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Water retaining gel
Aym, I've used them in the past for hanging baskets, mixing in with the compost as instructed. I don't really know if they were much use but I've reverted to just watering.
As you are in a dry area, they may be useful in pots.
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I tried using them one year but found they made absolutely no difference whatsoever to the amount of watering needed by my containers.
Since then I've done some reading on their effect in the environment and will not be using them again.
This is just one of the articles I've found worrying
https://ag.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/hydrogels.html
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
methinks there's an element of " emperor's new clothes" about these gels.
I have to say, I'm not convinced by micorrizal fungi either.
I'm a great fan of "double blind testing"
Agree with you Hosta. I know we get a lot of rain here, so it's less of an issue keeping pots etc watered, but I've never been completely convinced about any of these things. Perhaps I'm just cynical.
As for the fungi - how have we managed all these years without it?
I think you'd need to do an intensive bit of testing - and be very vigilant about checking the outcome. I feel it's probably negligible.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
There was something on Beechgrove not so long ago about water retaining gel- they had grown 2 planters with annuals and there was no difference between the with/without.
I have been using fungi for the past couple of years and am convinced that the plants are hardier.