Why do they ship soil, wet?

Ringodoggie · Jul 31, 2018

I use Happy Frog but all the packaged soils are shipped wet as hell and they weigh a fucking ton. It would seem better all the way around to let the soil dry before it's packaged and shipped. Not to mention my old fucking back having to lift 10 bags of this shit.

I'm sure there's a good reason and Google didn't know the answer so I thought I would ask here.

Thanks

AgentPothead · Jul 31, 2018

I never understood why nutrients are always liquid. The vast majority of shipping weight is water, which is easily sourced anywhere! Why are we using vast amounts of energy shipping it across the planet? It actually makes me angry. And sorry I don't know why soil is shipped wet, I was just venting.

Ibechillin · Jul 31, 2018

Interesting thought on the soil shipping, if they were to bake/dry the soil it could sterilize and kill bugs/eggs that could be lingering inside too.

I tried searching google but no luck. :dunno:

dufous · Jul 31, 2018

Wet soil is ready to use.

Cvh · Jul 31, 2018

Moist soil is indeed ready to use and also keep the beneficial bacteria, fungus, nematodes,...etc for an organic grow style alive.

https://foxfarmfertilizer.com/item/happy-frog-174-potting-soil.html

Ibechillin · Jul 31, 2018

Thanks CVH, that was my first thought. I was thinking about how inert medias come dry compressed in bales also since there are no nutrients or beneficials. (Peat and coco for example)

DoubleTripleOG · Jul 31, 2018

More than likely, cause the bags sat out in the rain, is why it's soaked when you get it. I've been using HF for along time. Every time I get it soaked, it's cause it was outside. Sure it's usually moist, but soaking no.

Cvh · Jul 31, 2018

It's nearly impossible to grow organicaly in just an inert media.

Remember, in organics you feed the soil (beneficial microbes, fungus,...etc.) and not the plant.

The plant is in control and will signal the soil life through extruding exudates to fetch it the nutrients it wants. Which the soil life gets by breaking down/digesting the organic nutrients.

The exchange of nutrients and exudates between the roots and soil life happen in whats called the 'Rhizosphere'.
With no soil life organic nutrients will not work. You can't force organics nutrients up to a plant without soil life as you would force feed it with synthetic nutrients. The plant is in control, organic 'fertilizer' is food for the soil life.

The soil life will also protect the plant against bad bacteria, bad fungus,...,etc by attacking these bad things and keep it all in balance.

Rhizosphere:
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/42259/Rhizosphere.pdf

Exudates:
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=339371

Cvh · Jul 31, 2018

I don't know the Happy frog brand. But normally soil bags are packaged watertight.

brickweeder · Jul 31, 2018

probably to keep the fungus gnat larvae alive.

Teddybrae · Jul 31, 2018

And also to reduce dust so that you the Consumer has a reduced chance of breathing bad organisms when you open the bag or mix the stuff. And not to mention their employees health when they bag it! Soil organisms when breathed can kill ... sorta like Legionaires disease ...

Guy Brush · Aug 1, 2018

brickweeder said:
probably to keep the fungus gnat larvae alive.

Same thought...

redlaser · Aug 1, 2018

Soil would have to be spread thin and turned regularly to dry it out, take more time.

Microbial life would suffer w/o moisture, so keeping it all damp should be beneficial.

Last June I got a few pallets of Premier peat moss, was a nice damp consistency. Was also frozen on the inner bales, after sitting out for a week in ninety degree weather before using it.

It was wrapped pretty good with plastic, but water almost always finds its way in somewhere.

djimb · Aug 3, 2018

something else to consider is that peat and peat based potting mixes get hydrophobic when they dry out and take a lot of soaking to remoisten. If you put a handful of dry peat in a bucket of water, it'll float. When it's moist it'll absorb water just fine.

Switcher56 · Aug 3, 2018

Cvh said:
I don't know the Happy frog brand. But normally soil bags are packaged watertight.

... my experience as well.

Switcher56 · Aug 3, 2018

djimb said:
something else to consider is that peat and peat based potting mixes get hydrophobic when they dry out and take a lot of soaking to remoisten. If you put a handful of dry peat in a bucket of water, it'll float. When it's moist it'll absorb water just fine.

Give that man a cigar, or a big fat dubi :tiphat:

Ringodoggie · Aug 3, 2018

I still don't see where any of this justifies the cost of shipping and handling all this weight. I am thinking it's the microbes in the dirt that need the water. This was touched on by a couple posters but I didn't see anything real solid.

Yes, it does function better wet but the manufacturers don't give a shit about that if they can increase profits. They would simple put a note on the bag that says, 'soak in water before using'.

And, it's not by accident. Most of the supply houses I buy from keep all their dirt inside. I'm pretty sure it is shipped wet on purpose.

Switcher56 · Aug 3, 2018

I bought a bale of Promix HP (local) that was properly moist e.g not sodden or wet. My suggestion is if you can buy locally vs paying to ship H2O, do so. Just a bunch of greedy SOBs lining their pockets

BerrySeal · Aug 22, 2018

I've always wondered If they are gonna tax my farts and regulate how man times I flush the toilet, why won't they ban liquid laundry soap?

Why do they ship soil, wet?

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