to a small garden and the inability to exercise crop rotation, and yours being in-ground with organics.... Thanks!

Tom