Question for my fellow water gardeners: Would you please give me your honest opinion about the water plant dirt that I've been seeing out lately? It appears to be made out of crushed clay. I've tried it in the past had very mixed feelings about it. My fish knock over my plants and that's difficult to scoop up. It's not as heavy as dirt. BUT, the dirt is extremely difficult to find...extremely difficult. I don't have proper soil in my yard cause it's had chemicals put on it in past years. What I tried once was real cheap top soil but I'm afraid to keep using it. I have several unnamed white water lilies that desparately need separated . . not to mention other plants that need separated too. My yellow iris hasn't bloomed for 2 years because of it (at least I hope that's why).
What's your experience been with the crushed clay potting "soil"?
Thanks!!!!
MaMa "T" :)
Water Plant Dirt Comparison
Hi there Sledder...I have never used the water garden soil but I've noticed that Walmart is carrying it this year. I'm not sure but I think it was Annabelle that posted that she uses it. If it wasn't you Annabelle, I apologize. Anyway, whoever used it, said you can reuse it for years. I used kitty litter last year (clay) and my plants did really well with it. This year I mixed clay with the kitty litter. Even though the water garden soil is more expensive, the fact that you can reuse it helps. Hope you come up with a solution.
It's reusable? ummm...very interesting. I never thought about it that way.
There are two that I tried when I worked that the nursery. One was made by schultz and I did not like it. It was granules, just like kitty litter. It didn't hold plants well, they keep floating up and it does not coagulate. It stays loose and is a mess.
The second, I don't remember the name for the life of me, worked great. It was very heavy, looks like black dirt, but stuck together like clay. The plants loved it.
At home, I use regular garden clay. It's heavy enough to hold the plants and sticks together so that I don't have a bunch of loose dirt floating around.
I do not like the store bought waterlily soil. It has no nutrients in it and you will have to heavy fertilize in order to get good growth and also many blooms. ALso it is very loose and the nutrients you feed with will eventually seep out of your pots. I would go find a stream or some other body of water and dig some dirt there if your soil has chemicals in it. Many people may like the store bought soil, but I do not. I have used it to start my Vivip leaves with and it worked great, but wouldn't recommend it if you have access to a clay based soil from other places.
Walmart 98 cent potting soil. Just like clay and black. Took it off my mothers hands because she could not use it for her potted plants. Might buy your self a bag and see what you think.
Everyone I have used Aquasoil for the last three years and had wonderful results. When I pot anything up I put a 2 inch layer of pea gravel in the bottom and 1 inch layer on the top, above the aguasoil. Fish (the koi)can't move the pots and they can't dig through the pea gravel on top. I found this out by accident. But it works.
The aquasoil at walmart is half the price of what we can get at our local pond store.