Disposable and biodegradable nappies

Jenny_Aster · May 2023

Warning! Possible contentious thread.

Just saw a YouTube clip about planting a hanging basket. Got to say I was impressed with the demo using gel crystals from disposable nappies. The gel can hold (think it was) over 500 times it's volume in liquid. It was claimed the gel breaks down in a couple of years, so you can use the gel/compost for more than one growing season. The clip also stated the gels are not toxic.

Basically the gel crystals are cut out of the nappy, then water is added (maybe fortified with a liquid feed???). The gel solution is then mixed with compost with the result being a fluffy aeriated, and water holding medium for hanging baskets.

Can also be used in houseplant pots, containers and even in cut-flower water. Another suggestion was to use them as a sort of spot application around the roots of a specific plant.

No doubt these gels are sold commercially at a higher price to cover posh packaging etc.

Would really be interested in what forum members think. I personally think it's worth an experiment.

Dovefromabove · May 2023

Just a thought … what happens to the rest of the nappy? If there’s a use for the fluffy stuff etc then fine, but if you’re just buying something and chucking three quarters of it in the bin isn’t that environmentally wasteful?

As for the gel … I did try it a few years ago in containers of tomatoes and mixed bedding etc. To be honest I really didn’t notice any difference … but then I use a mixture of peatfree MPC and topsoil in my pots and it’s pretty water retentive anyway.

Possibly if potting up hanging baskets where the weight of growing medium might be a concern, then the gel might be a solution. But if I were going to use them my instinct would be to use the ones made for the purpose and avoid waste.

Jenny_Aster · May 2023

I'm following along your lines @Dovefromabove, thanks for your input.

Just ordered (we don't have a babe in our family living near us that's presently) a trial pack of 2 Biodegradable Bamboo nappies from that big online store for £1, just because I'm inquisitive.

Good point about the weight of a hanging basket, never thought of that.

Edited to add, re waste which is worse: packaging of a commercial product or discarding 'the not needed bits' of the nappy? Decisions decisions....

Jenny_Aster · May 2023

Maybe another trick I read of layering used washing up sponges at the bottom of the basket would be better?

Fairygirl · May 2023

I got the impression, from other posters etc, a long time ago that none of those things make much of a difference. The proprietary stuff you can get has been touted for years, and I assume it's a similar product.
I don't do hanging baskets, although I've got some wall baskets and troughs, but, like @Dovefromabove, I just use soil in them. Mainly for things like strawberries or lettuce, but I have some annuals this year that could go in them. It isn't so difficult here to keep them moist anyway, so I can't compare.
I'd think the weight is certainly a factor.

Jenny_Aster · May 2023

Fairygirl said:

I got the impression, from other posters etc, a long time ago that none of those things make much of a difference. The proprietary stuff you can get has been touted for years, and I assume it's a similar product.
I don't do hanging baskets, although I've got some wall baskets and troughs, but, like @Dovefromabove, I just use soil in them. Mainly for things like strawberries or lettuce, but I have some annuals this year that could go in them. It isn't so difficult here to keep them moist anyway, so I can't compare.
I'd think the weight is certainly a factor.

Thanks. Interesting.... I've got 3x 16" baskets to hang on the same wall and all with the same lining and plants. It would be interesting to use the gel in the compost of just one basket to see if there's a difference. I'll try to remember to report back.

Fairygirl · May 2023

A trial is the only way to get a decent idea of effectiveness.

I think you might need a fairly large amount too.

JennyJ · May 2023

As far as I recall, the last time I bought water-retaining granules it came in a plastic bag inside a cardboard box. I tipped them out into an old tupperware-type airtight container and there's still some left (I put a small amount in hanging baskets so a packet lasts several years). These days they seem to come in a resealable plastic pouch. I've never bought nappies but they're quite bulky so I would imagine they come in a bigger box or bag, so more packaging, not less? I suppose it might make a difference if you have an infant and are buying them anyway.

Dovefromabove · May 2023

Isn’t the point of the gel beads in a nappy that they absorb and hold onto the liquid … when/how do they release it back into their surrounding ‘stuff’ ?

Fairygirl · May 2023

That's a good point @Dovefromabove. Didn't think of that!
There must be a subtle difference between the stuff in those nappies, and the other kind for horticultural use.
Both would be pretty useless if they got mixed up and swapped over

Jenny_Aster · May 2023

Maybe it would be better to sink a small plastic water bottle, with several tiny holes punched around the sides, into the compost in the middle of a basket. At least that way water can be poured through the bottle's neck and flow out of the bottle straight to roots.

Think this is what's attracting me to the gel, we've all been there when a hanging basket has dried out because it's been a hot day and we've been out for a while. Sometimes it's difficult to get moisture back into the compost.

Bit more info...

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/6k/at88cczidgo6.png

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/5e/ua40kc88nvpe.png

https://gardening.yardener.com/About-Water-Absorbing-Gels

Disposable and biodegradable nappies

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