Aqua soil for flowers: is there any benefit and what are the advantages of multi-colored balls. What is hydrogel for plants and how to use it Aqua soil for indoor plants

Hydrogel for flowers AquaGrunt is a replacement for soil in a pot or a replacement for watering flowers with soil! ALL COLORS!

Decorative hydrogel - soil substitute for flowers. Multi-colored balls made of granular polymer. Looks amazing.

Hydrogel- these are granules of a special polymer that absorbs water and water-soluble fertilizers hundreds of times more than their own weight, and then releases them to plants as needed.

Hydrogel can be used for indoor plants instead of regular soil. Rainbow hydrogel looks beautiful and has a pleasant shine.
Mosquitoes and bacteria do not breed in it.

In addition to being used as soil for indoor plants, it can be used in combination with fragrances as a decorative air freshener.

You can add hydrogel to the ground and the plants will have a kind assistant, making sure that they are comfortable (neither damp nor dry) and nutritious (all fertilizers will go to their destination), but it’s a pity to hide such beauty in the ground - in my opinion, it belongs in beautiful glass vase. Ideal for cut flowers and very aesthetically pleasing. It is good to germinate seeds in hydrogel.

Hydrogel- in the form of balls, polymer material, which has been used successfully in many countries for a long time, the polymer changes in size up to 10-15 times its original size.
The main feature of the product is the ability to absorb and retain a large volume of water in its structure and subsequently release it to the roots of the plant as needed.
The balls can be torn or cut to get granules; they can be combined with balls as much as your imagination allows.

A sachet is 5-6g (the finished product yields about 300g).

Available Colors: ALL

Instructions for use.

1. Prepare required amount containers for diluting Hydrogel - balls. It is better to use a separate container for each color.
2. Place the contents of the package into a container and add 400 ml of water.
3. After 8-12 hours, the polymer absorbs a sufficient amount of water and is ready for use. (you can immediately add a little flower fertilizer to the water, ideally colorless or aromatic oil) and each particle will be 1.5 cm in diameter
4. Rinse the roots of the plant from the soil. (I always plant cuttings in polymer either without roots and wait for them to take root in the polymer itself, or cuttings rooted in water, because no matter how much I tried to wash the roots from the ground, I realized that I couldn’t wash them completely. And dirty roots They don't look nice.)
5. Place the balls in the prepared vessel. To obtain a multi-colored composition, aqua soil can be layered with a plant and swollen polymer in a transparent vase.
6. When the Hydrogel balls dry, they take their original shape, you can put them back in the bag until the next use, or you can fill them with water again, etc.

At the same time, it is quite economical; one bag yields up to 400 milligrams of ready-made soil, which is more than enough for a small pot or narrow vase.

Hydrogel is a new generation of materials that have a unique ability to absorb and retain, when swelling, up to 2 liters of distilled water per 10 g of polymer or about 0.11 liters of nutrient solution per 1 g of drug. The most common gels are based on polyacrylamide.
They are inert, non-toxic, retain their properties at high and low temperatures in the soil for five years and eventually break down into carbon dioxide, water and ammonia.

Here are some practical advice on transplanting, growing and caring for plants in Hydrogel.
Before planting in hydrogel, the roots of the plant must be thoroughly washed from the soil. The thicker and thinner the roots of the transplanted plant, the more difficult it is to prepare it for transplantation without damaging the root system. Therefore, we recommend that, until you gain some experience, you start with plants that have thick taproots or are grown hydroponically.
Under no circumstances should the hydrogel be filled with water, as this prevents the flow of air between the granules and worsens the aeration conditions.
The structure of the hydrogel should be clearly defined granules. To reduce evaporation from the surface of the hydrogel and, therefore, less frequent watering, it is useful to tighten the neck of the vessel with a transparent film of food-grade polyethylene, leaving a small hole around the plant trunk. During watering, and also as a result of diffusion, the color of the layer-by-layer colored gel changes over time. If the composition begins to look less impressive as a result of a color change, you must carefully remove the plant from the hydrogel, shake off the root ball and wash the Hydrogel in a light soapy solution or in hot water which can be brought to a boil.
In this case, the hydrogel will become discolored and can be colored again with food coloring. The use of Hydrogel is a waste-free technology. When the appearance of the hydrogel loses its aesthetic qualities, and this usually happens after a year, it needs to be replaced with a new one or the plant should be replanted in regular soil. The old hydrogel can be placed in the ground, where it will still serve as a moisture accumulator and ripper and after a few years will decompose into components that are harmless to the soil. We are confident that the use of Hydrogel will bring pleasure to both beginners and experienced plant lovers and will open up new perspectives in their hobbies.

The hydrogel is ideal for growing any seedlings.

World practice has shown that using Hydrogel for germinating seeds at home is very effective. The hydrogel helps to increase the flow of water into the seeds, which accelerates their swelling and germination and increases germination. In the soft environment of the hydrogel, the root of the plant, which usually grabs the granule and is transplanted into the ground with it, is not injured, which significantly reduces the “transplant shock” during a dive. Grows faster root system, the growth and development of plants is accelerated, the incidence of disease is reduced, since the granules are completely sterile.

Already in February, they begin to plant seeds of eggplant, pepper, celery, and tomatoes. All of them require a large amount of moisture for normal growth and development, but when overwatered, either the root system begins to rot, or the seedlings become excessively elongated and turn out to be of poor quality.

