In summer, our flowers suffer from the drying heat. This is especially true for those growing on balconies - in hanging boxes, flower pots, and baskets. The soil in containers dries out in a matter of hours, root system is damaged. Even more difficult situation We end up with container flowers at our dachas, where we visit once a week. And you won’t envy plants growing in open ground either... If there is no rain, then watering once a week will not solve the problem. The plantings will turn yellow, wither and gradually die.
But there is a solution that allows you to reduce the watering schedule by 4-6 times! And the name of this miracle of the agricultural industry is hydrogel. It is a colorless powder or crystals that, when soaked in water, become saturated with it and turn into unique reservoirs of water. Once introduced into the soil, the swollen hydrogel becomes a source of moisture for plants. Even when the soil dries out, the reserve “reservoirs” of the hydrogel remain full and the root system “pumps” out of them as much liquid as it needs. Isn't it a miracle?
By chemical formula hydrogel refers to polymers (cross-linked copolymers) capable of holding large amounts of water and fertilizer solutions. The absorbency of the hydrogel is such that 1 g of dry matter can absorb 0.2-0.3 liters of water.
Dry hydrogel and saturated with water - an increase of 200-300 times! For the hydrogel to start working, it must be added to the soil in the access area of the plant’s root system. Most often - in an already swollen state, saturated with water, less often - in a dry state (then it requires abundant watering immediately after application).
After 2-3 weeks, the plant’s roots will grow through the hydrogel capsules and will be able to absorb moisture from there without waiting for the next watering. The soil may dry out completely between waterings, but this will no longer be a shock to the root system. The hydrogel will be a backup source of water, which will prevent the plant from withering and drying out during dry periods.
The roots of the plant grow into the hydrogel and begin to be fed with water from there.
Hydrogel granules can be saturated not only with water, but also with fertilizer solutions. Then, in your absence, the flowers will not only not wither, but will also continue to feed “properly.”
Due to its ability to adsorb moisture, the hydrogel has another property: it will not allow the flowers to flood. All excess moisture that would normally drain through the drainage holes is absorbed into the hydrogel and then absorbed by the plant as needed.
I would like to immediately note that in this article we're talking about not about Chinese hydrogel or, as it is also called, “aquasoil”. This is a few different materials, although having a similar polymeric nature. The purpose of agricultural hydrogel is to serve as a source of additional water for plants. The main purpose of aqua soil is a decorative effect.
Field of application of hydrogel
Agricultural hydrogel is suitable for use both in open ground (OG) and in protected ground - pots, containers, flowerpots, etc. It is successfully used in indoor floriculture. In OG - it becomes a huge help when laying lawns and alpine slides, planting trees, shrubs, flower beds. A particularly visible effect of preserving water in hydrogel capsules is manifested when it is added to street and balcony containers. Often, watering 1-2 times a week in this case is sufficient to fully preserve the decorative effect of flower arrangements.
The swollen hydrogel is mixed with soil in planting containers The hydrogel has also found its application in growing seedlings, especially on an industrial scale. In seedling containers, the soil dries out very quickly, and the hydrogel allows you to slow down the process of final loss of moisture.
By mixing the hydrogel with soil in a seedling container, you can significantly accelerate the development of seedlings Another interesting option is to germinate seeds in a hydrogel. The swollen granules are an excellent moisturized medium that stimulates the germination of seed sprouts.
What plants is hydrogel suitable for?
Most gardeners agree that hydrogel is suitable for growing almost all plants, with the exception of frankly drought-resistant ones. For example, succulents (desert cacti) and epiphytes (orchids, some aroids, etc.), which may not tolerate the constant proximity of roots to wet pieces of gel. Everyone else will be grateful for this.
Application of hydrogel - mix the gel with the soil
It is best to lay hydrogel before planting plants, that is, while preparing the soil in pots, beds, gardens, and flower beds.
