I’ve had these bags of soil for a little over a year now, they have been kept outside but in a shaded area. (I live in Arizona so it can get very hot and very dry here) They are both opened. Should I just toss them or are they still usable?
I am looking to plant some new vegetables and flower seedlings, and I want them to thrive, so if this soil will not help, please let me know.
by samhain_spirit13
6 Comments
Hard pass. I can’t trust that brand. Dries out too quick too. Better to mix your own out of real soil, compost, and maybe sand. At least then you’d know what’s in it. Add to it year after year and you’d improve the soil you’re growing in.
D’oh. You already have em so may as well use em. But yeah..dries out quicker than I like so it would need more water than I like to use.
I haven’t ever used any Pennington products but ive used the Costco version of the MG moisture control potting mix for 5 or 6 years now with no significant negative effects. The MG brand catches a lot of shit for their blue crystal fertilizer, but the bagged grow medium is just sort of mid grade. Its not the best or the worst. Take it for whats its worth but Epic Gardening did an experiment last year comparing store bought bagged soil and MG out performed a lot of “premium” brands.
If its been sitting outside in the heat for that long, its probably dry as dust. I’d probably rehydrate it before I used it. But it should be fine to use.
I’d use it.
I would use both.
If you’re talking about initial seed starting before later potting up, the Pennington would be the better option. I would use with a liquid fertilizer.
The Miracle-Gro contains slow-release fertilizer, so it would be better suited for container planting.
Id probably mix them together, rehydrate as needed, and the happily use it.
My general “old soil” philosophy is to use it on the bottom of a taller raised bed to help fill it, then add my better / fresher soil on top.
It’s probably fine to use in containers too, but I’m not sure how long the fertilizers in these products remain viable. You may end up having to fertilize more after planting if your plants look like they need it. Make sure to rehydrate it before using. Adding some vermiculite to the mix might help with water retention, especially in your hot, dry environment.