As we can see from the first photo, the germination rate of Astrophytum seeds planted with hydrogel is almost 100%

And in the second photo, the germination rate of the same astrophytum seeds, with control sowing, planted in the ground, as in the old days, is not even 30%

It is better to plant seedlings in gel crumbs - to obtain gel crumbs you need to crush the balls with your hands. If the hydrogel is planned to be used for germinating seeds, it should be taken into account that it itself is an inert substance; it does not contain the nutrients that plants need for development and growth. In this case, you can add water-soluble fertilizers (for example, Kemira complex mixture) or growth stimulants (for example, HB101) to the soaking water.

If the gel on top dries out, you need to take out the dried granules, put them in water for 1 hour and they will recover, or spray them with a spray bottle.
When the polymer exhausts its aesthetic resource (about 1-2 years), begins to disintegrate and loses its brightness, we transfer it along with the plant to a pot of soil, where it continues to help the plant grow and develop. By adding hydrogel to the soil, you create a supply of water and fertilizers available to the roots.
At the same time, you will reduce the frequency and volume of watering, and fertilizers will no longer burn the roots of the plants!

ALL COLORS AVAILABLE

Five grams of hydrogel absorbs up to one liter of water, and you get not only an unusual and bright interior decoration in the form of colored and transparent balls, but also soil for your favorite plants and freshly cut flowers, which you can now grow and keep in glass pots and vases. Plants planted in small containers—pots, boxes, flowerpots—require much more care compared to those growing in open ground. The soil dries out very quickly, plants develop poorly, bloom poorly, quickly age and wither.
. if you have to leave for a long time and have no one to water the flowers
. when decorating offices and institutions where plant care is irregular
adding hydrogel always has a positive effect.In the future, your plants can be watered 5-6 times less often. You can leave and leave in peace indoor flowers for 2-3 weeks without watering.

You can fill a glass vase with it and put freshly cut flowers in it; you will agree that this is much more beautiful and interesting than putting a flower in ordinary water.

Scope of application of hydrogel

Initially, the hydrogel is small balls, similar to beads. When water is added to a dry substance, the latter swells (the hydrogel crystal increases in size by about 300 times) and a jelly-like mass is formed, which is used independently or as an additive to soils for plants. So the crystal becomes a kind of reservoir of water, which, if there is a lack of moisture in the soil, will give up its reserves to the roots of the plants, and if there is an excess of moisture, will absorb it. Thus, the hydrogel saves plants not only when the soil is dry, but also when it is waterlogged!

Due to their structure, hydrogel crystals improve the characteristics of a wide variety of soils: clay soils become more loose, and loose ones become lumpy. Plants grown using hydrogel, even in the most extreme heat, need to be watered once a week or less.

Today, the scope of application of hydrogel looks like this:
* Hydrogel - soil additive to retain moisture,
* Hydrogel - medium for keeping plants,
* Hydrogel is a means for transporting plants.

Hydrogel- an ideal moisture-retaining soil additive for plants that are demanding on watering regimes. If you are afraid of your plants drying out, or are forced to be away from home, or even forget to water your pets, add a little hydrogel when replanting into the soil - the plants will thank you.

Preparation and methods of use

Before adding hydrogel to the soil, prepare it according to the instructions. Usually the dry substance should be poured clean water(how cleaner water, the larger the granules grow, the more water they absorb) and leave for several hours until completely swollen. Excess water must be drained. For every liter of soil, take 1 gram of dry matter, or a glass of ready-made hydrogel. Mix thoroughly with the soil so that the gel is distributed evenly in it. Then plant the plants as usual.

You can apply dry gel under already planted indoor plants. To do this, first calculate the volume of soil in the plant pot. For every liter of soil, take 1 g of dry matter (about a quarter of a teaspoon). For example, you have a 3 liter pot - you will need 3 g of hydrogel. Carefully make punctures throughout the entire volume of the flower pot, carefully pour the hydrogel into the resulting holes (do not fill them to the top). Water the plant properly. The swollen gel may be squeezed out onto the surface of the soil; carefully mix it with top layer soil in a pot. The roots of the plant themselves will find moisture reserves in the soil. As soon as the roots grow into the gel (usually this takes a couple of weeks), the plant can be watered 5-6 times less often.

It is very convenient to grow plant cuttings and germinate seeds in a mixture of hydrogel and soil. This mixture is prepared in the same way as a mixture for indoor plants. The resulting mixture is also used traditional way. Only watering can be reduced.

The hydrogel can also be used as independent soil for rooting cuttings, as soil for floral compositions. Some indoor plants will also grow successfully in pure gel.

Before use, we traditionally fill the dry substance with the required amount of water and forget about it for a certain time (see instructions on the package).

We plant plant cuttings in the clean, ready-made gel. Just stick them into the gel. The process can be controlled, since everything is visible to the naked eye through the transparent gel. You will see fresh roots as if you were rooting cuttings in a glass of water.

Hydrogel for seeding

Use hydrogel to germinate seeds different ways- each gardener empirically determines the most suitable one for himself. In addition to individual preferences, the choice may also depend on the size of the seeds.

Can be inoculated in pure gel. If the soaked granules were large, it is better to rub the swollen composition through a sieve or grind it with a blender (mixer) to form a homogeneous jelly-like mass. This composition is laid out in prepared bowls in a layer of about 3 cm, and seeds are laid on its surface. Sometimes large pieces of swollen hydrogel are not crushed, but cut into thin layers, on top of which seeds are laid, lightly pressing them into the surface of the plate with the tip of a toothpick.