Adding to pots, containers
Upon landing
The hydrogel is added to the soil at the rate of 1 g of dry matter (about ¼ tsp) per 1 liter of soil. Or 1 part of the swollen gel to 5 parts of soil (ratio 1:5). These standards apply to indoor and garden plants growing in containers, as well as seedlings.
Advice:
You can also use the following proportions: 1 glass of swollen gel per 1 liter of soil.
The dry hydrogel is filled with water for an hour (you can increase the soaking time, nothing will spoil). The gel swells, after which the water can be drained.
The hydrogel absorbed water and became like jelly pieces. correct form
Mix the swollen hydrogel with the soil. The main thing is to distribute the pieces of gel evenly, otherwise some areas of the soil will be left without reserve capsules of water.
Plants are planted in the prepared soil.
The hydrogel is evenly distributed in the pot, mixed with soil After 10-14 days, the roots will grow into the hydrogel capsules, after which the amount of watering is reduced by 2-6 times (depending on the temperature and location).
Under planted plants
It is also possible to add hydrogel to pots of already planted plants. To do this, punctures are made across the entire surface of the soil with a pencil or stick and dry hydrogel is poured into the bottom of the holes. Perform watering. If some of the hydrogel is then squeezed out onto the surface, you can sprinkle 1-2 cm of soil on top of it.
Adding hydrogel to open ground
Upon landing
When preparing the soil for beds, flower beds, lawns, dry hydrogel is applied followed by watering. In this case, take 25-100 g of dry matter per 1 square meter. surface meter.
The soil is dug up, dry hydrogel is added and mixed. For plants with a superficial root system, the hydrogel is applied to a depth of about 10 cm. If the root system is buried, then the depth of application of the hydrogel is increased to 20-25 cm. After which the soil is watered abundantly. Since the hydrogel absorbs water and greatly increases in volume, the soil rises after watering.
It is also convenient to add hydrogel to the planting hole at the rate of 1 part gel to 5 parts soil (1:5). To do this, the dry hydrogel is first filled with water and waited until it swells. Dig a planting hole, place the swollen gel on its bottom and mix it with the soil. You can mix in layers: a layer of gel, a layer of soil, etc. The roots of the seedling are placed on top and covered with a mixture of soil and hydrogel.
Under planted plants
In this case, in the middle of the projection of the crown of a tree or bush, punctures are made 15-20 cm deep. For this you can use forks, fittings, etc. The dry gel is poured into the bottom of the holes and sprinkled with soil. Water generously. It is advisable to repeat watering after 40-50 minutes.
Another way: the swollen hydrogel can be mixed into the top layer of soil around the plant. Pre-soak the gel in water and mix it with the soil around the plant - to the depth that the overgrown root system will allow. It is advisable to do this with your hands, carefully so as not to tear the roots.
Sowing seeds in hydrogel
Let's remember another option for using polymer capsules - germinating seeds on pure hydrogel. This method is not listed by hydrogel manufacturers, but is actively used by flower growers.
The hydrogel is pre-soaked and then drained. excess water, and the remaining mass is ground through a sieve or, alternatively, crushed in a blender. The resulting homogeneous “jelly” is distributed over the bottom of a shallow wide container in a layer of 1-2 cm. Seeds are laid on top, pressing them down slightly with a toothpick or match. After planting, the container with the gel is covered with film. Waiting for shoots. When the seeds germinate and the first leaves appear, the sprouts, along with pieces of hydrogel, dive into the soil.
Effects of use and advantages of hydrogel
Using hydrogel you can solve many problems with indoor and garden plants. Here are the most basic positive effects of its use:
- Flowers in hydrogel do not suffer from drought. The intervals between waterings increase by 2-6 times. garden plants, growing in containers on a balcony or street, can be left without watering for an average of a week. And indoor ones - for 2-3 weeks (depending on the time of year and room temperature).
- The hydrogel is able to retain nutrients (fertilizers), preventing them from being washed out of the soil.
- The hydrogel absorbs excess water, freeing up the aeration pores. The roots of the plant breathe freely, and the water does not stagnate.
- The hydrogel improves the living conditions of the plant, accelerating growth rates, promoting flowering and fruiting.
