Practical tips for everyday use. How to get RETENTIS® into the soil correctly

Summer 2025 showed many of us that water is precious. RETENTIS®, the bio-based hydrogel made from Austrian wood, is a clever way to prevent drought stress: no magic, just a few simple steps.

Step by step: getting it into the soil correctly
RETENTIS® comes as a dry granulate. That is deliberate: it makes it easy to dose and distribute. Rule of thumb for hobby gardeners: 20 g per litre of potting soil or substrate (a 750 g pack is enough for around 40 litres).

• Mix in dry
  • The granulate only swells on contact with water. Mix it thoroughly into the top layer of soil (a finger’s length deep, so that the plants form deeper roots).
• Timing
  • Ideally when planting or repotting. Simply add it to the planting hole or container together with the plant and soil.
• Activate
  • Water well after mixing it in. The gel soaks up water and forms small reserves directly at the roots. After that, it recharges with rain or watering.
• Soil types
  • Sandy soils benefit particularly from our water storage, as they can hardly store water themselves. With RETENTIS, sandy soils can be used for growing; loamy soils need a little less granulate (approx. 15 g/litre).

Avoid common mistakes Do not just scatter it on the surface, otherwise the gel dries out at the top. Do not overdose: 20 g/litre is the ideal amount for potted plants.

With these steps, you save time, water and nerves. Give it a try. Your plants will thank you!