The seeds should not be buried in the gel, so as not to deprive them of air access; it is enough to press lightly so that the contact with the gel mass is more dense. The container with the crops is covered plastic film- this helps avoid drying out; The film must be removed at least once a day to shake off accumulated condensation and ventilate the crops. If the seeds require darkness for germination, use black film or put the containers with the crops in a closet (pantry). Bowls with seeds laid out on gel are also convenient to use for stratification.

You can use the hydrogel mixed with soil usually used for seedlings. Optimal proportion: 3 - 4 parts of soil mixture to 1 part of gel. With this mixture, lightly compacting it, fill the containers for sowing. On a surface thin layer the pureed (crushed) gel mass is distributed, and seeds are sown into this layer of gel. The crops are sprayed with water and also covered with film, which is removed when sprouts appear. You can add a little soil to the sprouts on top of the gel to prevent the seedlings from stretching out. This germination method is well suited for small seeds.

If seeds are germinated in pure gel, then in the cotyledon leaf phase they are usually transplanted into the ground. To avoid damaging the roots, the sprout is transferred to the soil along with a piece of gel. It should be noted that this germination method is not suitable for all seeds. First of all, it is recommended for those plants whose seeds require long-term stratification, are very small or require special conditions during the germination period. These are, for example, lobelia, petunia, primroses, heucheras.
Using hydrogel in plantings

To grow moisture-loving plants - both at home and in the garden - you can add gel to soil mixture or into planting holes. It will also help out those gardeners who cannot often visit their plot and regularly water their flowers - especially those planted in containers or hanging baskets. Thanks to its ability to retain and gradually release moisture, hydrogel eliminates the need to worry about constantly moistening the soil.

The gel can be mixed with soil either dry (after watering it will absorb moisture and swell) or after soaking. In the garden, the first method is preferable; For potted plants It is more convenient to add already swollen gel to the soil - otherwise it can be difficult to calculate its amount. In this case, the proportions are selected individually - depending on the composition and other characteristics of the soil, planting conditions, regularity of watering and other factors.

Just as when sowing, the characteristics of plants should be taken into account: not everyone responds equally well to its application. The use of gel is useful on dry sandy soils, where it helps to retain not only moisture, but also fertilizers, preventing them from being washed out. In container plantings, the gel is added to the planting holes or a gel layer is made: soil is poured over the drainage layer, the gel is laid on top and covered with soil again. Here it is more convenient to use a pre-soaked gel so that after watering it does not begin to bulge out of the container, increasing in volume.

Of course, the gel cannot completely relieve the gardener from worries: if the soil dries out, the hydrogel added to it dries out and crystallizes. But you can significantly reduce the frequency of watering in this way.

Plant care

Young plants are better suited for planting in pure hydrogel; even better are plant cuttings, which take root more easily and quickly adapt to a new environment.

Before planting, the hydrogel must be saturated with water. It is better to take distilled or boiled water - dechlorinated. The finished hydrogel should not contain dry areas that are not saturated with water. The granules must be completely transparent. Excess water must be drained. It is very convenient to do this through a colander. It’s even better to spread the finished aqua soil on a flat surface and let it dry slightly for an hour. This is done in order not to drown the roots of the plant in water - they must breathe.

Then fill the glass vessel halfway with hydrogel, carefully place the roots of the plant on the surface of the soil and fill the remaining volume so that the plant stays confidently in its new home. If the top of the dish has a wide neck, it is better to cover it with a transparent film so that the top layer of hydrogel does not dry out too quickly.

Caring for a plant in hydrogel is the same as caring for a plant in regular soil. The only difference is that the hydrogel does not need to be watered as often as the soil. The top layer of hydrogel may dry out more quickly than the lower layers - just spray it with a spray bottle, or carefully remove it and replace it with a fresh one. Fertilize the plant in aqua soil carefully, using a solution in a weaker concentration.

Please note that it is better not to place the resulting composition in direct sunlight - the hydrogel may “bloom”.

Don't confuse gel planting with hydroponics - it's completely different technologies. The hydrogel itself is neither a nutrient medium nor a plant growth stimulator. It is neutral - this is its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of growing in hydrogel
* plants planted in hydrogel in glass containers look new, unusual,
* hydrogel has different colors - you can create multi-color compositions,
*hydrogel in dry form takes up a very small volume, there is no need to look for a place to store it, there are no problems with transportation,
* replanting plants does not cause any trouble, it becomes “clean”,
* hydrogel is neutral - and therefore can be used by people with an allergic reaction to earth.
Disadvantages of growing plants in hydrogel
* hydrogel as an artificial substrate does not provide plants normal conditions for development,
* hydrogel does not contain nutrients - they need to be added regularly,
* hydrogel on sunlight may "bloom"
* hydrogel can only be used in vessels without drainage hole, not all plants like this (the roots need to breathe),
* the period of keeping plants in pure hydrogel is limited to 1-2 years.

The following plants can be recommended for planting in pure hydrogel: ficus, dieffenbachia, arrowroot, ivy, dracaena, philodendron, syngonium, chlorophytum, ferns, bromeliads. Any herbaceous plants will feel good in the gel.

You should not plant cacti, succulents, or orchids in hydrogel.

In general, it must be said that hydrogel is a wide field for experimentation. Maybe you will be the one to find a new use for it.

Mosquitoes and bacteria do not breed in it.
In addition to being used as soil for indoor plants, it can also be used in combination with fragrances as a decorative air freshener.You can add hydrogel to the ground and the plants will have a kind helper who will make sure that they are comfortable (neither damp nor dry) and nutritious (all fertilizers will go to their destination), but it’s a pity to hide such beauty in the ground, it belongs in a beautiful glass vase .

