Changing substrate

[TRection]

It took a long time but the coco fiber/peat moss mix im using has started to no longer hold moisture, so im switching to just plain top soil but ill mix some peat into that as well. This was the only plain old nothing added top soil i could find at lowes but just wanted to make sure it was ok to use, has anyone else ever used this brand?

 

[Nightstalker47]

Should be fine.

 

[EulersK]

There should be an ingredient list on the back. It should be fine, but I'd post a picture of that as well.

 

[Nightstalker47]

There should be an ingredient list on the back. It should be fine, but I'd post a picture of that as well.

Whats strange is that the french translation is different, and calls it "natural garden soil".

@TRection Definitely check the ingredient list and make sure there are no added fertilizers.

 

[cold blood]

The words...all your general gardening needs.

Gardening needs means growing plants, which almost always means additives of some sort. The stuff I buy is marketed for filling holes and leveling ground and not for gardening needs. JMO, I don't actually know this product. I buy this...

Topsoil

• cold blood
• Dec 29, 2017
• 2

 

[TRection]

Theres no ingredient list on the back lol that's why i wasn't sure i should get it or not, But the guy at lowes informed me there was nothing in it its just dirt. I wish they had other stuff but this was literally the only "top soil" they had, everything else was potting soil and other stuff :/

Edit: i opened it up just to check it out and it looks like just dirt to me, theres no little whire rocks or any other stuff in it, should it be safe to use? I think an other good sign is that everything else was $5-$10 but this was $2

Heres a pic of the back of it

 

[sasker]

Why keep it out of reach of children en pets if it is just soil with no additives? Or is this just a generic line all their products have in case someone is daft enough to use it as substrate for the baby room and something goes wrong?

Just another question, how is it that your old substrate stops holding moisture? I have heard that peat moss holds moisture pretty well, unless it is completely dried out because this dried out peat moss is initially a bit more difficult to make moist again. Perhaps your old substrate is not completely beyond redemption.

 

[TRection]

Yeah that label worried me a little as well but im pretty sure its just on it cuz some kids dumb enough to eat dirt. As for my old sub yeah it was just getting way too dry and just becoming a hassle, we keep the heat on in the winter and it refuses to keep moister. It was drying out so fast that i had to REALLY wet it down but even that was drying back up within 2-3 days so im just tired of dealing with it.

Edit: Did a search on the lowes website and managed to find it.If you scroll down a little the website says it has no additives/insecticides/herbicides or anything like that. So i should be good to go?

https://www.lowes.ca/soil/premier-25l-top-soil_g1818256.html

 

[Mirandarachnid]

Yeah that label worried me a little as well but im pretty sure its just on it cuz some kids dumb enough to eat dirt. As for my old sub yeah it was just getting way too dry and just becoming a hassle, we keep the heat on in the winter and it refuses to keep moister. It was drying out so fast that i had to REALLY wet it down but even that was drying back up within 2-3 days so im just tired of dealing with it.

Edit: Did a search on the lowes website and managed to find it.If you scroll down a little the website says it has no additives/insecticides/herbicides or anything like that. So i should be good to go?

https://www.lowes.ca/soil/premier-25l-top-soil_g1818256.html

You could always call the number on the back and ask? That's what I'd do. As much as I'd rather not speak to an actual person

EDIT: Although it does say 'comments' not 'questions'. So you may just end up with some lady behind a computer that doesn't know anything about the product, but I would imagine if they do get questions about their dirt, this would be one of the few they get.

 

[Nightstalker47]

It says to keep out of the reach of children and pets...I wouldn't use it.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

It took a long time but the coco fiber/peat moss mix im using has started to no longer hold moisture

Why you don't add, in the substrate, a mix of vermiculite (use the fine grain)?
Two (right sized) Tea spoons are enough... that stuff is perfect for mantain the level of humidity on the medium/long time.

 

[Sinned]

Kids eat dirt... mine didn't, being a special snowflake and all, but most will. Just wait...

Seems like it has something(fertilizer) in it, to much helpful tips on how you get your lawn, flowers and shrubs to grow using it.

Wife walked by, "gardening center" employee, nope, that is "top soil" as it says on the package, probably that's not just dirt. That's for making your little plant buddies/grass grow well.

@cold blood's stuff is what you want. Dirt that is...

 

[Mithricat]

As for my old sub yeah it was just getting way too dry and just becoming a hassle, we keep the heat on in the winter and it refuses to keep moister. It was drying out so fast that i had to REALLY wet it down but even that was drying back up within 2-3 days so im just tired of dealing with it.

I have to ask, are you just soaking the top until it flows down to the bottom? Cause if you do, then if you directly get the water in the subsoil it gets retained for much longer

 

[TRection]

It says to keep out of the reach of children and pets...I wouldn't use it.

Kids eat dirt... mine didn't, being a special snowflake and all, but most will. Just wait...

Seems like it has something(fertilizer) in it, to much helpful tips on how you get your lawn, flowers and shrubs to grow using it.

Wife walked by, "gardening center" employee, nope, that is "top soil" as it says on the package, probably that's not just dirt. That's for making your little plant buddies/grass grow well.

@cold blood's stuff is what you want. Dirt that is...

I have to ask, are you just soaking the top until it flows down to the bottom? Cause if you do, then if you directly get the water in the subsoil it gets retained for much longer

No worries everyone i found it on the website and it says there is nothing added to it
https://www.lowes.ca/soil/premier-25l-top-soil_g1818256.html
But wasnt 100% cuz of the child safety thing so i took advice and called the company, just waiting for a call back cuz i had to leave a message http://arachnoboards.com/members/mirandarachnid.124752/

Awesome im good to go, they just called me back and told me "We have that label on all of their products just for safety, in case of choking hazards" and told me that it has no additives or chemicals or anything like that time to get to work on re-subbing the tank