Silica gel as "water storing crystals"

[JackHammer]

So miracle grow is marketing silica gel as water storing crystals... while I think the marketing is deserving of a good vomit, the concept might be good for bonsai. Has anyone ever tried this? I am thinking this is the same silica gel that you get with a new pair of shoes? I could see this working better than clay/oil dry/ diomacious earth..

 

[penumbra]

Silica gel has been used for over 30 years now for landscaping and to a lesser degree in potted plants. I have seen very good use of it and very foolish use of it. It is a poor idea for bonsai.

 

[Scorpius]

Tell me you have to much time on your hands, without telling me you have to much time on your hands.

 

[August]

I believe the issue with silica gels is that they expand to store water, and as such shrink when they lose it; not ideal for mixing with other "solid" aggregates. We sell a brand of it at work (they even have an "organic" line using... corn polymers? Or something) and I've definitely been curious before. It's important to think outside the box... but sometimes the better option was in the box all along

 

[_#1_]

I could see this working better than clay/oil dry/ diomacious earth..

Do tell

People use them as a water source for their Dubia roach colony

 

[Shibui]

Take real care if including water store crystals in potting soil. They expand hugely when wet. My first experience saw the soil literally volcano out of the pot when watered. A little bit goes a long way.
More trouble than it is worth IMHO so I don't bother any more.

 

[ShadyStump]

This is the same stuff that's in orbeez/water beads that are marketed as kids toys, and also the same stuff that's in diapers. (So if you're looking for a cheap and easy source to play with )
My 1st grader wanted to do the school science fair this year (and then we realized we got WAY too late a start) and we planted marigolds in water beads soaked in different liquids.

We're keeping it going just for fun. I will be making updates on my Dumbassary thread if anyone is interested, and may do similar experiments with some of my son's old diapers we're still occasionally finding hidden under furniture.

While not necessarily effective in a pot because of the expansion issue already mentioned, they may provide an effective variation of that trick of sitting your plants in water while you're away on vacation. They would breathe much better, while still releasing moisture for your trees.
The diaper granules may be even more effective for this applied as a top dressing, though it won't breathe as well. I plan to experiment with this over the summer.

 

[JackHammer]

Do tell

People use them as a water source for their Dubia roach colony

I have a bunch I got for pest issues a while back. Now that the pests are gone, I have a bunch of the stuff.

 

[JackHammer]

I wonder what a mixture of gel + pumice would do for an oak or willow...

 

[ShadyStump]

I wonder what a mixture of gel + pumice would do for an oak or willow...

This is what I was thinking myself. Thirsty trees in hot climates would benefit if there's a way to be found around the expansion/contraction issue.

 

[JackHammer]

This is what I was thinking myself. Thirsty trees in hot climates would benefit if there's a way to be found around the expansion/contraction issue.

I get why people would be concerned with this but for growing out trees in large non-ceramic containers, I don't see an argument on why this wouldn't work. I have the fine gel. Then again, I am thinking maybe 1/10 or 1/20 so it wouldn't be that much.

 

[Eckhoffw]

This may very well work.
My questions is, why not use something that’s proven to keep moisture but also a common potting medium?
Such as akadama or grated sphagnum moss.

Just curious.

 

[JackHammer]

This may very well work.
My questions is, why not use something that’s proven to keep moisture but also a common potting medium?
Such as akadama or grated sphagnum moss.

Just curious.

I have the regular stuff, and I use it. However, i think there is value in understanding the potential of a tool. Someone is marketing this stuff for plants and I am trying to figure out the value of it. I do see interesting applications and this might break down finer than akadama which could be good depending on the circumstance.

 

[ShadyStump]

why not use something that’s proven

Exactly!
We won't know until we try the unproven stuff.

 

[penumbra]

I am thinking maybe 1/10 or 1/20

I am sure thia came up before and that someone suggested this rate. !0% will push the plant clear out of the pot. I have used it in large pots in the landscape but at a rate of about 2%. I do have a few nightmare stories about over use of it . But try it. It is the only way you will be satisfied with the answer, ...if not the results.

 

[August]

Might be worth it to look for the horticultural type, we sell it as Soil Moist. And as I mentioned they have an organic option, which might be worth the extra experimentation. The "natural" is a grafted starch polymer, whatever the hell that means...

 

[August]

They also have this product online, has the polymers, fert, and myco, though i dont really trust big box myco

 

[JackHammer]

They also have this product online, has the polymers, fert, and myco, though i dont really trust big box myco

View attachment 478456

This was my line of thinking. By putting the ferts in silica gel, you would be able to create an environment high in whatever you add while retaining oxygen and hopefully not too wet. The concept certainly borrows from hydroponics.
As people mentioned, it would expand but even the directions I am seeing on the packages indicate a tea or tablespoon per pot.

 

[ShadyStump]

This was my line of thinking. By putting the ferts in silica gel, you would be able to create an environment high in whatever you add while retaining oxygen and hopefully not too wet. The concept certainly borrows from hydroponics.
As people mentioned, it would expand but even the directions I am seeing on the packages indicate a tea or tablespoon per pot.

Something we noticed with our science fair project was that certain substances don't absorb into the beads as well. Coffee they only got to about 70% of full size, salt barely 25 or 30%. MiracleGro and sugar eventually got to full size, but took a long time.

An illustration of how much they can expand.

The little bit missing from that little bottle turned into 5x 10oz bottles, and this1qt bowl still only 50% expanded.

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE EXPANSION RATE!!!

 

[nuttiest]

There is a silica-polymer gel you can put on plants that need to stay bare root for a bit, kind of similar to hair gel or aloe gel.
This coffee one is fascinating, you should cut open a few beads to see if that color is on the inside though I doubt it. What a great way to seperate small tannin molecules cheap