The use of Hydrogel for indoor plants and the creation of various compositions is very effective.
Any transparent vessel filled with colorless or colored hydrogel granules is a wonderful decoration in itself, and a flower planted in it takes on an absolutely fantastic look. The use of hydrogel opens up new possibilities for phytodesign, creating real works of glass, living plants and cut flowers.

AquaGrunt is non-toxic and retains its properties at high and low temperatures in the soil for five years. The use of AquaGrunt is a waste-free technology. When the appearance of the soil, when keeping indoor plants, loses its aesthetic qualities after 1-1.5 years, it must be replaced with a new one. The old AquaGrunt must be placed in the ground, where it will also serve as a moisture storage and leavening agent.AquaGrunt will break down into components that are harmless to the soil. Since the granules can be used in pure form, and not just mixed with soil, we called it AquaGrunt - “Ecosoil”.

We are confident that the use of AquaGrunt will bring pleasure to both beginners and experienced plant lovers and will open up new perspectives in their hobbies with a brighter aesthetic touch.

AquaGrunt is ideal for increasing the life of bouquets and growing indoor plants without the usual soil .

Do you love flowers but are constantly puzzled by the watering process?
Are you going on vacation, but have no one to trust with your greenhouse?
Or maybe you’re just tired of getting to a high-standing flower every day?
Now you can forget about daily watering and you can safely go on vacation.

Advantages
* interior design of the room
* soil additive for moisture retention
* medium for keeping plants, growing seedlings and germinating seeds
* humidifier during plant transportation
* decoration of ordinary potted plants - placed on top

Attention! Pour in clean, preferably distilled water to avoid odor.

Hydrogel will save your time (which was previously spent on frequent watering), money (on buying new plants to replace those that died from lack of water) and will improve your mood from contemplating pets happy with their lives. You will almost forget what a wilted plant is!

Due to their structure, hydrogel crystals improve the characteristics of a wide variety of soils: clay soils become more loose, and loose soils become lumpy.
Plants grown using hydrogel, even in the most extreme heat, need to be watered once a week or less.
The crystals will work in the soil for a very, very long time; they do not need to be changed. It is worth adding hydrogel crystals to the soil in a garden bed, greenhouse, lawn, pot or balcony box- and they will begin their many years of work to provide plants with water in a timely manner.
When using hydrogel, mineral fertilizers for plants should be used at approximately half the concentration, so the hydrogel also saves fertilizer!
And most importantly, the hydrogel is an environmentally friendly product with a neutral reaction: it only improves the properties of the soil and does not harm it in any way.

Hydrogel for plants, how to use for indoor and garden plants and growing technology will be discussed in this article. Science does not stand still, and it has also introduced its innovations into the field of gardening. Scientists have invented a product called hydrogel, which helps retain moisture in plants. In this case, the task of water is entirely aimed at feeding the root system. At the same time, a normal fluid balance is always maintained in the soil.

Some summer residents have already realized the effectiveness of this product and continue to use it. However, there are gardeners who have heard of hydrogel, but know little about it. In this article you will get acquainted with all its properties, characteristics, useful qualities and disadvantages, and also learn technology for growing plants with hydrogel.

Hydrogel for plants: what is it?

From a chemical point of view, a hydrogel is a polymer that can absorb and retain a certain volume of liquid, including nutrient solutions. 1 g of gel can absorb about 0.2-0.3 liters of water. In other words, hydrogel for plants in dry form increases 200-300 times if it is saturated with liquid.

To put the product to work, it should be applied under the plant where the root system is located. Typically, the substance is first soaked in water and then introduced into the soil. If it was sprinkled dry, then the area must be immediately watered abundantly.

Within 15-20 days, the roots will grow through the capsules with the substance and begin to feed on moisture from there. Even if the area has not been watered for a long time and the soil is completely dry, the root system will not be damaged in this case. The plant will not die thanks to the fluid reserves that the hydrogel will provide it with.

The product is very convenient to use if there is a dry summer or summer residents rarely visit their dacha. In addition to water, granules can be filled with liquid fertilizers. Then, with rare care of the plant, it will not only not suffer from lack of water, but will also be fed on time.

The special properties of the hydrogel can maintain normal soil moisture. It collects all the remaining unused water, which the plant will consume as needed.

Hydrogel and aqua soil - what is the difference?

Do not confuse this hydrogel with a completely different material - Chinese aquasoil, which is also called hydrogel. Despite the fact that they have a similar polymeric nature, their tasks are different. Hydrogel capsules serve as a reservoir for accumulating water, and aqua soil is intended more for decorative purposes.

Manufacturers often produce aqua soil in the form of colored balls. In water they swell and become transparent and beautiful view. Sometimes on the market such a product is called an agronomic hydrogel, which has all its advantages. Buyers need to be more careful.

Beautiful granules have only decorative properties. They are not able to help plants. With their help, flower growers create wonderful compositions. You can find many options for such ideas on the Internet or come up with it yourself.

What happens?

This product is presented in the form of a dry powder. Hard crumb with various shapes absorbs water and expands 200-300 times. The result is a mass of jelly-like consistency. Sometimes this material is used as a substrate. However, most often it is applied to the soil, where the roots of the plant penetrate the water-filled granules and take the required amount of moisture.

Liquid hydrogel can also be found on sale. In terms of appearance, it is no different from agricultural hydrogel. However, after adding liquid, the granules do not swell, but dissolve in water. Typically, this substance is used to wet the seeds before planting them in the ground.

