Whitney Farms Garden Soil at Costco

greenthumbomaha · March 14, 2016

Costco is carrying Whitney Farms 3cu Ft garden soil with kelp and alfalfa and some not good stuff mixed in for 9 dollars. They also carry their granular fertilizer for 20 dollars for a bag that will last forever.

This is a change from their usual mega bag Miracle Grow. I'm going to give it a try in a sandy raised bed that I usually amend with bagged manure. My high end garden center used to carry this brand. This is a much more viable option cost wise. Just curious what they mean by waste products.

- Lisa

peebee · March 18, 2016

Is it their organic soil blend? https://www.whitneyfarms.com/craft-s...-planting-soil. If you click on Ingredients, they only list food and yard waste, composted. For a so-called organic soil, the price isn't bad. Does Costco carry their potting mix too?

greenthumbomaha · March 18, 2016

I only saw the garden soil that you linked to. The other Whitney Farms product they carried is fertilizer - I can't remember if it was the all purpose or tomato blend.

Yard waste compost is the questionable component. Everything else looks great compared to big box soil.

They still still the Miracle Grow with water crystal potting mix. Costco is known for carrying organic options so I hope they offer something else for containers in the future.

4season · March 19, 2016

I just stopped in at Costco and some of the bags of WF garden soil were still a bit warm to the touch.

greenthumbomaha · March 24, 2016

Now that you mention it they were comfortably warm to the touch.

Would laying it out now give it enough time to fully decompose, and would the nutrients wash out before planting even begins? My gut says yes to both, but it looks like a good amendment for the dollar even if you have to buy fertilizer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4season

I just stopped in at Costco and some of the bags of WF garden soil were still a bit warm to the touch.

guruofgardens · March 26, 2016

We just bought 2 bags of the WF garden soil at Costco. They were selling both the WF and MG soil, no fertilizers. Smelling both the bags, the MG had no odor except for the peat. The WF smelled like stuff you'd ADD to the soil rather than using it in a pot alone. One of the ingredients of the WF was chicken poo, so I guess that's what I smelled. None of the bags were warm.

On the WF website, it said the soil had an OMRI seal, so we bought it planning on mixing it with the soil instead of using the llama poo we usually use for the veggies.

After the snow melts, we plan on spreading the bags on the garden and will till it in when it dries out. Would laying it out now give it enough time to fully decompose, and would the nutrients wash out before planting even begins? I vote yes also to helping with decomposition. Will the nutrients wash out? Probably not.

MissS · March 26, 2016

The Costco here has it and the bags of Whitney Farms were not warm when I put my hand between the bags but, Miracle Grow bags were not just warm they were pretty darn hot. I will buy some of the Whitney Farms to try out this year. It looks like a pretty good product.

guruofgardens · May 10, 2016

Update - we just visited Costco and found their Whitney farms garden soil on sale - $2 off - making the additive $7.99@. The package says "add to garden soil".
The ones we chose today WERE warm, not hot, so I'm planning on using 2 and storing 4 in the shed for next year.
We're going to use the WF on top of the soil (and under the mulched leaves) this Spring rather than have it touch the roots since the bags are still warm.
The product is a dark brown and looks like a good additive.

swamper · July 9, 2016

How is this "Planting Soil" from Costco working for others. I used a bunch in my new greenhouse and planted into the ground and the results aren't impressive. My outdoor beds with peppers got a slow start but are starting to grow better now.

guruofgardens · April 2, 2017

Costco today - saw the Whitney Farms $4 off, which makes the bag $4.99. The sale ends 04-09-17. We used the 4 bags, 2 on the flowers, 2 tilled in last year. I'm hoping to purchase 4 more, 1 in compost pile, 3 tilled in. I still have almost 2 months before I plant out.

ReginaAnn · April 2, 2017

Thank you guru,

Will be there tomorrow at 10!

guruofgardens · April 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReginaAnn

Thank you guru,

Will be there tomorrow at 10!

Great! They also had some MG organic soil for $6 or $7.

guruofgardens · April 3, 2017

Frustrating morning at Costco - The Whitney farms soil had a new sign just installed when they opened. You have to purchase 2 bags for $8.99 @, then they take off $4, making the soil only $2 off each instead of the $4.

There were a whole slew of people standing around the soil, complaining that yesterday's sign said $4 off @. We got nowhere. Supposedly Whitney Farms sent the wrong sign. Most of the people just walked away.

