Why Is Soil So Controversial? (And Why 9 Million People Are Paying Attention)
It turns out, soil is a hot topic.
When I made a video casually dragging Miracle-Gro for being a synthetic, greenwashed disaster of a brand, I didn’t expect it to go viral. I was just saying what I thought: that we deserve better than soil full of chemicals, synthetic nutrients, and empty marketing promises.
But 9 million views later, the comments came flooding in—some cheering me on, others arguing in defense of their favorite yellow-and-green bag. Over 65,000 people have decided to follow along across platforms since then, and honestly, I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.
So let’s talk about it:
Why is soil so damn controversial?
Soil Isn’t Just Dirt. It’s Culture, Capitalism, and Control.
When I talk about soil, I’m not just talking about what goes in your garden bed. I’m talking about the foundation of life—of food, of ecosystems, of civilizations. And in our modern world, that foundation has been co-opted.
Big companies have convinced generations of gardeners that growing food is something that requires products—fertilizers, amendments, “miracle” mixes. The idea that you can’t grow something unless you buy something is deeply embedded in our culture.
But the truth? Soil is a living system, not a lifeless medium. And when we treat it like it's just a container for synthetic inputs, we destroy the very thing that sustains us.
Miracle-Gro and the Myth of Instant Gratification
One of the reasons my anti-Miracle-Gro video hit a nerve is because it challenges a deeply rooted belief: that faster is better. That we can hack nature, control outcomes, and override the wisdom of natural systems with enough human innovation.
But we can’t shortcut our way to healthy soil.
We can’t outsmart biology.
Miracle-Gro works—in the short term. But long-term? It depletes soil life, creates nutrient imbalances, and leaves gardeners hooked on a product pipeline instead of learning to build real fertility.
That’s not resilience. That’s dependency.
Why I Grow Organically (and Teach That Way)
I believe in following Mother Nature’s lead. That means compost over chemicals. Mulch over marketing. Building soil health through time, observation, and participation.
When I teach about soil, I’m not giving you one “right way”—I’m offering an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and reconnect. To stop asking what to buy and start asking what the land needs.
That’s why my upcoming Soil & Seed Workshop is grounded in organic, low/no-waste practices. We’ll talk about real-world methods that build life into your garden beds—not just feed the leaves.
Gardening Is Resistance
We live in a world that tells us humans are above nature. That faster is better. That we can dominate, extract, and outsource our survival.
Gardening pushes back on all of that.
Growing your own food—even just herbs on a windowsill—is a refusal to participate in systems that exploit both people and land. Learning about soil is an act of re-education. It’s a remembering.
And as we head into a weekend where many folks will be out protesting (April 5), I want to say this:
If you can’t march, plant.
If you can’t shout in the streets, learn to listen to the soil.
Want to Dig Deeper?
Join me this Saturday April 5, 2025 from 11am-12pm PT for a free Soil & Seed Workshop. We’ll cover:
How to choose or build the right soil for your space
What “organic soil” actually means (beyond the labels)
10 seed starting methods (no fancy gadgets required)
How to spot greenwashing in the garden industry
📍 It’s live on Zoom, but if you’re heading to the protests, no worries—just register and you’ll get the recording afterward.
REGISTER FOR SOIL & SEED WORKSHOP HERE
We’re growing more than vegetables here. We’re growing awareness. Autonomy. And a whole lot of healthy soil.
With dirt under my nails,
Alycia
Self Sown Garden
