Hasn’t the recent rain been lovely and the gardens have responded so well. It could be time to think about planting. I personally don’t plant just yet but prefer to wait until the heat has lessened a little.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t put plants in yet but they will need some extra care. Along with diligent watering, a way to increase the success of planting is to use water crystals.
Water crystals are polymers that hold water for plants to absorb. They are biodegradable and nontoxic. I like to use them in most conditions, but they aren’t needed when the soil is always moist like in water ways.
This is the brand I prefer to use. It can be brought in Bunnings. There are cheaper brands available but I have found they expand too much and push the plants out of the ground.
The photos show how much the crystals expand after 12 hours of soaking. This was 2 small handfuls mixed with about 750ml water. I would add the same amount of water again before using these ones. If they are too dry they will expand in the ground and push the plants out. A consistency similar to sloppy soup is good.
To use the crystals, dig a hole a little bit deeper than normal. Pour about 1 cup of the wet crystals in and mix with the soil then plant as usual. They can also be added to potting mix by following the directions on the container.
Good luck with planting and let’s hope the rain continues.