This method makes it possible to speed up seed germination. Seeds cannot be germinated directly in liquid hydrogel. The substance envelops them, blocking the access of air. Therefore, seedlings may either die or take a long time to germinate.

Advantages

Using hydrogel when planting seeds, you can get seedlings 7-14 days earlier. At the same time, the crop yield increases significantly.
After soaking the granules liquid fertilizer, the plant will for a long time provided with useful minerals.
The soil in which the hydrogel is embedded has a loose structure, so the plant’s root system receives enough oxygen.
The survival rate of seedlings in such soil is ensured up to 95-98%. Ornamental plants do not lose their original appearance until the end of the season.
Beneficial from an economic point of view: 0.8-1.6 g of the substance is enough for 1 kg of soil.

Flaws

Hard-skinned grains (beans, peas, etc.) are not germinated in hydrogel.
Constant exposure to direct sunlight on the hydrogel can cause mold to appear.
The plant can be grown in pure hydrogel, but for no more than 2 years. After this period, the substance should be changed.

How to use hydrogel for plants?

The substance should be added to the soil during its preparation, which must be done before planting the plant in trays, flower beds, etc. At the same time, it is necessary to comply with the standards for applying the substance. For garden and indoor plants growing in containers, add 1 g of dry hydrogel (about ¼ tsp) per 1 liter of soil. Or granules saturated with water are added in the following ratio: 1 tsp. gel for 5 hours of soil. The same set is used for growing seedlings.

Some gardeners use another method: add 1 cup of the swollen substance per 1 liter of soil.

The powdered hydrogel is poured with water and infused for an hour or more. When the granules take up water, the remaining liquid is drained. The gel is mixed with the soil evenly to fill all areas with capsules with reserve moisture.

After the soil has been prepared, seedlings can be planted in it. After 10-14 days, the roots will already penetrate the capsules and the plant will be able to receive enough liquid. Now the area can be watered 2-6 times less, taking into account the temperature and location of the plant.

Under planted plants

There is another method to use technologies for growing indoor plants with hydrogel. The substance can be added to trays in which flowers are already growing. To do this, holes are made on the surface of the earth into which dry granules are placed. Water is poured into the holes. If the powder floats, you can sink it to the bottom and sprinkle it with 1-2 cm of earth.

Watch the video! Hydrogel. Features and use of hydrogel

Adding hydrogel to open ground

Upon landing

When preparing areas for planting plants in open ground, dry hydrogel is used, after which they are thoroughly watered. At the same time, per 1 sq. m. take 25-100 g of granules. First, dig up the soil well, and then add dry matter and mix well.
For plants whose root system is located close to the surface, dry granules are added to a depth of 10 cm. If the roots of the plant go deep, then the hydrogel is buried into the ground up to 20-25 cm. Then the area is well watered. After the granules are filled with water, the soil in this place rises.
You can add the hydrogel directly to the hole prepared for planting. In this case, gel and primer are taken in a ratio of 1:5. First, the dry substance is filled with water. After swelling, it is placed at the bottom of the hole and mixed with soil. You can also use the method of layer-by-layer distribution of gel and soil. The roots of the seedling are placed in the hole and covered with soil mixed with gel.

Under planted plants

Sowing seeds in hydrogel

It is worth recalling another way to use a polymer substance - germinating seeds using pure hydrogel. Despite the fact that this method is not described in the instructions, many gardeners often use it.

Hydrogel consumption rates:

For small flowers, dill, parsley take 20-30 g of the substance in dry form per 1 square meter. The granules are applied to the soil when sowing seeds, after which they should be watered well.
For radish seeds, 5-10 g of dry hydrogel should be used on 1 linear meter of land. One plant will need 0.2-0.5 g.
Peas, carrots - 3-5 g of granules are added per 1 linear meter stripes at. For 1 plant – up to 0.3 g.
For 1 beet bush you need 0.3 g of dry matter.
For potatoes - up to 2-3 g of hydrogel per area with a radius of 15-20 cm. After this, be sure to water.
For cucumber, watermelon, zucchini and pumpkin seeds you will need 0.5-1 g of dry matter per 1 square meter. When planting seedlings, 100-150 g of swollen granules are introduced. To prepare the finished gel, you need 10 g of dry matter per 2 liters of liquid.
To grow tomatoes in a greenhouse, take 0.5-1 g of dry hydrogel or ready-made gel in an amount of 100-150 ml. (10 g of granules per 2 liters of water. Dry hydrogel is added to the bottom of the hole. Plant roots are dipped in the prepared gel and placed in the hole along with the remains of the granules.
For seeding lawn grass you need 50 g of dry matter per 1 square meter.

Before use, the hydrogel is soaked in water. The remaining moisture is drained off, and the resulting mixture is ground until fine. This homogeneous mass is distributed in a layer of 1-2 cm along the bottom of a wide container. Seeds are placed on top, easily pressing them into the gel. After this, the tray is covered with plastic film. When the first leaves appear on the sprouts, it is necessary to dive on permanent place along with the gel.

The hydrogel does not need to be thrown away after use. Place it in pots prepared for seedlings. When planting plants in open ground, place the remaining gel in the holes. During watering or rain, the hydrogel granules are replenished with moisture. 1 g of dry substances can absorb up to 200 ml of liquid. Therefore, plants do not need to be watered often.

Hydrogel for plants in questions and answers

We will answer the most FAQ regarding the use of agrotechnical hydrogel for growing crops.

How many years will the hydrogel added to the soil last?

