Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Compost not used as per instructions in Which? Gardening trial
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company was extremely surprised to see the results of the latest Which? Gardening trial of container composts.
Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Compost has been one of the faster growing composts launched in recent years. Introduced in 2005, this product set new standards of growing performance for amateur gardeners, offering enough slow-release fertiliser to feed container-grown plants for six months and containing a special Aquacoir formula that absorbs twice as much water as ordinary composts.
Scotts has carried out hundreds of growing trials, which consistently prove superior performance to almost all other composts on the market, including its own. Scotts sold nearly a million bags of Moisture Control Compost last year, and received many letters of praise from consumers who produced some spectacular flower displays from patio pots and hanging baskets.
Unfortunately, Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Compost was not used in the trial according to the instructions on the label. The Which? Gardening report (March 2010) indicates that further nutrients were added to the compost (and all the others) at the time of potting, dangerously increasing the nutrient levels of this already rich compost. Another indicator that the care regime recommended may not have been followed is that Scotts’ price fighting brand, Murphy Multi Purpose Compost, outperformed most other products in the trial – even Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Compost. This has not happened before in any of Scotts trials.
The company will be speaking to Which? Gardening to clarify what went wrong and to explore the validity of testing composts by adding further nutrients at the time of potting.
