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[TonyS]

Because the bags in the truck are peat moss, not mulch.

Thank you for the correction but we both misidentify what's in the truck. It is Scotts turf builder lawn soil. Scott's website says

• Contains a blend of rich, composted materials to create an excellent seed-growing environment
• For optimal results, use with Scotts® Turf Builder® Grass Seed
• This product has been identified as WaterSmart® indicating it contains a mixture of ingredients that improve moisture retention

That "improve moisture retention part" addresses the ongoing question of weight. It's not going to turn into soup or a slurry when it gets wet. It's designed to retain moisture. If the bags get wet, they will get heavier and it won't look like a slurry.

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[paneubert]

If people need someone to stop the pissing contest, I can claim to be an expert here. Haha.

Spent a few summers working in the Garden Center of Home Depot, and I can assure you that the pallets of these soils do gain a lot of weight when left out in the Pacific Northwest rain uncovered in the outdoor storage yard racks. Yes, even with them only having the tiny air holes in the bags. And yes, even in peak gardening season when sales are high and fast, they often still sit there up in the racks where you need a forklift to access them for an extended period of time. And guess what? Forklift trained people at Home Depot are rare. Like selling your firstborn child (or finding a Maverick) finding someone to get a pallet down for you/for a customer. And this is coming from someone who was WORKING THERE at the time. I don't doubt for a second that a 30 pound dry bag could be 40-50 pounds when wet. I had to sling them all day every day when I was working there......the weight would and did vary greatly within the same pallet of product. Top half might be 50 each while the bottom half or interior layers would be only 30.

 

[minitrucknuts]

Thank you for the correction but we both misidentify what's in the truck. It is Scotts turf builder lawn soil.

FFS I did not misidentify anything. Scotts turf builder lawn soil IS peat moss.

 

[icegradner]

I'll just open a can of worms and say, if you need that much, buy it by the yard from a landscape depot rather than that janky bagged stuff. It's cheaper, but a little messier in the truck.

 

[minitrucknuts]

I'll just open a can of worms and say, if you need that much, buy it by the yard from a landscape depot rather than that janky bagged stuff. It's cheaper, but a little messier in the truck.

LOL no kidding. 30 bags is about $300. Same amount at garden center would be less than $50.

 

[icegradner]

LOL no kidding. 30 bags is about $300. Same amount at garden center would be less than $50.

Yeah, I only get that junk in a pinch, like if the depot is closed and I have to get the job done that day. If I bought soil in those bags all the time I'd have to double or triple the cost to my customers. I'm sure they'd be happy with that. Even with our markup, it's so much more reasonable, I mean it's soil not gold.

If someone doesn't want to mess up the truck, use a cheap tarp, or if you are really picky you can shovel it into 30 pound burlap sacks.

 

[TonyS]

FFS I did not misidentify anything. Scotts turf builder lawn soil IS peat moss.

FFS it does not say it's Peat Moss on the bag. Or on Scotts website. Probably it has peat moss in the mixture? My wife mixes peat moss with top or garden soil along with the compost from our two compost piles to make her own special blend.

When we buy peat moss it's big, hard, rectangular bags. That turns into nearly a dust like material as you crumble and spread it.

The ONLY thing I wanted to contribute to the conversation is that I've loaded, unloaded, cut open and spread thousands of bags of top soil/gardening soil, peat moss and mulch. Occasionally even a few bags of sand in the mix. And some bags of all those things are SUBSTANTIALLY heavier than others - appearing to be based mostly on the moisture content. All the things I've listed above are heavier when wetter. And when wetter none look like a slurry.

Otherwise I don't care what the various things are actually made of. I have a truck and a wife that gardens. I got get what I'm told, take where told, help spread where told. Sometimes till it in, sometimes not based on what it is /where it goes and what she wants. .

 

[minitrucknuts]

FFS it does not say it's Peat Moss on the bag. Or on Scotts website.

I gotta be honest, the accuracy and precision of your incorrectness is impressive. Like, you specifically say "not on bag" and "not on website", and those are precisely the two places that do in fact state that the product is primarily peat moss.

https://www.scotts.com/en-us/products/mulch-soil-garden/scotts-turf-builder-lawnsoiltm-1-cu-ft

https://www.scotts.com/sites/g/file..._files/T120528_79559750_BG9541_012822_CFL.pdf

 

[TonyS]

I gotta be honest, the accuracy and precision of your incorrectness is impressive. Like, you specifically say "not on bag" and "not on website", and those are precisely the two places that do in fact state that the product is primarily peat moss.

https://www.scotts.com/en-us/products/mulch-soil-garden/scotts-turf-builder-lawnsoiltm-1-cu-ft

https://www.scotts.com/sites/g/file..._files/T120528_79559750_BG9541_012822_CFL.pdf

I really enjoy how forums go off the rails. This is what makes forums fun. Here we are on a truck forum initially discussing how much weight the OP had loaded into the back of his truck (and if the bags being wet would add much to the weight). But now we are discussing exactly what Scott's Turf Builder Lawnsoil is actually composed of.

