uses of Bentonite?

[Peter Pacific]

I have some guys here working who are using Bentonite, a gel like substance to keep moisture in the ground...I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this stuff?

I would like to include it around certain palms....Pigafetta for one...you mix it with the dirt and when it gets wet it swells like a gooey sponge and retains moisture "for quite some time".

Any ideas or comments?

Peter

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I have some guys here working who are using Bentonite, a gel like substance to keep moisture in the ground...I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this stuff?

I would like to include it around certain palms....Pigafetta for one...you mix it with the dirt and when it gets wet it swells like a gooey sponge and retains moisture "for quite some time".

Any ideas or comments?

Peter

The only concern I would have is for the soil to go anaerobic because of the gel. Roots need air, there's a point of diminishing returns when you try to retain too much moisture. Pigafetta are so lightning fast anyway, why would you want to use gel on them? That's a perfect candidate palm to try to slow down.

[_Keith]

Bentonite is commonly used to "seal" ponds so that they hold water. If it had this property in the planting hole that might not be a good thing, but that would be dependent on how much was used, I guess. Might be worth experimenting with on some non-critical plants in small amounts. I love a good experiment. Let us know how it goes.

[Mandrew968]

I have heard bad things with the stuff, when it gets dry--it actually takes all of the moisture from the surrounding soils--this is not a big deal when the ground is moist, but when the ground is dry, it steals up all the last remaining liquids and can even take it from the palm roots! In Guatemala, why on Earth would you need that stuff??? They use it for Sabals on the interstate where they are planted on hills where water just wants to keep finding the lowest point--I have heard some of these sabals, with the gell, die in very dry situations...

[Peter Pacific]

Alex, the reason why I would use Bentonite on the Pigafetta is because my soil is crap. Sandy and volcanic, doesn't retain water at all, even with amending my soil. I thought that if the roots were wet all the time it would grow a little more lush. Maybe not.

Keith, I was just reading that if you want a nitrogen rich mix you should use 1 part Bentonite, 1 part sand, 1 part hummus and 1 part animal droppings. (?)

[Peter Pacific]

Andrew I will have to use caution. I have zero moisture in the sand, especially right now before the rainy season starts.

[Mandrew968]

Andrew I will have to use caution. I have zero moisture in the sand, especially right now before the rainy season starts.

I would just say, don't think you don't have to water, just cuz that stuff is in the sand--I hope it helps out in your case, but yes, be cautious to not let the plant dry out.

[Umbrae]

I would try and use the gel products like hydrosorb instead of bentonite less negative impact on the surroundings IMO.

[Funkthulhu]

Speaking as a former well-driller, Bentonite and associated products are what we use to seal the annulus of a well. We choose Bentonite because, as stated above, no matter how dry the surrounding soil gets, it will be the last thing to give up its water. Therefore, the chances of breaking the seal around the annulus are minimized.

I would never, ever, ever even remotely entertain the possibility of adding any Bentonite product to my soil. It can only do you harm.

If you want more moisture retention, cut in more organics. I've found that various composts and mulches will happily sponge up the water given and then freely give that water up to roots later.

[Dypsisdean]

Put another way, as some have alluded to already - it is easy to imagine what will happen if the affinity that Bentonite has for water is greater than the affinity the roots have - perhaps even absorbing water directly from the roots themselves.

[Peter Pacific]

I appreciate the warnings Funk, Umbrae and Dean...I will stick to the hummus and organics for water retention. Umbrae, I am not familiar with hydrosorb I will look for it.

[Umbrae]

its a kinda similar to the stuff in diapers that swells up when wet and releases as it slowly dries out. It's hard to beat a big thick layer of compost underneath a layer of mulch

[fan palm]

bentonite = a form of clay. been looking at adding this to my pond as keith said, to seal it. I have heard of experiments of adding bentonite to sandy soils...

[FNQ Marcus]

I use Bentonite in my dam when it leaks,

We also use it on sick animals to "plug-up" leaky bottoms and absorb toxins - I would never consider using it with my plants.