ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
I somehow had not thought of that before.
I was literally just thinking that it's possible that they didn't absorb the whole solutions, but just the H²O.
Totally going to cut one open now.
BRB
Silica gel as "water storing crystals"
- Thread starter JackHammer
- Start date
I was literally just thinking that it's possible that they didn't absorb the whole solutions, but just the H²O.
Totally going to cut one open now.
BRB
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
I pulled out one that as far as I can tell was originally clear and cut it into a few pieces.
As far as I can tell under artificial light with just my naked eyes, the coffee coloration does extend all the way through.
Also, just noted on my Dumbassary thread that the coffee is already growing white stuff - mold or fungus of some sort - 5 days from planting.
August
Chumono
Maybe as a top dressing for newly repotted trees?
I went to a green industry expo early this year and saw a really awesome talk from the founders of this thing called a "Tree Diaper". If you look it up theres a wealth of information about the mechanics of what it does, but to paraphrase (and maybe butcher), it absorbs excess water around the crown of trees in wet times and redistributes it in times of drought. Based on their presentation it seems more about keeping the soil life happy and abundant rather than "self watering" the tree. Very cool stuff and very well presented; ive been thinking a lot about the applications of that technology in bonsai. They called it "solid water"
I went to a green industry expo early this year and saw a really awesome talk from the founders of this thing called a "Tree Diaper". If you look it up theres a wealth of information about the mechanics of what it does, but to paraphrase (and maybe butcher), it absorbs excess water around the crown of trees in wet times and redistributes it in times of drought. Based on their presentation it seems more about keeping the soil life happy and abundant rather than "self watering" the tree. Very cool stuff and very well presented; ive been thinking a lot about the applications of that technology in bonsai. They called it "solid water"
August
Chumono
Oh man, I'm kinda stoked now; just visited their website myself and it looks like theyve actually been manafacturing smaller versions for use in pots. Its also polymer technology, and from what I can tell, recycled from actual diaper polymers? Very cool stuff: Tree Diaper
Edit for @ShadyStump : a case study from their website about Colorado specifically: https://www.treediaper.com/case-stu...lorado-drought-after-treediaper-was-installed
Edit for @ShadyStump : a case study from their website about Colorado specifically: https://www.treediaper.com/case-stu...lorado-drought-after-treediaper-was-installed
JackHammer
Chumono
Very bad everyone. I used a teaspoon and destroyed the city sewage system.
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Yeah, you really need to get the nontoxic biodegradable ones, for plants too.
I don't think mine are, but the kids will probably find them and fill the wading pool with them this summer.
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Ok, actually got to watching it.
Well, now I know how to sabotage public utilities if I ever need to, and apparently salt helps shrink them back down.
Good to know.
But the parts where he freaks out and starts cussing in German!
EPIC!AJL
Chumono
Are you sure these aren't Potassium polyacrylate water absorbing crystals which swell up to jelly when they absorb moisture ?
Theyve been marketed for years to store moisture for landscape planting and look a lot like frogspawn when wet?
I certainly dont want to use them in my Bonsai soil, Yuck! In some cases they swell so much they can actually push the plants out of the ground on top of the swollen jelly.
Theyre not quite the same thing as Silica gel crystals used in sachets for keep humidity in packaging for sensitive instruments , clothing, footwear etc.
Some of the Alginate products derived from seaweed might be more suitable and sustainable if used with moderation for bonsai.
As an aside do you know how many million tonnes of gel filled diapers end up in landfill every year and take thousands of years to break down?!! And do you really want to add to this problem by adding it to your soils?
Theyve been marketed for years to store moisture for landscape planting and look a lot like frogspawn when wet?
I certainly dont want to use them in my Bonsai soil, Yuck! In some cases they swell so much they can actually push the plants out of the ground on top of the swollen jelly.
Theyre not quite the same thing as Silica gel crystals used in sachets for keep humidity in packaging for sensitive instruments , clothing, footwear etc.
Some of the Alginate products derived from seaweed might be more suitable and sustainable if used with moderation for bonsai.
