Re: Hydrogels

**L* J* <l*@tds.net>**

If you take the time to read the article, Chalker-Scott speaks 
specifically in landscape (in ground) situations where the polymers 
are in contact with soil and microbes.
Used in containers gardens with soilless potting mixes, the water 
retention is great, and they keep the plants (and clients) happy all 
through the hot and dry summer.

As she states in the opening statement,
>Insoluble PAM products are marketed as "superabsorbent gels" or 
>"hydrating crystals." Instead of dissolving, these gels absorb 
>water, swelling to many times their original size. As they dry, 
>water is slowly released to the soil.

The problems arise, according to her article, in contact with 
differently charged soils, and in combination with microbes.
Further she states in the same article that you mention:
>Positive results in the short term
>may be perfectly valid for nursery plant production,
(i.e. in soilless mixes)
Of course for my container business, short term (3-4 months) is all I 
need.  As I said, the "Soil Moist" polymers work beautifully in 
containers in hot and dry summers of Indiana.  Perhaps your results 
differ...I am only commenting on my success with them.

At 07:59 PM 5/2/2008, you wrote:
>You can check out the work of Linda Chalker-Scott who has written extensively
>about hydrogels.   Website is www.puyallup.wsu.edu/-Linda%Chalker-Scott/. She
>has worked on this and many other erroneous but long-standing
>garden/landscape myths.
>
>Donna Williamson
>Winchester, VA
>
>
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