Miracle Gro potting soil time release ferts.

I tried using MG potting soil mix. It has 6mo time release ferts. It killed the seedlings(at least I think it was the ferts). Anyway, I see some little jell-cap like spheres in the soil mix, which I think is the time release mechanism for the ferts. If I carefully sift through the soil and take all of them out, shouldn't that get rid of the time release BS? Has anyone been desperate enough to try this, if so did it work? I'm disabled so I have a hard time getting to the store, or I would just get some other soil.

The little colored balls are the time release ferts. Usually red, green, or yellow based on my experience. You can remove them individually, but it would be very difficult to do so.

You mentioned you're disabled, so I don't believe sifting them out would be a viable option.

Wish you lived nearby I would drop some soil off for you. Good luck.

just leave them in there they wont be a problem just dont feed till like 4th week

i germanate my seeds in rapid rooters and by the time the roots are poking out they are strong enough to put in the mg potting soil mix without burning them.

i start my seedlings in mg, but flush it first.

I got a bag of that soil for christmas, think I am going to mix with used mg potting soil maybe 50/50?

MG has worked for me in the past, BUT, not time release.


MG seeed starter and organic can be ok though. JMO

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm trying to grow A11XC99, which I've grown successfully in the past. I forgot what kind of soul I used then, but I had no problem as it is a hardy strain and I used MG frets all the way, flushed for 2 weeks before harvest, and I got sweet tasting kick ass herb. I got 1/2 a gram per watt of cfl. My back is screwed up, so I have a hard time walking, but my hands and eyes are fine, so I could go through the soil mix and sift the fert balls out without too much grief if I was pretty sure it would make the soil less hot. If I go that way, I'll let you know how it turns out, I just wanted to make sure the little balls were the culprits.

Your alternative is flushing your soil with water until they wash out, but I'm not sure how long that would take to imitate 6 months of watering.

I just got a bag of Jiffy Seed Starting Mix. It doesn't say anything about having any kind of ferts in it, so I'm assuming there isn't any. Can I start the seeds in it and just keep them growing in it, just giving them the proper ferts 3 or 4 weeks down the line?

Mixwell63 said:

I just got a bag of Jiffy Seed Starting Mix. It doesn't say anything about having any kind of ferts in it, so I'm assuming there isn't any. Can I start the seeds in it and just keep them growing in it, just giving them the proper ferts 3 or 4 weeks down the line?

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sure, I wouldn't wait that long, maybe two weeks later.

I used MG potting mix soil - that one your using and its germinated my ak-47 no problem, you must be doing it wrong, I just germinated my seed in paper towel till I seen the root, made a small little hole, twice the size of the seed (very small ) in the soil then put the seeds root's tip facing into the soil, cover it with a bit of soil, sprinkled some water ( very little ) turned on my 28w cfl on 24/0 (24h on) and in about 2 days she grew out..

Mixwell63 said:

I just got a bag of Jiffy Seed Starting Mix. It doesn't say anything about having any kind of ferts in it, so I'm assuming there isn't any. Can I start the seeds in it and just keep them growing in it, just giving them the proper ferts 3 or 4 weeks down the line?

Click to expand...

Yeah or you can use the other stuff once they grow some, it wont be as hot on established plants. But I don't like time release shit, I like to know what's going in. Soil mediums main job is to give the roots a place to live and hold the food / water that you give em.

EDIT: ****post moved to another forum ****