Have a south facing garden, ok narrow strip of land between front of
house and road, that dries out very fast in the summer.

Peat dosen`t seem to be regarded as at all enviro friendly, think peat
substitute dries out too quick in this location was thinking of silica
gel added to soil.

Often sold as crytsal spring or wonder well or whatever, its the gel
that can absorb many times its own weight in water, but does it
release it back to the plants or does it just absorb it itself?

Any experience from the panel greatfully received.

Thanks
Adam

On 7 Apr, 16:11, Adam Aglionby wrote:
Have a south facing garden, ok narrow strip of land between front of
house and road, that dries out very fast in the summer.

Peat dosen`t seem to be regarded as at all enviro friendly, think peat
substitute dries out too quick in this location was thinking of silica
gel added to soil.

Often sold as crytsal spring or wonder well or whatever, its the gel
that can absorb many times its own weight in water, but does it
release it back to the plants or does it just absorb it itself?

Any experience from the panel greatfully received.

Thanks
Adam

TYrials were done a few years ago in some parks in Kent and they found
thjat watering was reduced by around 50% and the plants suffered less
stress, the life expectancy in the ground was 4 to 5 years.
David Hill

On 7 Apr, 18:25, Dave Hill wrote:
On 7 Apr, 16:11, Adam Aglionby wrote:

Have a south facing garden, ok narrow strip of land between front of
house and road, that dries out very fast in the summer.

Peat dosen`t seem to be regarded as at all enviro friendly, think peat
substitute dries out too quick in this location was thinking of silica
gel added to soil.

Often sold as crytsal spring or wonder well or whatever, its the gel
that can absorb many times its own weight in water, but does it
release it back to the plants or does it just absorb it itself?

Any experience from the panel greatfully received.

Thanks
Adam

TYrials were done a few years ago in some parks in Kent and they found
thjat watering was reduced by around 50% and the plants suffered less
stress, the life expectancy in the ground was 4 to 5 years.
David Hill

Thanks David, Aldi has an offer coming up with a pretty good price on
silica gel, will give it a try:

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_5611.htm

Thanks
Adam

Adam Aglionby wrote:

Thanks David, Aldi has an offer coming up with a pretty good price on
silica gel, will give it a try:

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_5611.htm

I think you may be mistaking the water retaining gel used in
gardening with silica gel which is used to maintain a dry
atmosphere in packaging etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

On 8 Apr, 15:42, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Adam Aglionby wrote:
Thanks David, Aldi has an offer coming up with a pretty good price on
silica gel, will give it a try:

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_5611.htm

I think you may be mistaking the water retaining gel used in
gardening with silica gel which is used to maintain a dry
atmosphere in packaging etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Under the impression they are both the same, certainly seen one sold
as the other?

Adam

Adam Aglionby writes
On 8 Apr, 15:42, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Adam Aglionby wrote:
Thanks David, Aldi has an offer coming up with a pretty good price on
silica gel, will give it a try:

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_5611.htm

I think you may be mistaking the water retaining gel used in
gardening with silica gel which is used to maintain a dry
atmosphere in packaging etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK


Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

Under the impression they are both the same, certainly seen one sold
as the other?

I thought the water retaining gel was basically the same as the stuff
used in babies nappies. Very different from silica gel.
--
Kay

In message
,
Adam Aglionby writes
On 8 Apr, 15:42, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Adam Aglionby wrote:
Thanks David, Aldi has an offer coming up with a pretty good price on
silica gel, will give it a try:

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_5611.htm

I think you may be mistaking the water retaining gel used in
gardening with silica gel which is used to maintain a dry
atmosphere in packaging etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel



Under the impression they are both the same, certainly seen one sold
as the other?

I didn't think they were the same thing BICBW, however whatever it is we
have used the water retaining gel in hanging baskets and it certainly
works there.
--
Chris French

On Apr 8, 11:49*pm, K wrote:
Adam Aglionby writes

On 8 Apr, 15:42, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Adam Aglionby wrote:
Thanks David, Aldi has an offer coming up with a pretty good price on
silica gel, will give it a try:

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_5611.htm

I think you may be mistaking the water retaining gel used in
gardening with silica gel which is used to maintain a dry
atmosphere in packaging etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel

Under the impression they are both the same, certainly seen one sold
as the other?

I sincerley hope not. Silica gel is a moderately aggressive gritty
inorganic dessicant used to keep sensitive equipment dry. You have to
heat it up in an oven to get the water back out of it.

Water absorbing gel is a particular sort of organic polymer with a
high affinity for water. It will give the water back to plant roots on
demand.

I thought the water retaining gel was basically the same as the stuff
used in babies nappies. Very different from silica gel.

Indeed they are typically an acrylate-acrylimde copolymer. eg.

http://www.puhuaind.com/yw_version_e...FQZRMAodvjjjCQ

(not a recommendation for this source - they were the first Googlehit
with the product and its chemical name)

Cheap, virtually harmless but not Organic(TM) by any stretch of the
imagination.

I prefer compost or manure for adding organic material to my soil. I
might consider using this stuff in hanging baskets where water vs
weight tradeoffs are at a premium, but not as a garden soil improver.

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 9 Apr, 18:10, Martin Brown
wrote:
On Apr 8, 11:49 pm, K wrote:



Adam Aglionby writes

On 8 Apr, 15:42, Chris J Dixon wrote:
Adam Aglionby wrote:
Thanks David, Aldi has an offer coming up with a pretty good price on
silicagel, will give it a try:

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_5611.htm

I think you may be mistaking the water retaininggelused in
gardening with silicagelwhich is used to maintain a dry
atmosphere in packaging etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel

Under the impression they are both the same, certainly seen one sold
as the other?

I sincerley hope not. Silicagelis a moderately aggressive gritty
inorganic dessicant used to keep sensitive equipment dry. You have to
heat it up in an oven to get the water back out of it.

Water absorbinggelis a particular sort of organic polymer with a
high affinity for water. It will give the water back to plant roots on
demand.



I thought the water retaininggelwas basically the same as the stuff
used in babies nappies. Very different from silicagel.

Indeed they are typically an acrylate-acrylimde copolymer. eg.

http://www.puhuaind.com/yw_version_e...GP_18_href.htm...

(not a recommendation for this source - they were the first Googlehit
with the product and its chemical name)

Cheap, virtually harmless but not Organic(TM) by any stretch of the
imagination.

I prefer compost or manure for adding organic material to my soil. I
might consider using this stuff in hanging baskets where water vs
weight tradeoffs are at a premium, but not as a garden soil improver.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Thanks, saved the plants from being dessicated by more than just the
Sun.

Neighbour used organic manure couple of years ago on his front
section, worked a treat on his flowers but the pong didn`t make him
popular.

Peat just seems to be a British rainforest type problem, leaves a hell
of a mess after extraction.

Water retaining crystals looks like the answer and will save the silca
gel for keeping electronics dry.

Thanks
Adam