Hydretain Technical Information

Hydretain for Plant Use

As seen from the chart below, Hydretain® significantly increases the time it takes for a plant to wilt. This effectively reduces water consumption and minimises plant moisture stress. On average, the time taken for two wilts to occur where Hydretain® is used, is double that of the water only treatments.

Hydretain® has proven itself in revegetation work on sand dunes where mortality rates have been reduced by 50% in some situations. It has also proven a success in transplanting of vegetable speedlings where moisture stress can govern final yields. The photos below demonstrated how Hydretain® can influence the final yield of processing tomatoes due to a simple application of Hydretain® to the seedling trays just prior to transplanting into the field. Transplant shock is reduced significantly which gives the plant a great head start in life.

Control & Hydretain treated tomato plants

Tomato yields were almost double for the Hydretain® treated seedlings

Hydretain for Turf Use

Hydretain® is not a soil wetting agent but rather patented technology designed to enhance the way your turf roots access soil moisture. Hydretain® is a liquid moisturiser for your turf roots.
The compounds in Hydretain® are attracted onto the root system which then mine the soil of water vapour. This reduces your turf water needs whilst keeping moisture around the root system minimising desiccation of sensitive root tips and root hairs. This maintains the root system through the summer period and the higher moisture content reduces the build-up of heat in the root zone. Hydretain® helps to reduce the incidence of "Summer Decline".

Benefits to Turf:
*Reduces water usage by extending the normal intervals between watering
*Reduces "Turf Wilting" and moisture/heat stress (Summer Decline)
*Maintains moisture around shallow root systems allowing maximum root retention under drying soil conditions.
*Wets Non-wetting Soils
*Will not cause burning of turf
*Organic & Biodegradable
*Improves the total appearance of the sward during hot dry periods

Lawn treated with Hydretain @ 10ml/m2

Front of driving green untreated at seeding.
Back of green treated with Hydretain @ 5ml/m2

Hydretain® is a very good aid in the successful germination and survival of seeded turf. Seeded turf treated with Hydretain® will always be faster establishing and healthier.

How does Hydretain differ from water storage granules?

Hydretain®Plus is very different to water storage granules and more suited to plant establishment. As seen from the photo below Hydretain® will outperform water storage granules (WSG).

The pots contain a native Australian wildflower namely Kangaroo Paws. Each pot was watered with 500ml of water and then left undercover for six weeks without any more water applied.

Water storage granules compared with Hydretain

DOSE RATES

Hydretain® for turf use
 

General Maintenance (every 6-8 weeks)
500ml/100m2

Seeding & Solonizing
1L/100m2

Sodding
500ml/100m2

With Soil wetter (every 4-6 weeks)
250ml/100m2

Hydretain® for plant use

Bare Rooted Plant Stock
1:5 dilution

Pot Plants
1:50 dilution

Landscaping
1:50 dilution

Seedlings/Speedlings
1:20 dilution