- The hydrogel helps increase the plant's resistance to stress and infectious diseases.
Hydrogel for plants in questions and answers
And now – several popular questions about hydrogel, naturally, with answers to them.
How many years will the hydrogel added to the soil last?
On average, the service life of a hydrogel in soil is 3-5 years (depending on the microbiological activity of the soil). The hydrogel tolerates freezing and thawing, as well as complete drying. After this, it does not change its properties. At the end of its shelf life, the hydrogel simply decomposes into carbon dioxide, ammonium and water.
Is it possible to store swollen hydrogel?
To preserve the finished hydrogel for 1-2 months, you can place it in any container, close it with a lid and place it in a dark place. You can leave the container open, then the hydrogel will dry. In the future, for use, it will have to be saturated with water again - and it will swell again.
How to determine the need to water a plant that has hydrogel in its pot?
It is clear that nothing can be determined by drying the top layer. Even when the soil has dried several centimeters deep, there is still water in the hydrogel capsules. The most reasonable approach is experimental, focused on the state of the plant. As soon as the leaves lose turgor and begin to wither, that’s it, it’s time to water. The interval between watering and the beginning of wilting is the interval between watering. It is advisable to reduce it a little to prevent visual fading. There is an even simpler option: for example, you watered the plant once every 3 days, then added hydrogel - that’s it, you can stretch the interval between waterings at least 2 times.
Will the hydrogel increase the humidity around the plant if placed on the surface of the soil in a flower pot?
No, it will not. Hydrogel on outdoors quickly loses moisture and dries out. It will not be able to work as a long-lasting air “humidifier”. Wet sphagnum moss will cope much better with this task.
Where to buy hydrogel?
If you need a hydrogel, you can buy it in flower shops, garden shopping centers, and online stores. Moreover, its packaging can be very different - from 10 g to several kg.
Video instruction on the use of hydrogel
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Growing and planting strawberries with hydrogel
Strawberry is a crop that is very responsive to the use of hydrogel. Primarily due to the fact that it is very demanding on soil moisture conditions. Lack of watering during the period of setting berries and their ripening leads to a significant decrease in yield. Overmoistening increases the risk of gray rot of fruits and powdery mildew.
The entire root system is concentrated in the surface layer of soil (10-15 cm), which quickly dries out even if there is no heat. In this case, it is impossible to comply with the recommended norms and watering regime. (Remember that in dry weather this is one watering every 10 days at a rate of about 10 liters per square meter before flowering, 20-25 liters during ripening of the berries). You have to water more often, which almost always leads to the development of fungal diseases (especially when watering cold water sprinkling).
If we add hydrogel immediately when planting a plantation:
- You can increase the intervals between waterings. This is important to prevent the development of gray mold and reduce the number of slugs.
- There will be no stagnation of moisture and waterlogging of the soil, which strawberries are afraid of (the hydrogel will absorb excess moisture into itself, freeing up the aeration pores).
- Low consumption: a glass of swollen hydrogel under the bush, mixing by volume. The hydrogel works in the soil for about 5 years, which coincides with the life of the plantation.
The best time for planting seedlings strawberries - end July to mid-August. It can be planted in the fall, until the end of September (more precisely, it must be completed 15 days before the soil freezes). The application of gel improves the rooting of bushes and their development. Therefore, even with autumn planting you will receive the first harvest already at next year. The size of the berries and the overall yield of the plantation will increase.
Time to go on vacation? Who will water the flowers?
More recently, those going on vacation had little choice. The most patient ones transferred indoor plants to wick watering or set up other ingenious “irrigation systems” from bottles and hoses. Some lucky ones left the keys with relatives or friends, in the hope that they would look after the plants in the absence of the owners... In fact, in the West, in indoor floriculture, hydrogel has long been used for such cases. It allows plants to calmly survive the absence of watering for 2-3 weeks.
Indoor floriculture, use of hydrogel
Your plants can be watered 5-6 times less often. You can leave and leave indoor flowers for 2-3 weeks without watering.
