I planted out some hanging baskets a couple of days ago, just in time
for the temperature to drop to near zero and the heavens to open and
rain constantly for over a day.

When I went out to look at the baskets today the surface of the soil was
covered in little lumps of jelly (like little cubes of gelatin). Does
anyone know what that is about?

I'm guessing something out of the soil caused it (since it also happened
on a patch ground I used the same compost on), but I have no idea what
it is. There was no way it was snails, frogs etc. since the baskets are
hanging up on chains.

Any ideas?

Sounds like the material they put in for water retention possibly?


"Cardinal Chunder" wrote in message
...
: I planted out some hanging baskets a couple of days ago, just in time
: for the temperature to drop to near zero and the heavens to open and
: rain constantly for over a day.
:
: When I went out to look at the baskets today the surface of the soil was
: covered in little lumps of jelly (like little cubes of gelatin). Does
: anyone know what that is about?
:
: I'm guessing something out of the soil caused it (since it also happened
: on a patch ground I used the same compost on), but I have no idea what
: it is. There was no way it was snails, frogs etc. since the baskets are
: hanging up on chains.
:
: Any ideas?
:

The Devil's Advocate wrote:

Sounds like the material they put in for water retention possibly?

LOL, I just read the back of the bag and it's exactly that. I didn't
realise when I bought that there was anything special about the compost
except it was for baskets. I guess the heavy rain made the put the gel
into overdrive.

Thanks for the help!

My missus had a handful of that water retainer left last year after making
up some hanging baskets. Thought she'd chuck it in amongst the flowerbeds
and nobody would notice. Until the next rain that is! What a mess!


"Cardinal Chunder" wrote in message
...
The Devil's Advocate wrote:

Sounds like the material they put in for water retention possibly?

LOL, I just read the back of the bag and it's exactly that. I didn't
realise when I bought that there was anything special about the compost
except it was for baskets. I guess the heavy rain made the put the gel
into overdrive.

Thanks for the help!

That's really interesting - I've often found this stuff in planters when
I've cleared them out at the end of the year, and always assumed it had come
from some kind of insect. Now I know what to do with it.

Peter.

"jane" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 14 Apr 2003 23:43:28 +0100, "Andrew Thomson"
wrote:

~My missus had a handful of that water retainer left last year after
making
~up some hanging baskets. Thought she'd chuck it in amongst the flowerbeds
~and nobody would notice. Until the next rain that is! What a mess!

I have an area under a pine tree (next door's) which gets wet only
when there is a true deluge. I have dug in my gel-filled hanging
basket remains into this area for a couple or so years now as well as
manure etc and it's finally starting to be able to hang on to enough
moisture to grow stuff. The gel does have its uses! (You can also pop
some in a vase and use it for flower arrangements, though it does tend
to go green after a while!)

jane


~"Cardinal Chunder" wrote in message
...
~ The Devil's Advocate wrote:
~
~ Sounds like the material they put in for water retention possibly?
~
~ LOL, I just read the back of the bag and it's exactly that. I didn't
~ realise when I bought that there was anything special about the compost
~ except it was for baskets. I guess the heavy rain made the put the gel
~ into overdrive.
~
~ Thanks for the help!
~
~
~

--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove nospam from replies, thanks!

The jelly-like lumps scattered throughout our garden including the planters are due to the water-retention chemicals in the compost we dug-in and used. The jelly has a concoidal fracture (like glass). It's annoying but harmless. The dog eats it!

The jelly-like lumps scattered throughout our garden including the
planters are due to the water-retention chemicals in the compost we
dug-in and used. The jelly has a concoidal fracture (like glass). It's
annoying but harmless. The dog eats it!

I suppose that saves you having to let the dog out so often ;-)

Mike


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