How to Use Miracle‐Gro

Miracle-Gro potting soil products provide rich nutrients and minerals, and your plants have the potential to grow twice as large. You can use Miracle-Gro products to either grow or feed your plants indoors and outdoors. Plant your plants using Miracle-Gro soil, and give them either water soluble, Shake ‘n Feed, Liquafeed, or plant food spikes. There are a variety of easy-to-use products available for any of your gardening needs!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Growing Your Plants

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1
Fill up your pot with Miracle-Gro potting mix for growing potted plants. Choose a pot with proper drainage, and fill your pot ⅓ of the way full of potting mix. Loosen the roots of your plant with your fingers, and place it in the middle of your pot. Fill up the pot with soil, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space at the top. You can use potting mix for indoor and outdoor potted plants.^{[1]XResearch source}
- You can purchase your soil and find a pot at a home supply or craft store. Make sure you get a drain that is large enough to fit your pot.
- Miracle-Gro makes a variety of potting mix. You can choose from all-purpose, moisture control, indoor, organic, seed starting, African violet, Orchid, or cactus and citrus potting mix.
- Use a garden tool, cup, or your hands to pour your potting mix into your pot.
- Make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards, especially if you don't wear gardening gloves.
2
Plant your in-ground, outdoor plants using Miracle-Gro garden soil. Dump 3 inches (7.6 cm) of garden soil over your planting area. Use your hand or a garden tool to mix up the new soil with your existing soil. Dig a hole 2 times the size as your plant’s container or roots, and place your plants inside the hole. Pack in a little soil on top to secure the plant into the ground.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Miracle-Gro soil can feed plants for up to 3 months and helps strengthen their roots.
- Check your plant tag or seed packet to find out how much space to leave between your plants. The distance will vary from plant to plant.
- Miracle-Gro offers a variety of different gardening soils, including all-purpose, vegetables and herbs, flowers, raised bed, trees and shrubs, roses, and organic variations. You can choose a basic all-purpose soil or a unique variation to help specific plants grow. Purchase your soil at a home or garden supply store.
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3
Plant Miracle-Gro seed pods to easily grow your plants from seeds. Miracle-Gro’s ready-to-plant seed pods contain growing materials for the seed, slow releasing plant food, and seeds. Remove the lid and push the pod into the soil until it is level. Water gently and thoroughly.
- You can buy them individually or in kits, such as their salsa garden seed pod set-up.
- Some different seed options include basil, broccoli, tomatoes, cilantro, cucumber, eggplant, parsley, jalapenos, lettuce, peppers, watermelon, and zucchini.
- Plant these in your outdoor garden or using an indoor gardening system. You can also use Miracle-Gro potting mix to grow your seeds.
4
Invest in an AeroGarden to grow plants from seeds inside your home. Select an indoor garden set-up based on how many plants you want to grow. Fill the tank with water to the fill line, place your growing tray on top of the fill tank, and place seed pods into their appropriate holes. Press the “On” button to start growing your seeds.^{[3]XResearch source}
- AeroGardens are helpful if you are trying to grow crops off season or do not have access to an outdoor garden area.
- You can grow herbs, vegetables, and flowers using the indoor gardening system, and the Aerogarden setup comes with seed pods to get you started.
- The AeroGardens feature automatic grow lights that will stay on for 12 hours and then turn off for 12 hours. Adjust your grow light as your plants grow, setting it towards the bottom initially and raising it up as your plants grow.
- Your seeds should grow to size in about 30 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Feeding Your Plants

