Subject: Re: water absorbent gel

From: [email-masked] (Major)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 00:25:26 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Roderick Carr) writes: 

>
>Hi everyone
>
>I'm new to this group and just establishing a new garden in poor soil.  I 
>have been using the fancy water holding gels from the plant store in 
>pots, window boxes etc and in some areas where the soil is awful (I've 
>added compost as well).  After watching my 18 month old sit in the wading 
>pool that I'd filled up to water pots etc - his diaper had filled up too 
>- it is full of some sort of gel too!  
>
>Does anyone out there know if the filling in baby diapers would be 
>harmful to plants (I mean unused ... ;-)  because it would be much 
>cheaper than buying it in the little jars?
>
>Thanks for any advice.
>
>Jenny Carr
>kiwi in exile
>

Jenny,
Don't know much about diapers, but the absorbent material used in them is not pelletized.
M7y guess is that any material like this would be too sense when wet to allow good
root penetration, and may hold so much water that you'll end up with the crud from
wet soil.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 6 Apr 95 10:00:13 -0600

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Anne Dunford-Blodgett) writes:
> In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]
> (Major) wrote:
> 
>> In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Roderick Carr) writes
>> >added compost as well). 
> A cautionary note:  I work with a large number of chemical engineers
> focused on biomedical applications.  When I bought my gel, I was cautioned
> by them NOT to use it in growing edible plants.  Apparently the monomer
> used is a known carcinogen.

No.  The monomer is a cumulative neurotoxin.  Not a problem in soils,
because you're using POLYacrylamide.

Kay Klier   [email-masked]

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From: Susan Sanders <[email-masked]>
Date: 5 Apr 1995 14:27:36 GMT

>>cheaper than buying it in the little jars?

I don't know about the diaper question, but you can buy the plant kind
cheaper in larger quantity for much less $ per ounce.  A.J. Leonard (mail
order gardening supplies) carries a 10# container for a considerable
amount of money but *much* cheaper per ounce, and 10# should last just
about forever.
									              -Sue Sanders

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 6 Apr 95 10:00:13 -0600

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From: Susan Sanders <[email-masked]>
Date: 5 Apr 1995 14:27:36 GMT

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 6 Apr 95 10:00:13 -0600

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From: Susan Sanders <[email-masked]>
Date: 5 Apr 1995 14:27:36 GMT