Even with constant care, the use of hydrogel increases the number of flowers, the duration of flowering, and improves appearance plants.
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.The hydrogel should be added to the soil when decorating offices and institutions where plant care is irregular and they suffer from drought.
How to use hydrogel
Apply dry or already swollen?
Everything is determined by objects. For application with seeds, indoor floriculture and growing seedlings (that is, in a limited volume), we recommend first allowing the preparation to swell in water. Otherwise, troubles may arise: plants crawling out of the pot when the polymer swells, bulging rows of seeds, etc.
The same applies to “fine” work in open ground (for strawberries, 1-2 year old seedlings, small flowers), it is better to saturate the preparation with water.
For swelling, pour water for at least an hour (the specific time is determined by temperature, chemical composition of water and modification of the hydrogel). You can pour it overnight, a day, a month - the hydrogel will not deteriorate.
When planting large seedlings, bushes and flowers, this is not significant. Mix the dry preparation with the soil throughout. For obvious reasons, do not pour locally onto the bottom of the hole.
If applied dry, it is necessary to ensure subsequent abundant watering. It’s better in two phases: re-watering after an hour and a half.
Can hydrogel be applied only when planting plants? Completely optional. You can apply it under already planted bushes, trees and flowers and it will work effectively. This can be done until the first autumn frosts. By the way, this method is also applicable for indoor plants growing in pots, boxes, flowerpots.
How to apply gel under already planted trees, bushes, flowers?
You can apply it in the same way as granular fertilizers are often applied - locally. Under a bush or tree in the middle of the crown projection (closer to the periphery), punctures are made around the circumference to the depth of the turf horizon (15-20 cm) with a crowbar or pitchfork. The gel is evenly scattered into the holes, sprinkled with soil, and watered. It is advisable to re-water after 40-50 minutes.
How to apply gel to already planted indoor plants?
For example, you have a 5 liter pot, therefore you need to add about 5 grams. To do this, carefully make punctures over the entire area to the depth of the container (for example, with a sharpened pencil). Pour gel into the wells.
Don't forget that it increases in volume very much! Water. If some of the gel squeezes out onto the surface, it’s okay. Sprinkle it with 1-2 cm of soil, later the plant roots themselves will find these granules.
As soon as the roots grow into the gel (usually this takes 1.5-2 weeks), you can water 5-6 times less often.
How much hydrogel should be applied? For an average bush of gooseberries, currants, roses, peonies, you need to apply at least 50 grams in terms of dry preparation. Mix throughout. Indoor flowers, seedlings: a glass of swollen gel (which is about 1 g of dry preparation) per liter of soil. Strawberries: a glass - two swollen gels per bush, mixing by volume.
Hydrogel for protecting the exposed root system during planting, transplanting and transportation.
This type of Evabeon® hydrogel forms a “jelly” when mixed with water. They can be used to cover exposed or exposed roots during transplantation. To do this, plant roots are dipped into it or the gel is applied using a spray bottle. This gel is also used for pelleting seeds.
Root hairs are special outgrowths of specialized cells through which water and nutrients are absorbed. In air they dry out almost instantly. Therefore, when planting and transplanting, planting seedlings and seedlings that have bare roots, the normal diet is disrupted. The plant suffers for a long time and adapts.Application of root gel during storage and transportation
The gel envelops the roots, forming a protective cover and prevents them from drying out. In this form, seedlings, seedlings, and plants selected for transplantation can be transported and stored for up to several days. Root protection with covering materials alone is not effective enough. It is simply unrealistic to cover the ENTIRE surface of the roots. This is possible with the help of hydrogel.
Application of root gel for seedlings
If you dip the roots in the gel before planting, the survival rate will improve significantly. Suitable for “repairing” collapsed clumps of seedlings.
When growing seedlings in glasses and boxes, the roots are distributed over the surface of the soil clod. Once removed from the container, they are open and unprotected. Therefore, after transplanting into the ground, the roots are especially vulnerable even with a slight lack of moisture. It is enough to dip such a lump in the “jelly” of the gel before planting it, and you will greatly speed up the survival rate of the plant and its resistance to adverse factors.
