Water Gel

[nightowl]

I buy my harder-to-grow stuff (lobelias, biz-liz, begonias) in Plug-U-Grow packs from the GC. I find them better than mail-order seedlings (and you don't have to buy 72 at a time!)

Anyway, they come in tiny plugs with some clear watery gel stuff in the bottom of the trays. I assume this stuff is water-retaining gel, but dies anyone know if I can re-use it by mashing it into my container compost??

[prodigal gardener]

Yes you can, it says on the packet to include it in the potting mixture as it helps to retain moisture, just dont use too much like I did last year. With all the rain we had it all swelled up and pushed the plants out of the pot Stupid

[nightowl]

I seem to recall Alan Titchmarsh admitting he's done that as well! ;D

[Chuckles]

I bought some Basket U Grow from Wilkos and it says on the pack TIP Add the gel supplied in the punnet to yout multi-purpose compost to assist water retention

I recycled the punnets and little trays to germinate my Toms seeds in ;D

[Plocket]

I swear by water gel stuff in my hanging baskets - it's brilliant stuff but needs to be mixed in well otherwise you get big lumps of frogspawn-like stuff in your compost! ;D

[nightowl]

Thanks everybody I have now read the packaging, which it has not occured to me to do in all the years I've been buying them!

[prodigal gardener]

Thats nearly as bad as me and Alan then NO ;D ;D ;D

[Amo]

I use the stuff in everything, including a minute sprinkling in my really, gritty, free draining stuff. I know that sounds contradictory but

I suppose there must be a bit starting to find its way into the garden itself by now through the pot waste thrown onto the compost. I just hope they don't find it's the one major cause of the ozone hole or purple spotted frogs raining in March every year

[nightowl]

I had a big tub of the granules before, and used to lob them around willy-nilly; til I frightened myself thinking I had GIANT slugs leaving dollops of slime all over the tops of my pots!!! ;D

[Amo]

And it sticks to your fingers and you just can't flick it off.

And the water gel does too.

[nightowl]