The hydrogel for plants It’s the best way to water your plants when you’re away from home because you’re on vacation or on a business trip. However, in order for your plants to maintain humidity throughout this time, it is essential to use hydrogel or other alternative methods of irrigation.
Currently, there are home remedies and drip systems that make it easier to hydrate your plant. Even in some of these cases programmers can be used which you can activate from your mobile.
However, these systems usually have a high selling price, so in this article we are going to teach you how to water your plants with hydrogel, as it is a much cheaper and just as effective method.
You are probably wondering now what hydrogel for plants and how to apply it to your plants. For this reason, we have prepared a guide with all the information you need about these fabulous hydrogel balls.
In short, you should know that the hydrogel for plants It acts as a kind of artificial drip for your plants. Indeed, it allows your plants to take the right dose of humidity gradually and without waterlogging.
Did you know that with the hydrogel you reduce the water consumption of your home?
However, if you still do not know what this fabulous invention is, do not worry, because we will talk about the hydrogel in detail below.
Contents
What is hydrogel for plants?
When we talk about hydrogel, we are referring to tiny balls of gel that you have to soak so that they swell and accumulate a large part of the water inside.
In fact, the hydrogel for plants it can grow up to 250 times its size and last 8 years if used with care.
Today, hydrogel beads are available in different colors. So, in addition to watering your plants, you can give your home a touch of style. Can you imagine having jars to match your office or kitchen decor?
In addition, the hydrogel is the perfect ally for the plants in your home because it absorbs up to 90% of its water capacity.
We recommend that if you don’t want the sun to end up destroying your gel balls, bury them in the pot when they are full of water.
This characteristic has made the hydrogel fashionable in recent years and if we add to this that it is an ecological and biodegradable product.
It becomes the best ally of your plants.
Tips for using hydrogel for plants
To correctly use the hydrogel for plantsyou have to put it in a container with water for a few hours.
You’ll know the balls are ready when they’re fully inflated and soft to the touch.
On the other hand, you should know that the gel balls do not rot the roots of the plants, because they only provide the right amount of water that the plant itself needs.
Indeed, as there are plants that need more water than others, you can come across pots that have barely used gel and others that have already consumed it completely.
Did you know that in just one gram of hydrogel balls you can store 80 milliliters of water?
On the other hand, there are people who use hydrogel balls to aerate and make your floor more waterproof.
Dosage and frequency of use
Upon acquisition of your hydrogel, you will have received a paper where you will indicate the measures and quantities to use so that the plant has adequate watering. Sometimes this paper is glued or inserted into the same packages where the hydrogel is.
However, keep in mind that these indications are indicative and your plant will actually determine how much hydrogel it needs.
Generally, the dose used is 30 grams of hydrogel for every cup and a half of water. Then you only have to place about 4 grams of hydrogel for each liter of potting soil.
However, there are people who don’t measure the amount of hydrogel they use and what they do is place it dry on the pot and water it, so that the soil and the balls hydrate at the same time.
In fact, more and more people have decided to use the hydrogel for plants in his garden. This fact has been shown to improve harvests by 30%. Isn’t it amazing?
Finally, it should be noted that the frequency of use is very longa, because it reduces the conventional irrigation of your plants by up to 50%. This way, you can go on vacation knowing that your plants will look as good as they did on day one.
How many days does a plant keep the hydrogel hydrated?
With him hydrogel for plants What is obtained is to gradually supply the earth with water, according to the needs it needs.
Leading manufacturers state that it can be keep a plant hydrated between 15 and 30 days.
However, the ideal is to do a test 1 month before going on vacation. This way you will make sure you know Exact days the hydrogel lasts on your plants and you can add more hydrogel balls, in case you’re not up to it.
Then we indicate how to water your plants with hydrogel properly:
- Check the variety of plants you have to determine if its watering needs are higher or lower.
- Then collect the gel balls and put them in a container with water so that they begin to store water inside and swell completely.
- When you have the puffy balls, it’s time to place them at the base of your plant. Be sure to bury the balls in the top layer of the pot. More or less, a centimeter deep so that when you water they can store water again.
- The important thing is to make sure the plants stay hydrated. Therefore, when the hydrogel balls have been emptied, you need to inflate them again in a container with water.