As an aside do you know how many million tonnes of gel filled diapers end up in landfill every year and take thousands of years to break down?!! And do you really want to add to this problem by adding it to your soils?
August
Chumono
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Can't speak to the rest of the world, but in the US diapers have been required by law to be made of biodegradable products for at least 30 years.
But you're right that the conversation moved to the potassium acrylate, and other more nature friendly variants before your comment.
Most of what you mentioned has already been glanced at.
To put it to the point, for those who want to find a way to retain maximum moisture in their soil there are many potential options. We're exploring this one right now.
JackHammer
Chumono
So I think there was some disconnect here. I started with some silica gel in a bucket of water. I was very disappointed when it didn't overflow. I added a significant amount more, maybe 3 cups worth and it still took on a reasonable amount of water and did not engulf my house as I was hoping it would. It soaked far like 3 days.
So for silica gel, this actually seems interesting. The expansion is minor and it doesn't clump like oil dry/diomacious earth/clay/kitty litter, etc.
So for silica gel, this actually seems interesting. The expansion is minor and it doesn't clump like oil dry/diomacious earth/clay/kitty litter, etc.
August
Chumono
That actually looks really usable for our practice. I'm still thinking top dressing rather than in the pot. But it wouldnt look too bad cut with sphag and dried moss and would likely provide a good base for the moss to proliferate on. What brand is that @JackHammer?
JackHammer
Chumono
Dry&dry (dryndry.com). I got it a few years back but I got a gallon, likely off Amazon.
I have a number of ficus trees in 100% pumice so while it is not really a big deal right now, this will be helpful on a hot l, windy July day.
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
A thought just occurred to me.
Are these the food safe type you have? What did you originally buy them for?
Are these the food safe type you have? What did you originally buy them for?
JackHammer
Chumono
Food safe - I think not. I am under the impression that this is the same stuff in the "throw away, do not eat" packets when you buy a new pair of shoes. I assume it would kill a person so that is why I haven't eaten it...?
I got it for pest control a while back. It dries things out so that and diomacious earth is really good at keeping bugs away. The de will cut up the exoskeleton of a beetle and the silica dries them out.
I saw a listing for silica with plant chemicals and remembered I had a big jug of it in the basement which is why I asked.
August
Chumono
The SoilMoist horticultural stuff is also pretty small and lightweight so im guessing it doesnt have the expansion rate of the little balls that ruined that Frenchman's life. I've never seen it expand myself, so figured it must be akin to the "toy" product until I saw @JackHammer 's post
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Ok.Food safe - I think not. I am under the impression that this is the same stuff in the "throw away, do not eat" packets when you buy a new pair of shoes. I assume it would kill a person so that is why I haven't eaten it...?
I got it for pest control a while back. It dries things out so that and diomacious earth is really good at keeping bugs away. The de will cut up the exoskeleton of a beetle and the silica dries them out.
I saw a listing for silica with plant chemicals and remembered I had a big jug of it in the basement which is why I asked.
I was just thinking that there may be some significant differences between the food safe and the other stuff, including things like absorption rates and chemical reactivity like CEC.
I really don't know what the differences between the two would be.
I am interested in knowing how they absorb different liquids like my daughter's water beads experiment.
Which I should post an update on.
Silica Gel is actually a type of soil. It can be used to help potted plants with water retention. You don't add 1/2 and 1/2. Think more like tablespoon to 2 cups. Just enough so that when you water, the silica gel holds a little extra water in the soil for your plants. You can get silica gel kitty litter cheap, but the blue pieces have to be removed. They are a type of chloride(salt) dye to show the kitty litter has been used. Harmless for kitty , not so good for plants. You can figure silica gel will expand an average of 40%
JackHammer
Chumono
On this topic, there are the jell beads - orbeez or little pellets for air guns, different than silica. They soak up water and hold it. I have been mixing those into soil- mostly tropicals. No bad feedback. They take 4-5 hours to hydrate so they are usually about halfway hydrated unless there is a very rainy day.
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