Seedling Hydrogel Is A Great Helper

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Although the hydrogel is not natural, but a polymer material, and it appeared on the modern market relatively recently, it can be used to grow magnificent seedlings, because in this case you can be completely sure that in the process of its growth the seedlings will receive all the nutrients she needs! And there is no excess moisture, leading to decay of the roots - a reliable assistant-hydrogel will absorb all its excess, keeping only the amount of water necessary for growing crops in the soil! Do you still doubt its benefits and effectiveness? So it's time to get to know each other better

Advantages and disadvantages of a hydrogel

A hydrogel is a polymer material that initially looks like miniature beads like beads. And when liquid is added to these balls, they begin to swell, turning into larger granules.

The hydrogel has many advantages - firstly, the volume of water absorbed by it is as much as three hundred times its own weight, which in turn makes it possible to ensure proper soil moisture over a very impressive period. Secondly, the hydrogel can significantly save space. Thirdly, seeds planted in containers with a hydrogel begin to germinate much earlier than during their traditional cultivation. Fourthly, the root system of growing seedlings (and plant seeds too) is provided with excellent aeration. And, fifthly, all the most valuable microelements present in the substrate intended for planting are not washed out in this case, but are preserved in full! That is, during the entire cycle of its growth, the seedlings will remain in extremely favorable conditions for it! "Smart" granules will actively absorb both liquid fertilizers and life-giving moisture, feeding them to the plants as needed! And the hydrogel is also an economically profitable purchase - for each liter of the future base, it is enough to take only from 0.8 to 1.6 g of dry granules. With the help of such an assistant, you can not only minimize the care of tiny seedlings, but also reduce the stress experienced by the seedlings when they are moved into the open ground!

However, the hydrogel is not devoid of some disadvantages. When introducing seeds into a hydrogel, it is imperative to take into account the individual characteristics of various crops - for example, it will not be possible to grow crops in a hydrogel, the seeds of which are equipped with strong leathery membranes (this applies to sweet peas and other crops similar to it). And in this case, it is necessary to constantly maintain the optimum temperature of the surfaces on which the seedlings with hydrogel were installed (so that the seedlings do not overcool). And, in spite of the fact that crafty advertisers claim exactly the opposite, hydrogel granules cannot be reused! Of course, if you wish, you can try to do this, but the results will definitely not please, because the spent hydrogel darkens, shrinks and loses some of its main absorbing properties. And with the active interaction of such granules with air, various bacteria can settle in them, that is, the maximum for which waste granules can be used is only adding to the soil as a moisture-retaining material.

How to use a hydrogel?

Hydrogel is used in various ways - it can act both as a planting "soil" (since it is a very unusual reservoir filled with water), and act as an excellent moisture-retaining additive in a substrate prepared in advance for planting seedlings. In general, there are three main ways to use this wonderful helper.

In the first method, the hydrogel granules are first soaked, after which the swollen balls are crushed with a blender or rubbed through a sieve until a homogeneous composition is obtained. Then the planting containers are lined with a three-centimeter layer of the hydrogel prepared in this way and, slightly pressing, tiny seeds are spread directly on top of it. At the same time, they should not be buried too deeply - excessive zeal can deprive them of access to oxygen, vital for their development, and then part of the seedlings will simply die. And in order to create the necessary microclimate, the containers with seeds are covered with a clean plastic wrap - to eliminate condensation and full ventilation, it is enough to remove such “shelters” only once a day.

The second way is to use a hydrogel as a water-retaining additive. For this purpose, one part of dry granules is combined with three or four parts of the planting soil. And only after that, the ready-made mixture can be poured into containers prepared in advance for seedling.

And the third method involves the combined use of a hydrogel when planting seedlings in open ground. Before planting young seedlings in the holes, their roots are thoroughly dipped into the swollen hydrogel mass. This is a great way to provide growing crops with a decent supply of moisture!

And do not be afraid that the hydrogel can harm the soil or plants: this environmentally friendly assistant has an extremely beneficial effect on both plant growth and soil quality!