|
|
Post by maglonian on Apr 9, 2017 17:47:35 GMT
Does anyone here use water retaining crystals ?
I'm going to have quite a few containers this year and thinking ahead to hopefully a nice Summer.
Do they really cut down on watering as frequently ? Are they safe to use in containers with edibles in ?
So many questions ...
|
|
|
|
Post by Tig on Apr 10, 2017 19:40:16 GMT
I have used them, not with edible crops though. I'm not too sure how much help they are, they do keep the soil moist for longer, but you need to take care how much you use otherwise you can end up with more gel than compost, not good for hungry plants! I recently saw some research which questioned their use, have a read of this cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/hydrogels.html |
|
|
|
Post by maglonian on Apr 10, 2017 20:08:33 GMT
Thanks Tig, ... that was one of the articles I came across whilst trying to make my mind up before spending on them. I think I'll give them a miss and just use good quality potting mix and mulch the containers heavily |
|
|
|
Post by Ladygardener on Apr 27, 2017 6:18:50 GMT
I have used them, not with edible crops though. I'm not too sure how much help they are, they do keep the soil moist for longer, but you need to take care how much you use otherwise you can end up with more gel than compost, not good for hungry plants! I recently saw some research which questioned their use, have a read of this cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/hydrogels.htmlVery interesting Tig, thanks for posting it. I'd not be inclined to use them after reading this........ certainly not on any food crops although I've only ever used them in flower pots in the past. |
|