Depending on the active properties of a given soil, the hydrogel can last on average from 3 to 5 years. The substance can withstand the process of freezing and thawing for a long time. Even after complete drying, it does not lose its qualities. When the gel expires, it breaks down into ammonium, carbon dioxide and water.

Is it possible to store the swollen drug?

The finished product can be stored for 1-2 months. To do this, it is placed in a jar and stored in dark place. Do not forget that the container must be tightly closed with a lid. If it is not closed, the moisture will evaporate and the granules will dry out. There is nothing wrong with this, since before use the substance is filled with water to swell.

How to determine the need to water a plant that has hydrogel in its pot?

When the top layer of soil has dried out and even several centimeters deep, there may still be moisture in the hydrogel. Most the best option To find out when it's time to water is to monitor the condition of the flower.

With a lack of water, the leaves become limp. You can approximately calculate the interval between waterings. To prevent the plant from wilting, it is recommended to reduce it slightly. You can also use this option. If you water once every 3 days, then after adding capsules to the soil, the watering time can be extended almost 2 times.

Will it increase the humidity around the plant if placed on the surface of the soil in a flower pot?

Hydrogel is not able to retain moisture outdoors because it evaporates quickly. In this case, the substance cannot perform the functions of air humidification. For these purposes, there is sphagnum moss, which copes with this task perfectly.

Where to buy and for how much?

This substance can be purchased on the market, in flower shops. You can also make a purchase from a trusted online store. It is best to buy hydrogel in specialized stores. Moreover, the products come in different packaging: from 10 g to several kg. The cost of 1 kg of hydrogel is about 900 rubles.

Watch the video! How to use hydrogel Growing plants in hydrogel

Lovers of home flowers know what painstaking care such a hobby requires. Many of us, when going on vacation, left the keys to our apartment with friends or neighbors so that they could water the flowers during our absence. However, science does not stand still, and aqua soil has been widely used in the practice of home gardeners for quite a long time. Let's find out what kind of substance this is and what its benefits and convenience are.

What is aqua soil

Aqua soil is a substance that can absorb and retain large amounts of liquid for a long time. This is a polymer material in the form of colored or transparent balls, which, absorbing moisture, increase in size and, if necessary, release this moisture to the roots.

Aqua soil for flowers and hydrogel: is there a difference?

Not only in floriculture, but also in plant growing, such a direction as hydroponics has been intensively developing for several years. This is the cultivation of plants without soil thanks to special nutrient solutions. It was this direction that made the so-called hydrogel popular.

Did you know? It turns out that hydroponics is by no means a new phenomenon. IN Ancient India It was practiced to grow plants in a substrate made of coconut fiber, while the roots were in water, from where they received nutrients.

It consists of small granules, like those that each of us saw in boxes of new shoes. This substance is a replacement drip irrigation. The hydrogel is mixed with water, absorbing it, and then used when planting crops in the ground, as an enveloping substance that additionally supplies moisture.

Aqua soil is considered a type of hydrogel and differs only appearance. These are colored balls that are usually used for decorative purposes when breeding indoor flowers in vases or transparent flower pots.

How to use aqua soil for flowers: instructions

Decorative hydrogel consists of transparent balls of various bright colors in packaging.

Preparing the balls

First you need to take a few steps:

pour the balls from the packaging into a previously prepared container, fill them with 500 ml of water. It is better to take tap water for plants, letting it sit for 2 days before using it;
Leave the hydrogel in the container for a day, then drain the remaining water that is not absorbed. In this form, the product is already ready for use.

Planting a plant

Now the main steps:

the finished aqua soil balls are placed in a vase or other container where the plant is planned to be planted;
the plant is removed from the soil, the roots are carefully and thoroughly washed to remove any remaining substrate, then it is placed in a vase with hydrogel, immersing the root in it. If the flower has a tall stem, it is recommended to pour half of the aqua soil at the bottom of the vase, then place the root of the flower and pour the remaining balls on top, which will provide the flower with greater stability.

Important! Balls can be dangerous for small children and animals, so try to place containers with aqua soil out of reach.

Is there any benefit: for what purpose is the substance suitable?

The debate on the usefulness of aquasoil continues. Manufacturers claim that it is possible to fully grow plants in it, and experienced flower growers are confident that this is just a design tool.

Studying the composition of aqua soil

Aqua soil is made on the basis of hydrogel, which is a polymer and, accordingly, does not contain any useful substances or microelements, necessary for the plant. The function of the composition is solely to absorb liquid and gradually release it to the roots.

In other words, your flowers can only obtain a nutrient medium from the water that the multi-colored balls have absorbed, and they, in turn, bring mainly decorative benefits.

Aqua soil for plants

Manufacturers claim that growing plants in hydrogel beads is not only possible, but also very simple:

Many gardeners use this technological achievement to root cuttings. To do this, the aqua soil is prepared in the traditional way, according to the instructions on the package, then the cuttings that need to be rooted are simply inserted into the container with the substrate. Compared to the classic placement of cuttings in a glass of water, this method has an undoubted advantage: the cuttings receive moisture moderately and do not rot.
Some home flower lovers practice hydroponic growing flowers without the use of soil substrates, exclusively in hydrogel. This process requires a careful assessment of the condition of the plants and does not always give the desired result. However, when growing flowers that grow in nature according to the principle of hydroponics, for example, orchids, aqua soil is used quite successfully. In this case, the plant is not completely immersed in the balls and is in a pot with the usual bark substrate, and the pot, in turn, is placed in a vessel with prepared aqua soil. This reduces the risk of rotting of the root system of the flower and achieves the necessary moisture of the substrate.

