Hi
Hope you get some good answers. Have always wanted to try it but was put off by the price. I'm trying the cut up cellulose sponges in some pots to see how that works.
Read about it on another garden forum. I got 10 sponges for a buck at the dollar store.
I cut them into cubes and placed them on the bottom before adding the soil. Mabe they should be mixed ?? gary

Lowe's doesn't seem to carry it any longer. They said that they put it on half price and won't be getting anymore. Drats! I missed the half price! I found it at a local nursery and it cost more than the Lowe's regular price, of course. I haven't used it yet.

A few years ago, I bought some brand of the moisture retaining crystals. I can't recall where, but I bought them online and the price wasn't too bad. I like the crystals.

The Hydretain works on your lawn as well. You attach it to a hose to apply. The soil must be damp or it won't work. The trouble is that everything is bone dry and the water is just sitting on top on the ground! It should work well on my newly planted areas. I've been keeping them watered.

laura,
don't know where you are, but the lowes here in deland has about 50 containers of hydretrain on clearance for $6 a container... a fraction of the original price.

oh, and i'm a big fan of the water retention crystals. a nursery friend of mine gave me a ton, and i've been putting them in new planting holes & pots for a while... they really make a difference. one little crystal grows to a cube about 3/4 by 3/4....

Laurel,

Have you called around to other Lowes to see if they have any in stock?
I think I might try and call a few in my area tomorrow.

Areil-
I've been to 3 Lowe's stores already. I've been working on another project just now and don't have much energy...maybe that is something I can do tomorrow. Thanks for the input. It certainly would be worth it to get if for 1/2 price even better for $6 (about 75% off).

Laura,
I found some at the Lowes in Plant City. The sign says 9.97 but it rings up for 6.23.

Do you know anyone that has tried it? I just wonder if it works as good as it says it does.

i just applied this to my lawn... i'll update with any perceived improvements... boy, it's DRY out there!

Ill - where did you find it? We can't find it in St Pete - looked for it over the weekend.

Beatrice

Try ABC pest control they are talking about it all the time on the radio or you can get it on line.

i got it on clearance during the winter... $6... i got two bottles, should be enough to get thru the summer...

wow... my initial impression has been that hydretain has significantly lengthened the time between waterings in my yard. it's been incredibly dry here, the driest i've ever seen. but my st augie yard (in dappled shade mostly, but some intense late-afternoon sun) looks great with only once-weekly watering. my neighbor, who waters DAILY (argh!) -- his yard looks a bit better than mine, but only a bit. i notice that where i wasn't careful to saturate the yard, there's a lot of drought stress.

but the effects of hydretain are most notable on my potted plants -- impatiens that would wilt every day, no matter how much i watered them, now need watering only every other day, and never wilt! i'm sold. the stuff works, esp at $6 a bottle. now i regret not having bought a case of the stuff! they say the stuff works for 90 days, so i have ample to get through the summer.

I'd be buying it all the time at $6 a bottle! It is a bit pricey at $25 to $30 a bottle. I should just suck it up and get it by the gallon.

I'm glad to hear of your good results...yes there are those potted plants out there that you can't keep from stressing. Thanks for the report.

I saw this stuff yesterday for the first time. The price was $21.97. I've just started researching it, and this 2007 post was the first item I found. Since my garden is organic, I'm concerned about the effects (if any) on the soil structure and microbial activity. I didn't realize it has been on the market for years since I've never seen it at my Lowe's. Is anyone still using it? What are your opinions? I don't have a lawn, just roses and perennials and such. Oh, and containers. If it's safe, maybe I could go to watering every other day with my micro system.

Sherry

Though the Hydretain Product is all natural there is an organic version of this product called "Organic Water Wizard"
That includes an organic surfactant for improved soil penetration and potassium humate for enhanced performance.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hydretain or Organic Water Wizard

I realize this is an old post but I used the product on my yard after finding it in a local hydroponics store. It was expensive, but worth every penny.

I was tired of my lawn shriveling up during the hot days here (in Orlando). I didn't even apply it correctly and it worked anyway. Kept the yard looking better than ever. AND, it was much less stressful on the lawn so the lawn was greener and healthier.

I love the stuff :)

Steve, thanks for the report!

There is an excellent video on the use of Hydretain on you tube. I use it in my potted plants all of the time

I also use fertilome 9-58 -8 once per week and fertilome 20-20-20geranium hanging basket fertilizer (fertilome) ,Usemust drench each basket with a one gallon hydretain(I use 1ounce per gallon of water)once per month

Hydretain is a surfactant. It breaks the surface tension and makes water "stick" to the soil. So does soap. Yes, soap. Dishwashing liquid, to be exact. Not Dawn, because it's not good for plants. because it strips the protective coating off the leaves, and it kills earthworms. I use Palmolive, but you can use the cheapest soap you can find that isn't a grease cutter. I've sprayed entire sections of my yard with it before watering to get the water to go past the surface. It works extremely well in containers, but the, so do those little crystals in baby diapers, but you can also buy that in containers. BTW, if you put those crystals into a plastic bag and wet them so they swell up, then put that into the refrigerator, you can wrap a bandana around it and put it around you neck when you're working outside to keep you cooler.