[TychoMonolyth]

Originally Posted by St. Phatty

If you have time to study the geography, the crevices that become streams in the winter, with waterfalls etc., are often part of larger seams of sand gravel clay etc., that store water and slowly leak it out during the spring & summer.

You just need to visit the grow site in the winter, better if it's raining, and see where the water is - and where it's going to be.

For example if you have a crevice 1/4 mile long, I wouldn't plant at the top, unless you know there's a water source feeding it there.

But further down, all that stored water can be mighty handy to your spring & early summer crops.

It helps if you have shade to protect the plants during the hottest hours of the late summer.

https://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.php

Then it gets into Altitude/ Azimuth - where is the sun in the sky when it gets really hot.

Whatever answers you get from an altitude/azimuth website should track with your firsthand observations.

I use Google Earth timeline feature to track wetlands, sun shadows, and seasons in my areas. It rocks!

[HIMALAYAN GANJA]

Originally Posted by TychoMonolyth

Prices for Water Crystals, like any weed related products, are meant to rape you every time you bend over. The prices are blatantly obscene. Fuckers. For the most part, they're ripping you off for an idea they stole, repackaged it, and slapped a weed sticker on it. You can find most weed related tools, or very good substitutes all around you if you look.

In this case, Water Crystals can be found in DIAPERS and many other products. Pull a diaper apart and go for the cotton interior. Don't sift out the crystals from the cotton because it'll help hold water too. If you put too much in the ground (I suggest no more than a tablespoon), it'll lift and push your plant right out of the ground when it rains if you put too much.

Crystals are a safe and inert chemical called Sodium Polyacrylate and can absorb 2-300 their weight in water, and your plants can access this reservoir when it needs it.

You can get Sodium Polyacrylate in bulk here and it's cheap! https://snowinseconds.com/. You can get a small pouch for $15. Just over-water it and it'll turn to gel for you and double or tripple the claimed 2 gallons.
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They have bigger sizes, enough to fill a swimming pool, but get about 5 of the smaller sizes for future years. They store better and don't absorb water from the air because they're sealed.

How big do the water crystals get? (Sodium Polyacrylate)
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But I like the diapers with the cotton. If it's good enough for a baby's bottom, it's good enough for my dope.

Alternatively, if you can peel the plastic outer shell off the diaper, you can stuff a whole small diaper in the hole, cover with a bit of soil, and stick your plant on top.

Hello there. i have foundd relative cheap cristals online, i dont know if i can put details of prices here? the cheapest cristals i have seens were about 40 dollars for 2.2 LB. but you have to buy them from a non cannabis oriented boutique online any regular online shoping platforme.

i have seen a diaper absorb upto 1.5 liters of water. for diapers at the bottomof a planting hole could hold 4 to 6 lites of water in reserve.

[~star~crash~]

Originally Posted by TychoMonolyth

And 3 lbs is a LOT of crystals. I use it because there's no fucking way I'm hauling water.

If it's a dry location with little rain, I'd use more. Less for a place with somewhat regular rainfall.

what been ur experience using these moisture retaining crystals ... i'm interested ...water is an issue @ my sites i need to ease the work load at all points...peace

[VonBudí]

that much better than vermiculite? looked in to them balls in the past and got pricey quick, having great luck with verm. Dont recommend it yet but had good results last year with beet pulp pellets, very cheap/light and they build up soil too.


mulch = alfala straw .very cheap and bonus of a great fert, and light weight to carry in, stands out though so needs to be top dressed with local veg.

[redlaser]

Who will be the first to solve watering needs with fertility needs, and give used diapers a try? Soon used diapers will be as hard to get as used cooking oil, another industry is born.

[TychoMonolyth]

Originally Posted by redlaser

Who will be the first to solve watering needs with fertility needs, and give used diapers a try? Soon used diapers will be as hard to get as used cooking oil, another industry is born.

Unless a pony or sheep was wearing the diaper, I'll pass.