1 Quart Bag Soil Amendment for Live Moss, Lichens, Terrariums

I don't write a lot of reviews, and have only really negatively reviewed one product ever (in my 13 years as a prime member) I tend to only review things that I think are excellent. I think this is the worst purchase I have ever made. I was embarrassed that I actually paid for a bag of dirt that was so poor, that after I picked out the (LARGE) twigs, roots and stones, half of the 'soil' was gone. I don't mean little bits, I mean really, really large pieces of debris. I could have gone into the woods and put less than a shovel full in a bag and done as well. or better. They do describe it as collected from a 'forest where their products grow well' and I did want to try something that was specific or similar to an environment where moss supposedly 'grows well'. So I was still willing to give it a chance. I do understand that many plants do grow (and grow well) in less than perfect conditions in a natural environment. The woods around my house are full of plants and the soil is also littered with twigs, leaves, etc.and some moss does grow there, but I thought that this 'forest soil' was specifically better in some way because they SELL moss and lichens that is collected from the same forest where they harvested this junk. I kind of expected that if they harvested enough moss and lichens to sell them they really must grow well there. I used this soil as an amendment (50/50 as instructed) in one container (a large terracotta saucer), commercial 'topsoil' sold bulk from a landscape supply company, and a light potting mix I made just by guessing what would work best. I prepared trays of all three mediums, and treated them identically. (I also reserved a small amount of this soil and put it in a small saucer without mixing it at all just out of curiosity since the soil was supposed to be the same soil that they claimed the plants grew in naturally) The potting mix and this product didn't do great, mixed or unmixed, but the potting mix was still better than this. The cheap commercial topsoil did better than both. I would never use 'topsoil' as a growing medium in pots, but I was pleasantly surprised at how it worked when used for propagating moss. (I am a master gardener, but just learning how to grow moss and lichens) I have grown pretty much every other plant type at some time or another, and have a lot of experience in propagation and container growth.

Be careful ordering these types of things. I think this dirt braught along some type of flies

Product is as described

Fantastic! Great collection of moss and lichens and a fun surprise gift. Packaged well and shipped fast.