Your post is absolutely factual but it appears Scott likes to leave what the product is actually made of open to whatever they want to make it out of. Besides a wetting agent and fertilizer, the ingredients - exact quote - are "This product is formulated from materials including one or more of the following; Peat, composted forest products (compost), spaghum peat moss" . "MATERIALS INCLUDING ONE or MORE OF "

So maybe it's all peat, all compost or a mix that could include other things not even mentioned (materials including. Not exclusively, but including) I guess that's why my wife makes her own mix. She knows what she is using that way.

You win this gardening forum debate. I concede. The bags may indeed be all Peat Moss.

 

[minitrucknuts]

I really enjoy how forums go off the rails. This is what makes forums fun. Here we are on a truck forum initially discussing how much weight the OP had loaded into the back of his truck (and if the bags being wet would add much to the weight). But now we are discussing exactly what Scott's Turf Builder Lawnsoil is actually composed of.

Your post is absolutely factual but it appears Scott likes to leave what the product is actually made of open to whatever they want to make it out of. Besides a wetting agent and fertilizer, the ingredients - exact quote - are "This product is formulated from materials including one or more of the following; Peat, composted forest products (compost), spaghum peat moss" . "MATERIALS INCLUDING ONE or MORE OF "

So maybe it's all peat, all compost or a mix that could include other things not even mentioned (materials including. Not exclusively, but including) I guess that's why my wife makes her own mix. She knows what she is using that way.

You win this gardening forum debate. I concede. The bags may indeed be all Peat Moss.

No need to concede, the facts are nakedly apparent

At any rate, the bags are listed at 30lbs, and that is what they ship as. I acknowledge that they can take on moisture and that will increase the weight. But for a claim of "50 lbs per bag, possibly more" to be remotely true, EACH AND EVERY BAG would need to have taken on THREE ADDITIONAL GALLONS of water. Seriously, picture each and every single bag having 3 one gallon jugs of water poured into them. Cmon, you know that is ridiculous.

Here's to wife's with gardens, trucks, and doing what we are told. And that being said, I do believe I have a skidsteer, some barn stalls full of alpaca manure, and some garden beds calling my name. Best of luck with your Maverick wait (if still waiting).

 

[bajesus8]

Been doing a load of this once a week, every week since I got it. No idea weight. No pre-collision warning during hauling. ( i do get it alot when im delivering pizza's down narrow streets with parked cars)

 

[Jatrax]

Seriously, picture each and every single bag having 3 one gallon jugs of water poured into them. Cmon, you know that is ridiculous.

Actually, it's not ridiculous. It's quite possible as several people with actual real-world experience have told you. According to your own post peat moss can hold 20 times its weight in water. I think 10x is closer to true but regardless 30 pounds of peat moss could theoretically hold 300 pounds plus of water. Note that is peat moss, not the bag. Peat is hygroscopic, it absorbs water, and thus weight. The bag cannot possibly hold that weight. But I've personally loaded wet bags of peat and potting soil that were clearly double the weight of a dry bag.

But as noted above this has clearly derailed a thread and I still don't know if you actually believe you are correct or just like to argue.

 

[Joe Kelly]

I agree with JATRAX. This Maverick was likely overloaded. The real indicator was poor braking. This truck has a 1500# load capacity however engineers know consumers will overload trucks so they engineer in a safety factor. I do not know what the overload percentage is but I would guess 10 to 15% would be a safe guess. My rule is if the nose is up I probably am over loaded.

 

[Joe Kelly]

Actually, it's not ridiculous. It's quite possible as several people with actual real-world experience have told you. According to your own post peat moss can hold 20 times its weight in water. I think 10x is closer to true but regardless 30 pounds of peat moss could theoretically hold 300 pounds plus of water. Note that is peat moss, not the bag. Peat is hygroscopic, it absorbs water, and thus weight. The bag cannot possibly hold that weight. But I've personally loaded wet bags of peat and potting soil that were clearly double the weight of a dry bag.

But as noted above this has clearly derailed a thread and I still don't know if you actually believe you are correct or just like to argue.

The reason these bags are sold by cubic feet and not weight Is water absorption. When the bag leaves the factory the bag has a weight for transportation. Once it reaches the store it is stored outside in the elements and it gains moisture weight unless you ,live in a desert climate. The truck above with the loose load of mulch looks dry I assume it came from a Bulk provider and he picked it up on a dry day. If it had rained a day before it would weigh more. When I load loose stuff I watch the front end and when it goes up I stop. Where I live the bulk stuff is sold by the cubic feet the front end loader can hold. There are times I can not carry the cubic feet because of moisture.

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