This article is about the guide to potassium polyacrylate, super absorbent polymer for plants, water-retaining gel/agent.
Potassium polyacrylate is a kind of super-absorbent polymers (the other kind of super-absorbent polymer is sodium polyacrylate).
Potassium polyacrylate is produced by the polymerization of acrylic acid and potassium hydroxide.
Different from the wide range of uses of sodium polyacrylate, potassium polyacrylate is specifically used as a water-retaining agent.
Tips: It is very unwise to use sodium polyacrylate as a water-retaining agent. Sodium polyacrylate will melt in the soil and cause soil salinization. (video: sodium polyacrylate lost water when meeting salt)
Potassium polyacrylate will absorb a large amount of water when it rains or irrigate, and in this process, it changes from powder and particles to hydrogel. This hydrogel is like a mini-reservoir, which can continuously provide water to plants in times of drought.
potassium polyacrylate gel
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Wet application method: Apply the dry product of the water-retaining agent into the gel, smear it, mix it with the soil, plant the layered soil, and then water it once. This method is usually used in dry seasons.
Dry application method: The dry product of the water-retaining agent is directly applied and mixed with the soil, and water is poured in time after planting and covering the soil. This method is usually used in rainy and humid seasons.
In the total use effect, the water retention effect of the wet method is better than that of the dry method.
1.It must be applied to the soil layer where the plant roots are distributed so that the roots of some plants are exposed to the preparation.
2.It should be evenly mixed with the soil.
Tips: The water-retaining agent must be evenly mixed with the underground soil in the ditch to prevent the excessive concentration of water from affecting the soil infiltration and causing the seeds or roots to rot. Mixing the soil with the water-retaining agent can improve its air permeability and water-holding performance. After stirring, the distribution range of the water-retaining agent can be expanded, so that the root system can absorb water after growing and extending.
3.Use water-retaining agents with different particle sizes for different plants. For example, the large particles of water-retaining agent used on trees cannot be used on lawns.
The amount of water-retaining agent used depends on the local drought, soil, temperature, and type of crop.
The specific usage and dosage will be given in a later article.
Water retaining agent has strong water absorption function, high water absorption rate, and can effectively store water. After repeated cycles, the application of agricultural and forestry water-saving agents can reduce irrigation times by more than 70% and save irrigation costs by more than 50%. It can save water and labor within a year, and can greatly reduce drought resistance during drought.
Water retention agent can increase the germination rate of seeds and the survival rate of transplanted seedlings up to 98%, shorten the postponement period, enhance stress resistance, maintain constant soil humidity, and continuously and evenly supply water, effectively increase fruit survival rate, reduce fruit cracks, and improve fruit quality.
The water-retaining agent can repeatedly absorb and release water. In the process of shrinkage and expansion, the soil forms a porous granular structure, which improves the permeability of the soil, is conducive to the growth of plant roots and microorganisms, enhances the ability of soil to retain water and fertilizer, and play a role in soil improvement.
The water-retaining agent will absorb and store the nutrients and water in the water-soluble fertilizer. After the water-retaining agent is released, it will be slowly released and used for crop utilization, reducing fertilizer loss, extending fertilizer efficiency, and improving fertilizer utilization.
Water retaining agent is an environmentally friendly product. Through the toxicological appraisal of the authoritative organization, the product meets the relevant industry standards. It has no harmful substances in the released water, is harmless to the environment and plants, can be degraded naturally, and reduced to nitrogen ammonium and water. There are also a small number of potassium ions that are widely used in agricultural and forestry crops, landscaping, and flowers.