Aqua soil for flowers in bouquets

Aqua soil is ideal option for cut flowers in a bouquet. Looks very nice fresh bouquet flowers in a vase filled with multi-colored transparent balls.

Even capricious bouquets of roses or tulips will be better preserved in such a mixture, since they will receive a sufficient amount of moisture and the cut will not rot.

Important! When placing bouquets in aqua soil, you need to remember that the substrate must be thoroughly washed under water every 2 days. running water, like the flower stems themselves. This is necessary in order to remove the formed organic mucus and avoid the appearance of unpleasant odor in a vase.

How to care for plants

If you decide to experiment with growing flowers in hydrogel balls, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules of this process:

Aqua soil or regular soil: pros and cons

Contrary to the assurances of the producers of the mixture, battles regarding the choice of the type of substrate for home flowers continue. Let's try to determine what the positive and negative sides aqua soil and whether it can withstand ordinary soil.

Aqua soil is difficult to underestimate:

the mixture has bright color and refreshes the interior of the room;
plants in such soil look unusual and fresh;
Dry balls take up very little space and are easy to transport and store;
replanting plants in this composition is easy and without unnecessary dirt;
If you need to leave and there is no one to water the flowers, aqua soil will do an excellent job of preserving moisture.

However, the disadvantages of this composition are very significant:

aqua soil - artificial mixture, and it contains no useful substances. Accordingly, the plant cannot fully develop in it without additional fertilizer;
hydrogel can only be used in vessels with good ventilation, so as not to disturb the aeration of the roots;
if exposed to the sun for a long time, the composition may become covered with a green coating;
the liquid from the top layer of the balls evaporates very quickly, which requires constant attention and regular spraying.

Hydrogel for plants helps absorb and retain moisture for a long time, thereby reducing the amount of watering and also preventing the soil from drying out. Previously, this product was used in the agricultural sector, but now it is widely used by flower growers and phytodesigners. The main advantage is that it does not lose its properties for a long time.

Features and Benefits

The gel is available in the form of granules or powder. Sold in packaged or dry form. This is a polymer that absorbs water well, while it expands several times.

On average, 1 gram of such a product can absorb almost a glass of water. As the soil dries, the gel releases water to the roots. It is believed that hydrogel for flowers should be in the form of balls, but this is not so. It was originally developed as a formless substance.

Hydrogel for indoor plants has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include the following aspects:

However, such a product has its drawbacks, which you should be aware of before using it to plant a houseplant. The disadvantages of this product are the following:

crops whose seeds have a leathery shell cannot be grown in hydrogel;
the composition is not compatible with all colors and crops;
you need to monitor the temperature of the surface on which the flower with such a gel is located, as hypothermia is possible.

A decorative alternative to hydrogel is aquasoil, which is available in different forms and flowers. It is not added to the soil, since such balls do not decompose even over time. Advertising campaigns have endowed aqua soil with unusual abilities. Some advertisements indicated that the plant can be grown directly in aqua soil, but this is not the case. This kind of substitution caused a negative attitude towards aqua soil.

Field of application of hydrogel

The instructions for use indicate that the agricultural gel can be used both in open ground and in pots, cache-pots and containers. In open ground, this product is used as an aid in the formation of lawns and alpine slides. Hydrogel will be especially effective if used for planting plants in street or balcony containers. Thus, the frequency of watering can be reduced to 1-2 times a week, and this will not affect decorative properties plants.

Hydrogel is widely used when planting seedlings. In seedling containers, the soil begins to dry out very quickly, so this agricultural product helps slow down the process of moisture removal. By mixing hydrogel with soil, the process of seedling development can be significantly accelerated. The composition can even be used to germinate seeds.

Growing a plant

Now you can find a gel that will be suitable for absolutely any plant. The material itself is inexpensive, and its consumption is very small. To create a beautiful decorative composition you can take a glass container. If the crop is small and grows in rosettes, then you can take a beautiful glass glass, and for large plant you can take a simple glass vase.

Before planting a plant in the gel, you should properly prepare it by filling it with settled or distilled water. The proportion should be as follows: 300 ml per 1 g of planting material.

This growing method is best not used for crops that require frequent watering. For example, it is better not to plant succulents and epiphytes in such material, as they store moisture in the root system. Therefore, if they remain in a humid environment, the plant may simply begin to rot.

The procedure for planting in hydrogel is practically no different from planting in aqua soil. The vessel should be filled with swollen granules, and then the plant should be placed there. The roots should be washed first. Flower care in such a gel it involves watering 6 times less often than when growing a similar flower in plain soil. The settled hydrogel indicates that watering should be done.

Mixing with soil

It is recommended to lay the gel before planting the flower, that is, at the stage of soil preparation. If you add such a product to a container or pot, you should take 1 g of dry matter per 1 liter of soil. Or you can take an already swollen gel, then you should take the substances in a ratio of 1:5. These standards are suitable for both indoor and garden plants that grow in containers.

The dry gel should be filled with water and left for an hour; if you increase the soaking time, then nothing will happen to it. Material that has absorbed enough water becomes like pieces of jelly. The swollen material should be thoroughly mixed with the soil. It is important that the gel is evenly distributed, otherwise waterlogged areas will form. The plant should be planted in prepared soil. 1-14 days after planting the crop, its roots grow into the capsules, after which the amount of watering can be reduced.

You can even add such agricultural material under an already planted plant. To carry out this manipulation, you can use a pencil or stick to make small punctures and drop the gel to the bottom of the pot. Next, you should water. Part of the hydrogel can be placed on the surface by sprinkling a small amount land.

