That bargain soil from a random nursery almost killed my ficus

Last month I grabbed a bag of cheap potting mix from a roadside stand outside Austin and by week two my ficus leaves were dropping like crazy, has anyone else dealt with mystery soil ruining their plants?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_logan3d ago

Bought a bag from a nursery that was basically just shredded pallets dyed brown. Soil wasn't organic matter at all, it was wood glue and lumber dust. Plants hate that stuff because it actually steals nitrogen from them as it breaks down. Your ficus was probably starving to death more than anything else.

stellam894d ago

Oh wow, that's rough! I used to think soil was just soil, you know, like it didn't really matter what you put in a pot... but then my calathea went all sad on me after I used a random bag from a grocery store clearance rack. It turned out the mix was full of pests and basically mold, and it made my plant look terrible. It really changed my mind about cheap deals, now I just stick with stuff from the big garden centers even if it costs more. Your ficus might still bounce back if you repot it quick with decent fresh soil...