Application for open root system
When planting a bare-root plant in the soil, soil moisture is very important. Even slight drying is detrimental to the plant. Therefore, not only abundant watering is used, but also soil compaction to ensure closer contact of the roots with the ground. Because of this, stagnation of moisture occurs, leading to rotting of the roots.
The first two weeks after planting and transplantation are very important - during this time is running restoration of the root system. The gel significantly improves the survival rate of plants, helping to maintain moisture in the roots, protecting them from drying out and ensuring rapid establishment.
About hydrogel for roots - in the video tutorial on planting seedlings:
How to use hydrogel to protect an exposed root system? How much and how is it added to the planting hole? What types of Evabeon® hydrogel are there? The video includes a coupon for a discount in the store. Watch all our lessons in the video section.
Sowing in hydrogel (petunia, gillyflower, lobelia, balsam, marigolds, zinnias, cheerful guys, etc.) At the request of working flower growers, I decided to open this topic. Let's start from the very beginning. My first experiments with the gel, like everyone else, did not bring anything good. The whole point is that what is written in the instructions for using this gel is all nonsense. Last year, when I was at a gardening exhibition at the All-Russian Exhibition Center, I was lucky enough to meet the developer of this gel. The first thing she told me was not to look at any instructions. And now about how to use it: take the dry gel and pour it into a jar of water (I take a 3-liter jar and pour about 2 tablespoons of dry gel into it) and leave it overnight, wake up in the morning and you have a whole jar finished gel. To use the gel, you need to discard it in a colander, like pasta, and allow the excess water to drain, after which it is ready for use. Depending on the size of the seeds different technology their germination: 1. The seeds are small (like those of petunia) To do this, take good land(I personally use Living Earth) so for 3 cups of this earth, take 1 cup of gel, mix it and fill the bowls in which the seedlings will be with this earth, fill it, compact it (lightly). Then take a little pure gel (without soil) and rub it through a colander or sieve so that the grains are as small as possible and spread the resulting mass onto the soil that you have prepared, like butter on a sandwich. Once you have smeared, sow the seeds, then spray them with water using a fine spray bottle. From my own experience, I will say that the germination rate of the seeds is 100% or I just came across the same kind of seeds, but no matter how you look at it, all the small seeds that I planted in this way all germinate at breakneck speed. As the developer told me, sow and watch how they sprout before your eyes. The only inconvenience is planting them later (if a lot of them were sown) my lobelia grew in the forest. 2. Large seeds (velvet flowers, zinnias, etc.) Well, everything is quite simple here: you take the ready-made gel, without mixing it with the soil, and just pour it into a bowl and sow the seeds there. Then, when they germinate, they can be planted in the ground, or if you are making seedlings, then also prepare a mixture of soil, see above, and plant the sprouted seeds in it. For all methods, after sowing, I cover the bowls with polyethylene and place them in a dark place; as soon as they germinate, I place them in the light (so that they do not stretch). Only everything needs to be done very carefully and in strict proportions. The advantages of this method of sowing seedlings: the first is that, as a rule, it is 2 weeks ahead of its peers, second, the soil practically does not dry out, less watering is required, i.e. It turns out that you have to look after her less.
this unusual product appeared on the Russian market only recently, but in the West it has been successfully used for a couple of decades both for cultivating indoor plants and growing seedlings. It is also used in industrial agriculture.
Hydrogel, also called superabsorbent, is an environmentally neutral polymer, usually a type of polyacrylamide, which has the ability to absorb water in huge quantities, turning into a gel, depending on the type, from 100 to 400 times and its original weight. It is non-toxic, completely sterile, does not change its properties during climatic temperature changes, can work with weakening properties for up to 5 years and then completely decomposes into water, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, that is, into completely harmless ingredients.
