use of miracid or miracle grow
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Welcome to the forum!
I am not an expert on commercial fertilizers. I do use miracle gro kn some of my ornamental plants.
I'm sure someone here will be able to help.
I am not an expert on commercial fertilizers. I do use miracle gro kn some of my ornamental plants.
I'm sure someone here will be able to help.
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Long term use of Miracle Gro products or any other chemical fertilizers are detrimental to the soil as they will all leave deposits of mineral salts. These salts build up and destroy the microbial life that fertile soil must have in order for the plant to uptake natural nutrients. Mother nature feeds the soil, not the plant. By using chemicals you are feeding the plant not the soil and over time it will catch up with you. I am extremely biased against chemical fertilizers as I am a totally organic gardener but let me ask this. If these chemical fertilizers are so great why do they all come with warnings of some kind? Have you ever heard of worn out soil or farmland? How can dirt wear out and productive plants be unable to grow? If you guessed using chemical fertilizers you would be correct. There are all kinds of good organic fertilizers on the market in the US and easily found. There are organic soil additives to meet any need out there including supplemental acid. To any and all who read this one sided post please stop watching all those fake advertisements from Scotts and Miracle Gro on TV and learn how to garden organically and successfully. But if you must use this stuff follow the directions on the label, it will tell you how much to use and how often. Do not use too much as you can burn the roots of your plant unlike organic fertilizers which are much much more forgiving and safer for your plants
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What Chuck said.
I've used Miracle Gro in the past on house plants but after research have decided it's a con job. Stopped using it years ago; no change. My hostas, perennials and my lawn are lush and green and I have never used a single chemical preparation on them in 15+ years. And my (native) trees need nothing - they are indigenous to the area and grow just fine without intervention. I'm not really crunchy or strict about "no added chemicals" but over the years it's become clear to me that if you need to add such preparations, you are simply not gardening correctly. Grow what is native and does well in your region without intervention and you will save money, water, time and also be more environmentally sensible.
It's silly and illogical to grow things that need man-made, costly enhancement and help when, unless you live in Antarctica or something, you have a hugely wide range of things that will grow without muss or fuss.
Oh, and welcome.
I've used Miracle Gro in the past on house plants but after research have decided it's a con job. Stopped using it years ago; no change. My hostas, perennials and my lawn are lush and green and I have never used a single chemical preparation on them in 15+ years. And my (native) trees need nothing - they are indigenous to the area and grow just fine without intervention. I'm not really crunchy or strict about "no added chemicals" but over the years it's become clear to me that if you need to add such preparations, you are simply not gardening correctly. Grow what is native and does well in your region without intervention and you will save money, water, time and also be more environmentally sensible.
It's silly and illogical to grow things that need man-made, costly enhancement and help when, unless you live in Antarctica or something, you have a hugely wide range of things that will grow without muss or fuss.
Oh, and welcome.
Hi; I agree that organic or simple natures wonderful, but to an amateur gardener like myself
it brings up questions. First my wife the gardener passed away about 8 year ago, and she used rapidgrrow and miracid for many years with good results. Now, the reason I am asking questions is that weeds have started to grow these past couple of years which my wife NEVER had using miracid. So I thought that using miracid would get rid of the weeds, which I assumed did not like acid soil.
So now I ask, will weeds keep growing in the myrtle bed, if I use some sort of organic
conditioner? Or how else can I keep the weeds out of the myrtle and pachysandra beds?
Thank you.
mrdibs
it brings up questions. First my wife the gardener passed away about 8 year ago, and she used rapidgrrow and miracid for many years with good results. Now, the reason I am asking questions is that weeds have started to grow these past couple of years which my wife NEVER had using miracid. So I thought that using miracid would get rid of the weeds, which I assumed did not like acid soil.
So now I ask, will weeds keep growing in the myrtle bed, if I use some sort of organic
conditioner? Or how else can I keep the weeds out of the myrtle and pachysandra beds?
