Bigred Posted December 5, 2013 After buying some expensive potting mix i was amazed to find a spark plug in it . I seem to always get some crap in my potting mix either being nails all the way to nut grass out breaks. So I wanted to start a thread ( thanks for the idea nothink) about the crap you find in potting mix. 11 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2XB Posted December 5, 2013 Spark plug would be hard to top... thats pretty odd... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waterboy 2.0 Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) try the base of one of those car aerials that had the spring on it (spring and first section). windscreen glass fragments was not impressed on both accounts.... There are too many shit potting mixes getting put out now. EDIT - even some of my old faithfuls that are supposed to comply with the aus standard (with tha ticks) are becoming fckn rubbish. I am sure a lot claiming to comply do not..... Edited December 5, 2013 by waterboy 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coolname Posted December 5, 2013 i found a big piece of wire maybe 15cm long in a bag of potting mix recently. and another time ended up with some fluro yellow fungi and mushrooms growing out of every pot i filled with a certain bag of potting mix 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halcyon Daze Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) Pink frilly undies! BOOM Well, that was in the mulch I get from the local tip. I spent all yesterday afternoon digging around in that stuff. There's all sorts of crazy shit in there (all be it in small amounts that is easily removed). Think I found a handbag and a shredded football (or something similar) once. It's kinda funny sometimes. I would hate to find anything in the stuff I actually pay for though, and a spark-plug is definitely pretty hard to beat, Bigred. I mainly hate finding balls of that sticky and stinky grey clay in my bags of potting mix. It just seems unhygienic, and couldn't be good for the plants. Edited December 5, 2013 by Halcyon Daze Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Foo Posted December 6, 2013 (edited) I once found some sand in a bag of potting mix. I was shocked! Also, why is thread in gripes? This is a pretty legit issue, so long as there's no potting mix porn, id say its better off elsewhere. Edited December 6, 2013 by eatfoo 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dreamwalker. Posted December 6, 2013 what are those little round coloured balls, that you get in nursery plants potting mix?.......are they fertilisers.......or plastic? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nemisty Posted December 6, 2013 (edited) what are those little round coloured balls, that you get in nursery plants potting mix?.......are they fertilisers.......or plastic? Petrochemical based ferts for slow release destruction of soil organisms Remember K'nex that plastic stick stuff you played with as a kid ( late ninties ) found some of that the other day... Edited December 6, 2013 by Nemisty 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BreakingBarrett Posted December 6, 2013 The worst I have found so far is pieces of glass, on a number of occasions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
machineelf Posted May 2, 2014 I found a chunk of asbestos sheeting in a bag of the most commonly sold potting mix in Melbourne. I called them up and they said they would pick it up and replace the bag but they never did even after calling them a second time. Its really only dangerous in powder form but for all I know there was powdered asbestos in with the soil. I wont let them get away with it if I find anymore. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fydesvindico Posted May 2, 2014 Haha I actually found a half-shredded pack of ciggies in a bag of brunnings potting mix recently.. Still had a few ciggies intact too haha.. I've also found pieces of scrap metal in a few bags of premium potting mix.. Found a gardening glove once too.. Good times 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
singult Posted May 2, 2014 Excuse my naivety, but where do manufacturers even source their soil/mix? On the edge of a rainforest that's being cut down? From beside a crack den? I seriously need a sifter at the moment, but think it's a crime to have to fork out money so you can have a halfway better mix. (Also I need the perlite spread all over the backyard, that came open when the bag decayed...) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bigred Posted May 3, 2014 A lot of it is either from forestry or the local tip can sell on its "mulch " to a third party Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bigred Posted May 3, 2014 Can we move the thread to a more appropriate place Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halcyon Daze Posted May 3, 2014 If you wanna play a good prank on someone pop an un-used condom in someone's jar of mayo. -get it right down the bottom LOL Now that shouldn't be there... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yawning Man Posted May 3, 2014 I'd be taking this shit back to the place of purchase and demanding my money back. Firstly you're not getting the quality that the product is probably advertising (premium grade potting mix, pfft yeah right) and secondly you're getting bits of glass ffs. Shit could cut you up pretty badly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtarman Posted May 4, 2014 If you wanna play a good prank on someone pop an un-used condom in someone's jar of mayo. -get it right down the bottom LOL Now that shouldn't be there... You are a bad, BAD man HD. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gunfighter Posted May 4, 2014 (edited) Used zip-ties. ALL THE TIME Edited May 4, 2014 by gunfighter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raoul Duke Posted May 5, 2014 Whenever people pay to get rid of their green waste or it goes in the green bins, dump etc. it gets ground up by a very large menacing machine, it does have magnets on both ends of the chute to try and remove anything metal but obviously it doesn't get everything. Also people who resent paying to dump their green waste might hide other waste amongst it to avoid paying more. And as these sites often have regular landfill nearby other waste can easily be transported into it before or after it's mulched down. I've seen the machine in operation, and I say the machine because there's only one AFAIK in SA and it's leased for several days at one site and then moves on covering a large area of the state. It's in the millions so they do try to remove things that might damage it but probably don't stop for glass or knickers. More just when large hunks of metal get through or the magnets are full. The zip ties often come from viticulture/ horticulture after pruning or when removing spent plants. So you may find they are more concentrated at certain times of year. Not that it's an excuse I just have noticed the same and asked a few questions when working near these operations. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThunderIdeal Posted May 5, 2014 While i'm not sure if public refuse is used in potting mix, in a way its fair that people who don't care about sorting their own waste get a less-than-pristine product. Meh. In reality people who think its fine to put plastic in the green pile probably dont care about plastic in their media or mulch. fucking plastic. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slocombe Posted May 5, 2014 Whenever people pay to get rid of their green waste or it goes in the green bins, dump etc. it gets ground up by a very large menacing machine, it does have magnets on both ends of the chute to try and remove anything metal but obviously it doesn't get everything. Also people who resent paying to dump their green waste might hide other waste amongst it to avoid paying more. And as these sites often have regular landfill nearby other waste can easily be transported into it before or after it's mulched down. I've seen the machine in operation, and I say the machine because there's only one AFAIK in SA and it's leased for several days at one site and then moves on covering a large area of the state. It's in the millions so they do try to remove things that might damage it but probably don't stop for glass or knickers. More just when large hunks of metal get through or the magnets are full. The zip ties often come from viticulture/ horticulture after pruning or when removing spent plants. So you may find they are more concentrated at certain times of year. Not that it's an excuse I just have noticed the same and asked a few questions when working near these operations. Makes heaps of sense and details exactly why this crap makes it into bags. It's a shame it happens at all Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manic Posted May 5, 2014 Everything I have gotten from bunnings has had loads of plastic and or glass recently. Not impressed! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raoul Duke Posted May 6, 2014 Yep, it's a real shame some people don't care. Probably only takes a few items getting through and then when they're ground up it turns into lots of pieces spread throughout. Unfortunately I've gone through periods where nearly every bag has had something in it, luckily here in SA we have the returns policy on bottles and cans so people mostly recycle but things still manage to find their way in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
singult Posted May 10, 2014 Does anyone sift their potting mix? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Schrodinger's Khat Posted May 10, 2014 Does anyone sift their potting mix? all the time. Sift out the big barky chunks and then add sand, perlite ect. Depending on what species I am catering for. I hate to sift and waste money but it has to be done unless buying from a landscaper for some extra mulah 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
