How you can keep your plants hydrated while you are away

The French start-up Berger-World proposes solid water reservoirs in crystal form. Photo: AFP

Could these crystals help extend the lifespan of your plants while also cutting down on water expenditure? That's what the French start-up Berger-World proposes with its solid water reservoirs designed for various types of plants and vegetable gardens.

Keeping plants watered while you're away from home is always something of a challenge. This is evidenced by the many online video tutorials explaining how to set up an "automatic" watering system, admittedly sometimes using a DIY approach.

To simplify our lives and ensure a long life for our plants, a start-up has decided to address this issue by designing solid water reservoirs using crystals.

Indeed, Berger-World has entirely centered its concept around this approach. The brand sells bags of crystals in four ranges. The products target both professionals (municipalities, parks, nursery growers, farmers) and individuals (watering indoor plants, outdoor gardens, vegetable gardens, etc).

These biodegradable crystals are composed of polyacrylic acid and 95% dry matter. In addition to storing water, the crystals absorb the nutrients necessary for plant growth. In case of water stress, the water stored in the crystals is released to irrigate the plants.

To use these solid water reservoirs with houseplants, for example, simply add a few teaspoons of crystals around the base of the planting hole, then transplant the plant and water it.

"After 40 days without irrigation, a sandy soil contains only one litre of water, while the same soil treated with Berger-World contains three," explains Samuel Philibert Charles, co-founder of the company, in a statement.

The crystals also act on soil erosion by limiting the use of fertilisers. "Because the soil is watered less frequently, the water reservoir avoids the leaching effect of fertilisers and other nutrients added to the soil, so less fertiliser can be applied and pollution of groundwater and waterways can be reduced," the brand creators explain.

For each bag sold, 10% of the sale price is donated to the Global Institute for Water Environment and Health (GIWEH), a Swiss NGO that helps developing countries develop strategies to preserve water and the environment. – AFP Relaxnews

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