Miracle Gro Potting Mix

[JJ]

Is there any reason not to use Miracle Gro Potting Mix mixed with Clay Kitty
Litter for potting water plants?
Other than being sort of messy black dirt messing up nice clear water?

JJ

[Koi-Lo]

"JJ" > wrote in message ...
> Is there any reason not to use Miracle Gro Potting Mix mixed with Clay
> Kitty
> Litter for potting water plants?
> Other than being sort of messy black dirt messing up nice clear water?
===========================
If it contains perlite and or vermiculite it will soon be floating all over
the pond. If the fish eat any of it, they too will be floating all over the
pond..... most likely belly-up. Peat moss, also in most potting mixes can
make a real mess. The safest soil to use would be clay soil from a clean
yard or area that's not sprayed with bug or weedkillers. I had no luck with
kitty litter. It refused to stay in the pots even with gravel over it.

But this is just MY experience. I'm sure others have had other experiences.
--
Koi-Lo....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö> ~~~~ }<((((({*>

[~ janj]

>Is there any reason not to use Miracle Gro Potting Mix mixed with Clay Kitty
>Litter for potting water plants?
>Other than being sort of messy black dirt messing up nice clear water?
>JJ

1) The stuff I've seen has fertilizer mixed thru-out, could cause algae
bloom.

2) Potting Mix isn't dirt or soil, it is composted organic stuff (things
that use to be living). Thus a lot of it will float, messing up the
surface. ~ jan
--------------
See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

[[email protected]]

"Koi-Lo" > wrote:
> "JJ" > wrote in message
>
> > Is there any reason not to use Miracle Gro Potting Mix mixed with Clay
> > Kitty Litter for potting water plants?
> > Other than being sort of messy black dirt messing up nice clear water?
> ===========================
> If it contains perlite and or vermiculite it will soon be floating all
> over the pond. If the fish eat any of it, they too will be floating all
> over the pond..... most likely belly-up. Peat moss, also in most
> potting mixes can make a real mess. The safest soil to use would be clay
> soil from a clean yard or area that's not sprayed with bug or
> weedkillers. I had no luck with kitty litter. It refused to stay in the
> pots even with gravel over it.
>
> But this is just MY experience. I'm sure others have had other
> experiences.

I used to use kitty litter (pure Bentonite type). I would pre-soak it in a
bucket, mixed with time-release fertilizer, 'til the pellets had dissolved,
then let it dry out a bit before adding the lilly or lotus bulbs and
putting it in the pond. I covered it with gravel and river stones (kept the
little rascals from rooting in it)!

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !

[JJ]

Thanks for the observations. Overall doesn't sound like a good idea. Never
thought about the algae bloom.
After making mess with one potted bog plant think I'll abandon the idea for
the rest and go back to kitty litter.

Thanks all for the inputs
Jerry


> wrote in message
...
> "Koi-Lo" > wrote:
> > "JJ" > wrote in message
> >
> > > Is there any reason not to use Miracle Gro Potting Mix mixed with Clay
> > > Kitty Litter for potting water plants?
> > > Other than being sort of messy black dirt messing up nice clear water?
> > ===========================
> > If it contains perlite and or vermiculite it will soon be floating all
> > over the pond. If the fish eat any of it, they too will be floating all
> > over the pond..... most likely belly-up. Peat moss, also in most
> > potting mixes can make a real mess. The safest soil to use would be
clay
> > soil from a clean yard or area that's not sprayed with bug or
> > weedkillers. I had no luck with kitty litter. It refused to stay in
the
> > pots even with gravel over it.
> >
> > But this is just MY experience. I'm sure others have had other
> > experiences.
>
> I used to use kitty litter (pure Bentonite type). I would pre-soak it in a
> bucket, mixed with time-release fertilizer, 'til the pellets had
dissolved,
> then let it dry out a bit before adding the lilly or lotus bulbs and
> putting it in the pond. I covered it with gravel and river stones (kept
the
> little rascals from rooting in it)!
>
> --
> Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
>
> Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! !
!