Thank you.
mrdibs
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The weeds will come back no matter what you use. Some weed and grass seed will lie dormant for years until they have the right climate for germination. Other seeds will be brought in by birds and still others blown in by the wind. One easy way to keep weeds at bay under your myrtle tree is to lay down a covering of cardboard and put a good thick layer of mulch on it. Then when a weed shows itself just squirt it with vinegar. On your ground cover pachysandra, it should be thick enough to choke out most weeds and other than hand removal I know of no safe remedy.
Both the myrtle and the pachysandra like a SLIGHTLY ACID soil so don't over do the acid
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I am crunchy and strict about the non-use of chemicals, and my yields have rocketed.
I'm a "new kid" at the allotments, yet people are coming from all over to ask me how its done; the chairman asks my advice.
There is no secret to successfully growing plants, or fruit and vegetables, high in nutrition and flavour, in a sweet-smelling soil, that looks and feels healthy, and is part of the joy of gardening; it's all in this forum!
I promise you; throwing away petro-grow is a huge step towards happy gardening.
Do it; you'll thank us for it sooner than you think.
I'm a "new kid" at the allotments, yet people are coming from all over to ask me how its done; the chairman asks my advice.
There is no secret to successfully growing plants, or fruit and vegetables, high in nutrition and flavour, in a sweet-smelling soil, that looks and feels healthy, and is part of the joy of gardening; it's all in this forum!
I promise you; throwing away petro-grow is a huge step towards happy gardening.
Do it; you'll thank us for it sooner than you think.
The only thing I use miracid for is my orchids.
Hosta will take care of its self all I do is water them and at the end of the season I don't cut them back I just let the old leaves become compost to feed them.
myrtle don't over feed them, just spread a little compost around the base every spring.
Hosta will take care of its self all I do is water them and at the end of the season I don't cut them back I just let the old leaves become compost to feed them.
myrtle don't over feed them, just spread a little compost around the base every spring.
Okay, so you say my wife had been pulling weeds when I was not looking. I'll go with that, and all that you said, Chuck. Oh, by he way, obviously I do not know how to spell "myrtle" since the myrtle I am talking about is a ground cover. what is it's name? And lastly where do you find these organic fertilizers that duplicate the "gros " and "acids"? I can't. Not at Home depot. Please let me know. Thank you. Mr. dibs.
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I will try to explain why you late wife did not have a big weed problem. She probably took care of her plants by cultivating and working the soil periodically and/or used mulch. Probably during the past few years the beds were not properly cared for, seeds blew in, sprouted, grew, produced more seed and and in a few years you ended up with a weed patch. I was under the impression that your myrtle was a myrtle tree like a crepe myrtle, not a ground cover of vinca minor/periwinkle.
Home Depot or any of the big box stores do not usually carry much in the way of organic products. You have to go to genuine nurseries or go online. Using acid has nothing to do with weeds. Some plants require a lower Ph, especially some types of flowers. You must know if your soil is acidic or alkaline to start with in order to know what to add or change in order for your plants to thrive. There are numerous organic ways to raise or lower the soil Ph. One of the best organic methods to lower the Ph or acidify the soil is with the use of peat moss and peat moss tea or if you aren't in a hurry you can use sulfur. Depending on where you live will determine which brands of organic products are available. Just go to a reputable nursery, make friends and ask questions. They will be gad to help
The best liquid organic fertilizer that I am familiar with is made by Medina and is called HastaGro
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Herbivore manure also tends to lower pH.
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This x100!
Big box stores have a really limited selection of products and the employees aren't very knowledgeable. They are to be avoided for most purposes and especially for gardening (and painting) supplies.
Go to a good locally-owned garden center/nursery and you will find a much wider range of products, plus I have found that people who work in such stores are often real plant geeks and extremely knowledgeable about your local growing conditions and eager to educate customers.