Not a very good advertisement for Costco.

throwaway · April 6, 2017

Granted it is pre-coffee, but I'm having trouble making heads and tails here. Is what Costco selling a suitable replacement for potting mix? If so, is it priced better than miracle gro? I saw the bags on my last walk through, did notice a pretty strong odor, and didn't have time to do the math on the spot.

guruofgardens · April 6, 2017

No. The info on the bag says it is used with garden soil as an amendment. I would not even mix it with my potting soil for pots. It says to put 3" Whitney Farms on the soil, and then I would till it in.

I think we'll use 2 as soon as it gets drier, and save 2 for Fall.

Update - Whitney Farms wrote back that the 'sale' was on the Costco side. They had nothing to do with the pricing. Not happy with Costco right now.

March 14, 2016	#1
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Whitney Farms Garden Soil at Costco Costco is carrying Whitney Farms 3cu Ft garden soil with kelp and alfalfa and some not good stuff mixed in for 9 dollars. They also carry their granular fertilizer for 20 dollars for a bag that will last forever. This is a change from their usual mega bag Miracle Grow. I'm going to give it a try in a sandy raised bed that I usually amend with bagged manure. My high end garden center used to carry this brand. This is a much more viable option cost wise. Just curious what they mean by waste products. - Lisa

March 26, 2016	#7
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,149	The Costco here has it and the bags of Whitney Farms were not warm when I put my hand between the bags but, Miracle Grow bags were not just warm they were pretty darn hot. I will buy some of the Whitney Farms to try out this year. It looks like a pretty good product. __________________ ~ Patti ~

March 18, 2016	#2
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Is it their organic soil blend? https://www.whitneyfarms.com/craft-s...-planting-soil. If you click on Ingredients, they only list food and yard waste, composted. For a so-called organic soil, the price isn't bad. Does Costco carry their potting mix too?

March 19, 2016	#4
4season Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: albuquerque Posts: 308	I just stopped in at Costco and some of the bags of WF garden soil were still a bit warm to the touch.

March 26, 2016	#6
guruofgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: zone 5 Colorado Posts: 942	We just bought 2 bags of the WF garden soil at Costco. They were selling both the WF and MG soil, no fertilizers. Smelling both the bags, the MG had no odor except for the peat. The WF smelled like stuff you'd ADD to the soil rather than using it in a pot alone. One of the ingredients of the WF was chicken poo, so I guess that's what I smelled. None of the bags were warm. On the WF website, it said the soil had an OMRI seal, so we bought it planning on mixing it with the soil instead of using the llama poo we usually use for the veggies. After the snow melts, we plan on spreading the bags on the garden and will till it in when it dries out. Would laying it out now give it enough time to fully decompose, and would the nutrients wash out before planting even begins? I vote yes also to helping with decomposition. Will the nutrients wash out? Probably not.

May 10, 2016	#8
guruofgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: zone 5 Colorado Posts: 942	Update - we just visited Costco and found their Whitney farms garden soil on sale - $2 off - making the additive $7.99@. The package says "add to garden soil". The ones we chose today WERE warm, not hot, so I'm planning on using 2 and storing 4 in the shed for next year. We're going to use the WF on top of the soil (and under the mulched leaves) this Spring rather than have it touch the roots since the bags are still warm. The product is a dark brown and looks like a good additive.

July 9, 2016	#9
swamper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: CT Posts: 219	How is this "Planting Soil" from Costco working for others. I used a bunch in my new greenhouse and planted into the ground and the results aren't impressive. My outdoor beds with peppers got a slow start but are starting to grow better now.

April 2, 2017	#10
guruofgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: zone 5 Colorado Posts: 942	Costco today - saw the Whitney Farms $4 off, which makes the bag $4.99. The sale ends 04-09-17. We used the 4 bags, 2 on the flowers, 2 tilled in last year. I'm hoping to purchase 4 more, 1 in compost pile, 3 tilled in. I still have almost 2 months before I plant out.

April 2, 2017	#11
ReginaAnn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Northern CA Posts: 203	Thank you guru, Will be there tomorrow at 10!

April 3, 2017	#13
guruofgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: zone 5 Colorado Posts: 942	Frustrating morning at Costco - The Whitney farms soil had a new sign just installed when they opened. You have to purchase 2 bags for $8.99 @, then they take off $4, making the soil only $2 off each instead of the $4. There were a whole slew of people standing around the soil, complaining that yesterday's sign said $4 off @. We got nowhere. Supposedly Whitney Farms sent the wrong sign. Most of the people just walked away. Not a very good advertisement for Costco.

April 6, 2017	#14
throwaway Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Zone 6 Posts: 92	Granted it is pre-coffee, but I'm having trouble making heads and tails here. Is what Costco selling a suitable replacement for potting mix? If so, is it priced better than miracle gro? I saw the bags on my last walk through, did notice a pretty strong odor, and didn't have time to do the math on the spot.