Holding Moisture… What is Moisture Manager?

Moisture Manager is made up of a group of liquid hygroscopic and humectant components, called Hydretain, that attracts moisture. By acting like tiny “water magnets,” they form microscopic droplets within the root zone. In other words, this process allows the soil to utilize the moisture which would have been lost to evaporation. 

How does it work?
When soil dries down, water is depleted leaving moisture vapor. Hydretain was created to attract the moisture vapor that is left behind. Plants cannot use moisture vapor just as we can’t drink humidity out of the air. When the Hydretain attracts the vapor, it collects it back into microscopic droplets that are liquid that sustain plaints and turf between waterings. Hydretain is unique; it has the ability to attract water molecules, create droplets, and then release the droplets to the plant roots. This allows the roots to absorb more nutrients and moisture to remain healthy. 

One end of the Hydretain molecule is able to grab available water molecules from humid air circulation in the soil, while the other end latches itself onto soil particles and root hairs that coat their surface. A droplet is formed once the Hydretain has grabbed enough water molecules. The roots of the plants are able to absorb the droplets through osmosis, preventing it from being lost to gravity or evaporation. When watered in, the Hydretain is drawn toward the roots with suspended nutrients. Where water and nutrients are drawn into the root, the Hydretain molecule is stopped, forming a thin and persistent film on the root surfaces. This is where the vapor is captured.

How do you know you need it?
Gravity is constantly at work pulling most moisture downward and out of reach of the majority of roots and what isn’t lost to gravity, can be lost to evaporation. These two forces combined, create the potential for total moisture loss in the soil when rainfall is scarce. High temperature also creates the potential for heat and drought stress within the lawn. All of this can cause substantial damage underneath the surface and if left unchecked, can cause wilting, browning and a loss of leaves, plants or other delicate structures. Unfortunately, by the time drought stresses become evident much of the internal processes of the plant have begun to shut down. This causes the plant to enter a survival mode. As a result, the plant becomes the most susceptible to pests and opportunistic disease. When drought is prominent and progressing within the lawn, roots stop growing and delicate root hairs begin to shrink, desiccate, and die. This leads to even more severe symptoms and stresses above the surface. While watering more may seem like a good solution, over watering can lead to fungus and rot which could be just as damaging. Hydretain, in addition, can reduce watering requirements by as much as 50%. 

In Conclusion, as gravity and evaporation work to remove moisture from the soil, Hydretain captures and retains the water vapor that comes in contact with the root surfaces and even when water is scarce, the water droplets remain available to the roots. This actively reduces or even eliminates drought stresses, which could lead to plant disease and mortality. Additionally, the Hydretain film works through multiple waterings. So, when moisture becomes available again from irrigation or rainfall, the cycle of droplet formation and capturing vapor repeats, ensuring health and that plants will have a non interrupted supply of moisture during dry spells.