There are three main types of hydrogel for plants:
Granulated - similar in appearance to coarse salt, the same crystals are different in size and irregular in shape, only more transparent, absorb up to 400 parts by weight without losing their shape;
Liquid - the same thing, but with large quantities water turns into liquid;
Decorative - more often called aqua soil, is produced in fairly large granules of the same regular shape - round, cubic, etc., have various colors, however, it is of little use for agricultural needs.
You should know that distilled water is absorbed by superabsorbents better than fertilizer solutions, and with increasing concentration, the absorbency first sharply drops by 2-3 times, and then decreases much more slowly and practically does not depend on the concentration of the solution. At the optimal concentration for plants, which is usually indicated on the label of a fertilizer or fertilizer mixture, absorption is usually 2 times lower than that stated for distilled water.
Plant roots easily grow inside these unique reservoirs of water, consuming it as needed. Thus, if there is an excess of moisture, waterlogging is not allowed, and if there is a deficiency, water deficiency in plants is eliminated. This property is used when growing seedlings, flowers and vegetable crops, and on an industrial scale - fruit bushes and trees.
Application of hydrogel for seedlings.
When growing seedlings, constant replenishment of plants with water is the key to their normal development. However, ensuring this, especially when grown in small cups, is quite problematic. The use of superabsorbents, both liquid and crystalline, makes this easy and simple. In this case, the number of waterings can be reduced by 4-5 times.
Liquid hydrogel can be used to moisten sprouted seeds for their better development after planting in the ground, but they should not be germinated this way, because it completely envelops the seed and oxygen access is stopped. When planting in a container for seedlings, you must first pour about 100 ml of this solution into the hole. You can also dip the roots into the hydrogel when diving - this significantly speeds up the establishment of seedlings in a new place.
But on Russian market Nowadays, superabsorbents are mainly offered in crystalline form. They are also suitable for germinating seeds. To do this, 10 g of the reagent is poured with 3 liters of water until it swells, then the excess water is drained. The swollen reagent is rubbed through a sieve or crushed in another way and mixed with 3 parts by volume of soil to 1 part of the reagent. The seeds are buried 1-2 mm. However, some companies produce a ready-made reagent in microfractions specifically for seed germination. When germinating large seeds, soil can be omitted.
Already sprouted seeds are planted in common boxes, or, to avoid diving, immediately in separate pots. To do this, mix 4 parts by volume of soil with 1 part of the swollen reagent and place this mixture in the lower third of the boxes or pots for seedlings. In this case, the soil parameters are also significantly improved due to an increase in its looseness. But you can simply lay 1-2 layers of reagent on the bottom of the box. The second method is not so good, because in this case they close ventilation holes for the roots. Plants grown using superabsorbents are significantly ahead in health and productivity of their counterparts grown conventionally.
It is not recommended to reuse the hydrogel, despite the instructions and sellers' statements. The reagent used for germination is then best used in the mixture for seedlings, and the one used for seedlings is poured into the holes when planting in open ground. Over time, although the reagent itself does not lose its properties, it can develop its own microflora, it can “bloom” in the sun, and this is very undesirable for newly grown plants.
We should not forget that the described reagent is absolutely neutral and does not contain any nutrients, and therefore plants require regular feeding. It is especially necessary when growing seedlings on pure hydrogel, although growing seedlings this way is not recommended.
A brief overview of manufacturers and sellers of hydrogel for plants.
Despite the fact that the Russian market is mostly flooded with decorative hydrogel, stores still have brands suitable for agricultural technology. First of all, this is the Russian superabsorbent AK 639 of the B-415K brand, produced in Saratov by the Akripol company. Its dispersion is 0.1 - 5 mm. This is the cheapest reagent on the Russian market, meeting the best Western requirements to products for such purposes.
Examples of high-quality crystalline adsorbents are “Aquasorb” - France and “Shtokosorb” - Germany. These companies also produce decorative aqua soils. Have proven themselves well trade marks"Aqualife" and "Evabeona". Their product range includes both liquid and crystalline superabsorbents of various fractions. There are special varieties for germinating seeds, for seedlings, for indoor and balcony floriculture, as well as for improving the agrotechnical parameters of soils in agriculture.
