I have been using Miracle Gro all my life and never had a weed problem. Strange. I am very interested in seeing what ideas folks come up with.

I use Walmart's Expert Mix and only had a problem with a few containers getting weeds. I don't think they were from the potting mix though. I think they blew in while the lids were off in the warmer temps.

If I were you I'd try other types of soil before giving up.
:-)
Hope this year goes better for you.

Pam

I decided that next time, I will have a big container that will only be for weeds to sprout in. Instead of thinking that a weed is my sprouted plant, I will compare it to the weed container, and rip out the weed babies.

I did have plenty of weeds in my containers, as my mix was largely garden soil. That's too bad that your commercial stuff had so many weed seeds. I didn't find it too hard to figure out which was the real plant, except for a few containers. For most of the summer, I was pretty sure my Knautia container just had floppy weeds, but then they bloomed, and it was the plant I wanted!

If you have a digital camera, we can always help you figure out what's the real thing!

Put the soil into the containers and dowse it with boiling water.The boiling water will kill whatever weed seed it touches. Let the containers sit a day to cool and then sow in them.

T

Here is a link that might be useful: Appropriate FAQ

I usually use Miracle Grow myself and normally don't have a problem with weed seeds in it. I do notice that once I make the holes bigger or take the tops off completely is when the weeds start up. If I see the same sprout in more than one container, I know it's a weed and I pluck it out. They usually all sprout up around the same time as each other.

If you are uneasy about your soil, try the boiling water trick. Good luck!!!

Huh. I did not have one weed in any of my containers. I used soiless "Pro -Mix" that I buy in big bales. But I am thinking it also might be about how close to ground level you store your containers. To save space, I had mine lined up on shelving units. Perhaps it is harder for the weed seeders to creep in elevated from the ground?

That could be, nan. I do put my pots in a section out on the ground.