Cheaper soil vs bagged mix - is it really worth paying more?

I keep seeing people on here say you HAVE to use that expensive potting mix for balcony veggies. But I've been using the cheap $3 bags from the hardware store for two seasons now and my cherry tomatoes are doing fine. My neighbor swears by the $12 organic stuff though. She says her peppers produce way more. I've got 6 pots on my balcony in Seattle, and honestly I can't tell a difference. What's your experience been? Does the pricey stuff actually matter or is it just marketing?

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scott.mia3mo ago

Fair question but I think you have to look at what you are growing. Balcony tomatoes in cheap soil might be fine but I bet your neighbor's peppers do better in the pricier stuff because peppers are heavier feeders. Have you actually tried a side by side test with the same type of plant?

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the_henry3mo ago

Soil is soil until someone starts charging $12 for a bag of dirt and calling it gourmet.

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