I wouldn't consider miracle gro toxic at all, it's just synthetic nutrients as opposed to "organic" ones that are more naturally derived. Another tool in the toolbox.

I personally prefer organic fertilizers (especially the assorted Tones, PlantTone, HollyTone, etc) or manure/compost because they generally add more to the soil than just nutrients. However, for containers you often need just straight nutrients because they wash out of the soil so quickly. If you wanted to go organic and fast acting, try a fish emulsion or make some compost tea.

Many potting soils don't have any additional nutrients added, and if they do it tends to be gone within a few months. Some people will fertilize lightly every time they water, and it's especially important after a heavy rain.

I think Miracle Grow products are excellent, I have been using their potting soil with 30% moisture control and 6 months fertilizer in there...works great with newly rooted cuttings.

I have also started to use this product which is superior to anything else in market...so I've been told. I dunno!
what you guys think?

 

I LOVE superthrive! I think I may be addicted to the smell as well...

You might see growth but that doesn't mean your tree and soil are healthier. If you're building up your soil with manure and mulch, why destroy it with chemicals.

MG works faster than organic solutions. i started with MG and switched over to organic last yr. organic wasn't satisfying for me as far as results were concerned. i switched back to MG this yr. super thrive.. i used it this yr for cuttings that were not responding after moving to 1 gal. they are still not responding. however, when i received raspberries from a very generous forum member, i used it for transport shock and it worked great. some calls it snake oil.. others swear by it. i'm still on the fence. but i'll use whatever on hand to up the chance on the trees.

im thinking duh you just killed your soil. once you go back to organicly growing  you will still see the plant look bad untill you rebuild the soil organically. this takes more than a year! some say it takes three years. there are no short cuts.  i saw results a year and a half after the switch but the best improvement in the years to come.
check out this
http://www.organicagardensupply.com/why-we-dont-sell-miracle-gro/

http://www.realfoodmovement.net/toxic-tuesday-miracle-gro-round-up-monsanto/

it's pretty clear that this stuff is not okay. im curious as to why you would switch from organic to chemicals when the effects are documented.  Such short term results for long term ill effects.

What in Miracle Grow or SuperThrive kills anything in your soil and exactly what is it killing?  I understand it not being organic, and I am sure a strong dose of many things organic and not could damage some living organism.  Maybe I am naive, so is there solid research showing such.

just by being a human being we are destroying the planet. i don't know about you, but i'm not jumping off a bridge any time soon.

CyberFarmer,
Miracle-Gro All Purpose provides the nutrients plants need in its easily absorbed "Chemical" form. Balanced Organic fertilizers are broken down into the same "Chemical" form in Time by the Soil Microbes, Water and Warmth. The Science has shown that use of Miracle-Gro hasn't harmed soils, soil microbes or the environment and excessive use of anything including organic fertilizers can be detrimental.

For Fig Culture Miracle-Gro All purpose is a proven commodity. There has been no proven or demonstrated toxic effects when used according to instructions. In fact the guaranteed analysis of toxic chemicals and heavy metals are actually very low compared to many commercial "Organic fertilizers", http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/Fertilizers/ProductDatabase.aspx
I use Organic Gardening practices and Espoma Organic fertilizers, but I also use Miracle-Gro for the "Boost" and for the "Clean" growing environment needed for rooted fig cuttings.

Please look at the actual Science and Facts, not conjecture.

BTW, Superthrive's active ingredient is a rooting hormone (NAA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SUPERthrive that is actually used by a limited variety of plants, and the Science has proven that the B Vitamin provides no real benefits. Money would be better spent purchasing Dip N Grow rooting hormone and using it at the same strength as SuperThrive, because DIP N Grow at least has 2 different Rooting hormones that cover a much larger variety of plants. 

We'd need a truckload of that stuff!  Could you imagine the money?  We have a compost heap instead, and we have a big row of Moringa Oliefera trees (miracle tree) and we put the stems in the compost after we eat the leaves.  I believe in a world that gives back in a lot of ways, but we give also.  We still put Miracle grow on sad trees, and they aint all figs!

Suz

Suz,

Do you have a lot of those miracle trees? How fast do they grow?
I wanted to get some to try but read that you need years to see any progress.

Shailesh, there is liquid vitamin B1 in Home Depot, use that instead of tablet... it's a much better delivery system, think of IV versus pill, ;)

I have witnessed compost tea making wonders the same year.

you need to get over this concern you have about the opinions of others. We all make judgements and decisions about our trees and gardens that are no concern to others. God, I do hate a scold. You do what you think is right and let all others go hang. The solution to yield with organic methods is to plant another tree.

Healthy Soil - 101
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03055/Feed-the-Soil-Not-the-Plants.html

 A question. Can vegans eat organic foods fertilized with fish emulsion, blood and/or bone meal? Or even animal manure?

If they carry things to the logical extreme, they really should only be eating things grown with inorganic fertilizers like miracle grow. ;)

I use miracle grow, espoma, worm castings, pine/fir bark, napa floor dry, plant and animal compost, peat or promix and osmocote.  I'm going to start using straw also.  There's a fungus called Hypsizygus ulmarius which produces edible mushrooms and breaks down straw.  There's another called Stropharia rugoso-annulata which will break down wood (not bark) chips.  If you add these to your potting mix you'll get good soil and edible mushrooms.