Better-Gro from Lowes

[missann]

I purchased a bag of the "special" grow mix, and when I opened it up, I found many of the pieces to have mold on them. Maybe it is because they keep it outside, but the bag didn't have any moisture in it, and it seemed to be totally sealed. I dont' think I want my orchid mix decomposing while it is still in the bag-that would just lessed it's life and force me to repot sooner.

Or am I wrong?

It's just that I have never had mold on in my potting mix before.

So, I have looked at the schultz potting mix, and it seems like it has a lot of dust and different sized particles, and the whitney farms stuff at Fred Myer is so wet that there is condensation in the bag.

I can't find Gubler potting mix anywhere, so if anyone has tried something good from either Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart, or Fred Myer, please let me know. it seems like I can't find anything decent these days. What dissapoints me even more is that the Better-Gro is AOS endorsed.

A little help would be much appreciated.

[myorchid]

I usually get a bag of orchid bark (Schultz) and then mix in perilite and some horticultural charcoal for my mix. I also use the coir and mix in perilite and use that for the Phals.

I know others use a premium mix from Schultz that has stuff in it already but I can't find that and so I mix up my own. Seems to work OK so far.

[brookn]

I use the premium mix from Schultz, and it has this ceramic rock stuff in it. I personally love it, it drains well, and the plants that I have in it are growing well. I did have a bag that had a lot of grit, but I just mixed it up with the rest that I had (I buy 3 or 4 bags at at time and keep them in a 5 gal. bucket).

[patticake]

I use Schultz mix. I love it. The better-gro that I tried, had chunks that were too big. my plants were dry in a couple of hours. I get the Schultz premium mix at Wal-Marts. It's the only place I can find it around here.

[missann]

Sweet, it sounds like I will be taking a trip to wal-mart. They have it there. When I was looking at it in Home Depot, the bag I looked at seemed like it had too much dust. I guess I will just have to take a trip over there. The thing that really irks me though, is that this stuff was moldy, had very large to very small chunks (which we all know is bad) and it was AOS ENDORSED!!! Seriously. I am thinking about writing them a letter and asking them to remove their endorsement from Better GRO because their product is crappy. I bet orchid people don't even run the AOS anymore. I bet it's all bureaucrats, and they don't even look at the products they endorse.

Maybe I am just on a rant, and sick of spending good money on crappy crap.

[patticake]

AOS is run by orchid people, but I don't know if they check these companies that they endorse on a regular basis. I wouldn't give you 5 cents for the Better-Gro stuff, either. The Schultz mix does have dust, etc. but that rinses right through the first watering. I swear I'm not getting royalties from them, but I have had good luck with it. I add a little chopped sphag to the mix if I have a plant that needs some extra moisture retention.

[Brooke]

I would suspect the product was ruined after it reached the store and how they dealt with the bag. Neither the AOS or the Better Gro company can monitor how the product is handled locally.

If you are unhappy, take it back to the local store manager. He has the power to correct the situation.

Brooke

[jbigio]

Originally Posted by missann

Sweet, it sounds like I will be taking a trip to wal-mart. They have it there. When I was looking at it in Home Depot, the bag I looked at seemed like it had too much dust. I guess I will just have to take a trip over there. The thing that really irks me though, is that this stuff was moldy, had very large to very small chunks (which we all know is bad) and it was AOS ENDORSED!!! Seriously. I am thinking about writing them a letter and asking them to remove their endorsement from Better GRO because their product is crappy. I bet orchid people don't even run the AOS anymore. I bet it's all bureaucrats, and they don't even look at the products they endorse.

Maybe I am just on a rant, and sick of spending good money on crappy crap.

Take it back they will give you your money back without any problems I also use the Schults from walmart its the best ive found for the price.
joe

[samtr]

I like the Schultz stuff. Now that you mention finding mold in the Better Gro stuff, I have to wonder. We constantly have orchids develop mold and they've always been grown in Better Gro mix. I've only had experience with the Schultz stuff for one bag but the plants that are in it seem to like it.

[patlee]

Another follower!! I use the Schultz's premium and have never had any problems with it. Once I opened a bag that I had had for a while and it smelled like mold--you know that basement smell--, but I never saw anything and my plants all seem to thrive and do well in it. If you soak before you pot, all the dust washes away. I do, however, wear gloves when I pot because I always get splinters from it... That's just me

[evagentry]

I use Shultz premium also, my husband brings me back bags from the states in his suitcase. My plants all like it .

[jerrymeola]

I am surprised that you are having problems with the BetterGro barks.

I use their products (agricultural quantities not the little bags) and never have a problem. If you saw their greenhouses and the excellant quality plants they have (before the big box stores can damage them) you would not question the results.

I would think the problem happened while at the store. I leave mine out in the rain and mold is still not a problem.

Small sawdust in some mixes, as mentioned, is a big problem as it settles to the bottom of the pot and plugs the drainage.

[Tommyr]

I've had no problem with the Better grow mix. If I did get a moldy bag I'd return it of coarse and try another bag.

[kid a]

I use a pre made mix from a local g/h but i go have bags of shcultz and better gro but have not had good luck with those mixes for my growing conditions. I can't seem to keep my plants moist enough.

[norris]

'Crappy Crap' I'm going to have to remember that

[PhalPal]

I've given up on readymade bag mixes and started making my own. I order from Orchid Supplies - Orchid Mix - Orchid Pots - Orchid Fertilizer - rePotme Orchid Supply, either individual ingredients (which I later mix as I want for individual plants) or they will make up a bag with my personal choice of mediums. Since I grow inside and out year round and have a variety of orchids, I really love having the flexibility and FUN of making my own mixes. It's not that expensive and I can order just what I need and I'm never stuck with too large of a bag of something I hate.

[Sassismom]

I also have the Schultz medium, but what is the difference between mine and the premium? Also how long can it be left soaking?

[norris]

I usually soak a bark mix at least 24 hours, sometimes 2 days

[Sassismom]

Is it a problem to leave it longer?

[missann]

I am sure it is just the way it was handled, but it was still too large. I got some schutz premium, and I don't like how varied the size of the pieces are in there. I also got splinters from it, which I have never had. When I lived in HI, I was able to get bags of, big, med, and small. Every peice was exactly the same size, and I loved it. I just wish that I could remember what brand it was. I think that is why I am so picky. I started out with the cream of the crop. I think I will check out the repot me site. They let you buy by the scoop, if you like, so you can check the product out without getting stcuck with a bunch of stuff you don't like.

[PhalPal]

Missann my first order from repotme.com was a bag of this, a bag of that, just so I could try out new ingredients. I was able to try all types of media for $2.55 a scoop, and what I didn't want for my orchids I used in my garden for tropicals. I really like their coir, which is the main ingredient in my Phal mix. I also like their coco chips and I can choose the size. Let me know how they work out for you; I think they are great!!!