Property managers and municipalities can add an eco-friendly, long-lasting supplement to hanging baskets’ soil to protect their investment while saving labor.

Colorful hanging baskets beautify city streets, adding life to intersections, major corridors and retail centers. But municipalities know the resources required to maintain hanging baskets, which are prone to run dry mid-day during summer months and might require multiple waterings. Not to mention, their location makes them susceptible to wind exposure—another factor that can dry out soil and prevent plant roots getting the water they need to thrive. 

Another common city and homeowners’ association planting strategy is to fill in medians and islands vibrant annual displays. Here again, soil easily dries out because of the proximity to cement and asphalt, which retains heat. Also, these plant beds tend to be rather shallow with minimal soil due to their roadside locations. 

The time, money and labor property managers and municipalities dedicate to simply keeping the soil moist so they don’t lose plants often exceeds the initial investment. And unfortunately, some of those hanging baskets or median plants become throw-aways because they’re not set up to survive the stressful growing conditions.

The good news is, there is a way to sustainably, cost-effectively improve soil’s water retention capabilities—which means less time “doing the rounds” to water hanging baskets and island plant beds, and less resources (water!) required to maintain healthy, vibrant landscape displays. 

How to Reduce Hanging Basket and Median Plant Watering 

Because hanging baskets are self-contained, roots have access to a limited water supply—whatever the soil within the basket can hold. So, the key to reducing the time, expense and resources dedicated to watering, you want to improve soil’s ability to retain water. 

What if you could add an eco-friendly supplement to the soil allows it to hold hundreds of times its weight in water? What if the plant roots could “speak” to the soil and let it know when to release water—avoiding root rot from excess watering or standing water?

The answer is Soil Moist, which is an eco-friendly polymer-based product that you mix into water and pour into the soil. Basically, it works like a time release, holding 200 to 400 times its weight in water—1 pound holds 23 gallons of water—and when the plant roots “look” for water, the polymer reacts to this slight pressure and releases the appropriate amount. Soil Moist basically allows the plant to tell the soil when it’s time to get water.

A Little Goes a Long Way

Property managers and municipalities must manage a limited groundskeeping / landscaping budget and use their resources wisely. Unfortunately, the constant watering hanging baskets and island plant beds require can sabotage those efforts. Some municipalities have dedicated watering crews, and that’s all they do during the warmer months. It doesn’t have to be that way. 

Soil Moist is mixed at a rate of less than a half-ounce per gallon container of water. One pounds of Soil Moist holds 23 gallons of water. It allows you to reduce plant waterings by up to 50%. Because of the way the polymer expands and contracts to release water at appropriate times, the action also delivers much-needed oxygen to soil, reducing compaction that can squelch roots and prevent them from accessing nutrients. So basically, you’re giving soil water and oxygen—essentials for thriving plants. 

Insurance for Plants 

In many ways, Soil Moist acts as insurance for plants because it assures that roots will receive water when they need it—and it’s safe, which is important to property managers and municipalities. Plus, it lasts up to three to five years, depending on conditions.

How’s It Growing? JRM Wants to Know…

At JRM Chemical, our family operation is focused on creating environmentally friendly products that save resources. And, what more precious resource is there than water? We also believe in saving time, which is why we created products like Soil Moist to keep plants hydrated in a sustainable, effective way. 

We’re here to help. Check out our helpful how-to videos and peruse our full line catalog and call anytime to ask us questions at 800-962-4010.