Application into open ground

If you apply the gel under a bed or flower bed in dry form, then you should take 25-100 g of dry material per 1 square meter. m of soil. Capsules should be added to already dug soil. To grow plants with a superficial root system, capsules should be applied to a depth of 10 cm, and for a buried root system, the gel should be applied to a depth of 20−25 cm. After adding the material, the soil should be watered abundantly.

The soaked hydrogel should be applied in the proportion of 1 part gel to 5 parts soil. First, you should dig a hole for planting, and then put the gel on its bottom. If desired, it can be applied in layers.

Hydrogel can be applied to already planted plants through punctures in the soil. Their depth should be from 15 to 20 cm. To make recesses, you can use reinforcement or forks.

The second option involves adding the swollen gel directly to the top layer. The material should be mixed with the top layer directly around the plant. To carry out everything as carefully as possible, it is recommended to carry out manipulations by hand.

Features of planting seeds

Seeds can be germinated directly in pure hydrogel. This method is not indicated in the manufacturer's instructions, however, it is widely used by flower growers and agronomists.

It is recommended to pre-soak the gel, and then the resulting mass should be rubbed through a sieve or crushed using a blender. The resulting composition should be distributed over the bottom of the container, the optimal layer should be 1-2 cm. Seeds should be placed on top of the prepared composition, pressing them in slightly with a toothpick. After planting the seeds, the container should be covered with film. As soon as the first shoots appear, they can be planted in the ground.

Effect of use

Using this material, you can solve many problems associated with growing indoor and garden plants and seedlings. Thus, plants in this composition do not suffer from drought.

The watering interval can be reduced from 2 to 6 times, depending on the planted crop. garden plants that grow in containers can go without watering for a week. And indoor plants can be left without watering for 2-3 weeks, depending on the type of plant and the temperature of the room where the pot is located.

The hydrogel has the ability to retain not only moisture, but also nutrients. Fertilizers are not washed out of the soil. The roots in such a gel can breathe freely, and this accelerates the growth rate of the plant and improves its flowering and fruiting. Using such material, you can also improve the plant’s resistance to various stresses and infectious diseases.

As a result, it should be noted that such material is quite useful both for the plant and for the grower himself. Before using such a product for growing crops, you should study the instructions, which indicate how to use the hydrogel for plants.

Hydrogel appeared on the garden market not so long ago, so many summer residents and flower growers are just discovering its features and advantages. This new product can be used for stratification and germination of seeds, and used as a moisture-retaining soil additive - both for garden and indoor plants.

Preparing the hydrogel for use

The hydrogel is usually sold in the form of granules. They are different sizes and colors; The packaging volume also differs. Small granules are convenient to use for germinating seeds; larger ones are preferable for adding to the soil. The color of the substance does not affect its properties.

Before use, the gel is soaked in water. By absorbing moisture, it increases significantly in size: two tablespoons of granules are enough for a three-liter jar; From a 100-gram package you get from 8 to 10 liters of gel. Excess water can be drained by discarding the prepared mixture in a colander.

Unused gel is stored for a long time in the refrigerator in a closed container. And leaving him in open container at room temperature, after the moisture evaporates, you will see that it has crystallized again.

If you plan to use the hydrogel for germinating seeds, you should take into account that it itself is an inert substance; it does not contain the nutrients that plants need for development and growth. In this case, you can add water-soluble fertilizers (for example, Kemira complex mixture) or growth stimulants (for example, HB101) to the soaking water.

Hydrogel for seeding

Hydrogel is used to germinate seeds in various ways - each gardener experimentally determines the most suitable one for himself. In addition to individual preferences, the choice may also depend on the size of the seeds.

Sometimes large pieces of swollen hydrogel are not crushed, but cut into thin layers, on top of which seeds are laid, lightly pressing them into the surface of the plate with the tip of a toothpick.

The seeds should not be buried in the gel, so as not to deprive them of air access; it is enough to press lightly so that the contact with the gel mass is more dense. The container with the crops is covered with plastic wrap - this helps to avoid drying out; The film must be removed at least once a day to shake off accumulated condensation and ventilate the crops. If the seeds require darkness for germination, use black film or put the containers with the crops in a closet (pantry). Bowls with seeds laid out on gel are also convenient to use for stratification.

You can use the hydrogel mixed with soil usually used for seedlings. Optimal proportion: 3 – 4 parts of soil mixture to 1 part of gel. With this mixture, lightly compacting it, fill the containers for sowing. The pureed (crushed) gel mass is spread on the surface in a thin layer, and seeds are sown into this layer of gel. The crops are sprayed with water and also covered with film, which is removed when sprouts appear. You can add a little soil to the sprouts on top of the gel to prevent the seedlings from stretching out. This germination method is well suited for small seeds.

Using hydrogel in plantings

To grow moisture-loving plants - both at home and in the garden - you can add the gel to the soil mixture or to planting holes. It will also help out those gardeners who cannot often visit their plot and regularly water their flowers - especially those planted in containers or hanging baskets. Thanks to its ability to retain and gradually release moisture, hydrogel eliminates the need to worry about constantly moistening the soil.

The gel can be mixed with soil either dry (after watering it will absorb moisture and swell) or after soaking. In the garden, the first method is preferable; For potted plants, it is more convenient to add already swollen gel to the soil - otherwise it can be difficult to calculate its amount. In this case, the proportions are selected individually - depending on the composition and other characteristics of the soil, planting conditions, regularity of watering and other factors.

Marina Gerasimova