Not long ago, a hydrogel for germinating seeds appeared on sale. This substance is new. For some plants it is suitable, for others it is not suitable at all. So is it worth using it? Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, agronomist A. LEBEDEVA has already used the hydrogel in practice. And we asked her to share her experience with our readers.Last year I purchased two types of hydrogel: one is ready-made, diluted in water, and the other is powdered. In mid-March, I sowed several varieties of tomato, eggplant and basil into a jar of the prepared substance. Most varieties sprouted very quickly - after 4 days. And the Cardinal tomato sprouted on the third day.
At the same time, I sowed the seeds of the same crops in the usual soil mixture. The beginning of spring was quite cold and windy, and the temperature on the windowsill did not rise above 12-130C. The seedlings emerged from the ground only after two weeks, and I planted them only 40 days after sowing. I picked seedlings grown on hydrogel within 10-12 days. True, the first plants were still small, but the taproot was fully formed, and two cotyledons formed.
As the seedlings appeared and formed, I planted the plants in pots. The hydrogel made it possible not only to save such scarce window sill space, but also helped to quickly obtain seedlings. In this case, very little substance is required. It fits in a small jar, which is very convenient to rearrange from time to time, choosing a warmer place. Until the first shoots appeared, I kept the container on the radiator central heating. And to protect the seeds from overheating, I placed a wooden plank under the jar.
At the end of March, I sowed the seeds of tomatoes Chelnok, Ogorodnik, Dar Zavolzhye, basil and physalis. And additionally - seeds of cleome, aster, alyssum, sweet pea, Alba celery, snapdragon and canna. This time I used powdered hydrogel. The contents of the bag (10 g) were poured into 3 liters of water purified through a home filter. The granules swelled for 6 hours, and then I drained the excess water through a colander. From 10 g of dry powder, 1.5 liters of hydrogel were obtained. I filled small transparent jars with hydrogel and sowed the seeds. Basil shoots appeared on the second day, tomato and physalis sprouted on the third day. I planted the plants of the second batch into pots a little earlier so as not to burn the roots with the hydrogel. I planted alyssum and tomato on the seventh day after sowing, and Saraha on the tenth. Cleome and aster were picked after 27 days. Sweet peas did not sprout for a long time, so I sowed several varieties in the ground. Shoots appeared from the soil much earlier than from the hydrogel. Not a single canna seed sprouted.
Probably my mistake was that I sowed several crops in one container at once. The shoots did not appear simultaneously. But I had to put the jar on the windowsill, closer to the light, when the first shoots appeared. And since it was quite cool near the window, the remaining shoots were delayed.
It should be noted that the hydrogel is not suitable for all crops. Thus, it is not suitable for seeds with leathery shells - sweet peas, canna. And in naranjilla Princess of the Andes, petunias, and nightshade Triumphant, the roots completely die off immediately after the cotyledons open. Fortunia in the hydrogel does not sprout at all. Vikar eggplant seeds and some tomato varieties germinate poorly, the roots develop very slowly. Small seeds of lambada sugar and raisin physalis Surprise fall deep down between the granules of the substance. It is not possible to remove the emerging sprouts with tweezers: the delicate, fragile stems break, and the cotyledon leaves come off.
Therefore, it is better to sow small-seeded crops on filter paper, placing it on top of the hydrogel. To prevent the seeds from drying out, cover them with a transparent lid or film, leaving a small air gap.
The roots of some plants in the hydrogel burn. This can be avoided by planting the seedlings a little earlier, without waiting for the cotyledons to fully open.
Many manufacturers recommend reusing hydrogel. But I wouldn't recommend doing this. When seeds germinate, it darkens, wrinkles, loses quality, and bacteria settle in it. It is better to mix the used substance with soil and replant the plants in this mixture. The hydrogel will be evenly distributed among the lumps of soil and will slowly release moisture, retaining it well after watering.
