Potting Soil question--please bear with me :|

[plantkiller]

I've read quite a few things on potting soil, recommended "recipes" and such, but I wanted to bounce something off you guys. I went and bought a few bags of the Organic Miracle Gro potting soil. The instructions on the bag say to throw the plant in there, water, and you're done. Now looking at the pot and soil, this stuff seems really rich, thick and even hard, like it doesn't drail very well. The pot w/ a tomato seedling I planted yesterday is still completely moist to the point of being wet after a full day in the sun.

Now my instincts tell me I need to thin it out with some kind of sand/grit, vermiculite, perlite, etc. But the instructions on the bag clearly indicate you don't have to do any of that. What say you guys? Am I at risk for damping off/root rot?

It's much wetter and thicker than the pic lets on but showing it for reference.

I'm in central FL by the way, so it's going to be pretty hot and humid for another month or two.

[img]https://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r189/doktarzues/IMG00091.jpg[/img]

[a0c8c]

you should defintalely thin it out some. Very few plants like dirt that stays that wet, and those are usually swamp plants.

[Diane]

I agree. That soil looks like my yard soil and it too stays too wet.

[plantkiller]

I agree. That soil looks like my yard soil and it too stays too wet.

I wish my garden soil looked anywhere close to that! Here in Florida my yard "soil" is pretty much pure sand. I'm amazed the grass, shrubs and trees that I don't baby can grow at all.

I repotted them and mixed in some vermiculite and perlite.. much better texture now. Probably still a bit heavy but wanted to be careful not to make it drain too much. Thank you!