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1
Feed your plants with water soluble plant food and a watering can. Scoop your plant food into a watering can, and add fill up your watering can with water. You can use water soluble plant food for indoor and outdoor gardens with all soil types. Use your plant food every 7-14 day for best results.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Choose from all purpose, organic, tomato, Bloom Booster, rose, and orchid water soluble plant food, depending on your type of plants.
- For outdoor plants, mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of plant food with every gallon of water used.
- For indoor plants, mix ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) per 1 gallon (3.8 l) of water.
- If you are using this to feed your roses, use ¹⁄₂ gallon (1.9 l) for small bushes or 1 gallon (3.8 l) for large bushes.
- Do not overapply this product! Because Miracle-Gro is a chemical fertilizer, it's easier to overapply compared to organic fertilizer. Be sure to read the instructions beforehand—smaller but more frequent applications generally is a better approach compared to larger applications. If you're working near a body of water, apply less Miracle-Gro, as the leaching nitrogen can contaminate it (which can lead to environmental problems like algae blooms and eutrophication).
2
Spray your outdoor plants with a garden sprayer to easily feed them. The garden feeder uses pre-mixed water soluble plant food that loads directly into the sprayer. Attach a garden sprayer to your hose, and pull the trigger with one finger to release the water and plant food mix. Spray it over your flowers, vegetables, trees, and shrubs.^{[5]XResearch source}
- The garden sprayer also has a hose attachment with 3 spray patterns.
3
Spread Shake ‘n Feed food over your plants to feed them without water. Simply shake your plant food over your soil in an even, thorough layer, and use a garden tool to mix it into the soil. Water your plants to finish feeding them. You can se Shake 'n Feed for both indoor potted plants and your outdoor garden.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Miracle-Gro has several Shake 'n Feed food varieties to choose from. You can purchase all-purpose, fruit and vegetable, rose and bloom, citrus, palm, and weed prevention plant food.
- Shake ‘n Feed has added natural ingredients like kelp and earthworm castings which provide nutrients to microbes in the soil. Microbes break down the nutrients, which keep your plants healthy and vibrant.
- Shake ‘n Feed will feed your plants for up to 3 months.
4
Water your plants with Miracle-Gro Liquafeed to easily feed them. Miracle-Gro offers an easy-to-use liquid plant food that comes packaged with proper nutrients for your plants. Use either a sprayer or a watering can, and saturate the base of your plants with water for a few seconds. Use Liquafeed every 7-14 days.^{[7]XResearch source}
- To use the sprayer, attach either a universal feeder or an advanced sprayer to your hose, and twist your bottle of plant food into the sprayer. Choose your spray pattern, and turn the dial on the top of your sprayer to spray the water.
- To use a watering can, attach the dosing spoon that came with your liquid food to your bottle. Squeeze your bottle to fill the dosing spoon. There is 1 line to fill if mixing with 1 gallon (3.8 l) of water, or a higher up line if mixing with 2 gallons (7.6 l) of water. Fill your can with water, and water your plants!
- Purchase either all-purpose, fruits and vegetable, Bloom Boost, tree and shrub, or Christmas tree liquid plant food. These can be found at most home and garden supply stores.
5
Insert plant food spikes in potted plants for an effortless feeding option. Plant food spikes stick into your potted plant and automatically releases the nutrients into the soil. Stick the aerator spike into your soil halfway between the stem and the pot’s rim. Insert 1 plant food spike into the aerator, and press both down until they are totally covered in soil.^{[8]XResearch source}
- To determine the number of spikes needed, there is a handy ruler on the edge of your packaging.
- You can water your plants as normal, and the plant food spikes will provide your potted plants with food without any effort on your part.
- Replace every 30 days in the spring and summer, or every 60 days in the fall and winter.
6
Stick fertilizer spikes in your outdoor garden to feed trees and shrubs. Use 1 fertilizer spike at the beginning of a new season. Put the provided plastic cap on the top of the spike, and drive the spike into the ground following your plant's dripline. Space the spikes about 3 feet (0.91 m) apart. Then, remove the cap and save it for future use. Push the spike 2 inches (5.1 cm) below the surface of the soil.
- If your dripline is closer than 2 feet (0.61 m), insert the spike about 2 feet (0.61 m) away from the center of the plant.
- You can purchase fertilizer spikes at most home and garden stores. Choose from fruit and citrus trees, trees and shrubs, or evergreen fertilizer spikes.
- Replace your fertilizer spikes every time the season changes.

Expert Q&A

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Question
How often do you put Miracle-Gro on tomato plants?
Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.
Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Expert Answer
At the time of transplanting, tomato plants need about 1 cup of Miracle-Gro. Add more every 7-14 days after that.
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Question
What do the numbers mean on fertilizer 24-8-16?
Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.
Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Expert Answer
This stands for the different percentages of the fertilizer. This would mean 24% nitrogen, 8% phosphorus, and 16% potassium.
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What is special about Miracle-Gro?
Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania.
Maggie Moran
Home & Garden Specialist
Expert Answer
It is a plant supplement that helps provide nutrients that are depleted in the soil.
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Repot your plants annually to keep them fresh and healthy. Freshening up your soil every year helps replenish nutrients in your plants and keep them beautiful.^{[9]XResearch source}
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