# Diapers in the garden?



## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

The other day I overheard someone mention the possibility of using unused disposable diapers in container gardening primarily for the purpose of helping with moisture retention.

Well, at the time, I barely allowed my mind to let the thought register.

But since then, the idea keeps rolling around in my head.

The idea is to use only the part of the clean diaper that absorbs liquid.

So if this is a possibility in container gardening, why won't it work when mixed within a regular garden?


Next question --- 
In the past I have read posts here about the possible benefits of saving one's urine for the purpose of adding nitrogen to the garden.

If this is true, and if the absorbant properties of a diaper can benefit retaining
moisture in the garden ~~~~ then why not use the the gelled portion a baby's diaper that is already saturated with fresh baby urine? 

Yes, it may sound weird and far fetched ----- but, once a week when I take care of my sweet 8 month old grand daughter ----- well, what to you think?
Might there be any value in making use of those wet diapers?

Is there anything to gain from that urine AND the gelled properties of the diaper as an additive to the garden?


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## SerenityMama (Aug 26, 2009)

The "gelled" portion is a chemical reaction. I don't think it would be a good idea in my opinion. I have heard stories from landfill workers how diapers don't decompose well, especially the velcro or plastic parts. There are "earth friendly" diapers out there that are said to be biodegradeable but they are pricey.

This is just my first thoughts about the idea. 

Good Luck with what ever you try


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I don't think I'd put diapers in my garden. But I do use urine----in my compost that is.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Decomposition is not an issue here since it's a container question involving moisture retention. There's nothing there that's harmful to either the user or the plants. And if they are already saturated with urine, definitely something that the plants can use, it's even better. Such products are already available and accepted for retaining moisture in container gardening but they aren't called diapers. For now, can't find a single reason why they shouldn't be used. 

Martin


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

I used the Soil Moist polymer several years back. It is OK in a container, but just OK. Tried it in the ground, same opinion.

Probably cheaper to buy than diapers.

Thing I didn't care for is the pot would go from wet feeling to very dry too quick. Without the polymer in there, the window is larger.

If you use it, soak it first. Mix it in the pot mix(wet), then wet the works again.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Paquebot said:


> Decomposition is not an issue here since it's a container question involving moisture retention. There's nothing there that's harmful to either the user or the plants. And if they are already saturated with urine, definitely something that the plants can use, it's even better. Such products are already available and accepted for retaining moisture in container gardening but they aren't called diapers. For now, can't find a single reason why they shouldn't be used.
> 
> Martin


Your tolerance for chemicals in your garden is a lot higher than mine.

Aside from the sheer ugliness of having a bunch of dirty diapers in your containers, you've got the following to worry about:

"Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process. It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S.

Disposable diapers contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) - a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals.

Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet. A similar substance had been used in super-absorbancy tampons until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome."

From "http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php"

I don't even like them on kids.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Still can't see any good reason why the polymers in disposable diapers can't be used for moisture control in container gardening. Can't find a single link stating any potential dangers. 

Martin


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

Well, other than the link I provided, I doubt there are any links out there that discuss the specific risks with doing that.

Just a thousand better things to use. Straw, or cardboard, or even those paper sacks you get from the grocery store. All of those would provide a decent moisture barrier without the risk of dioxin and other poisons leaching down into the soil.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Ernie said:


> Well, other than the link I provided, I doubt there are any links out there that discuss the specific risks with doing that.


Good! Then it's a non-issue other than a personal opinion rather than facts. If you have a problem with disposable diapers, I won't attempt to dissuade you from trying something different.



> All of those would provide a decent moisture barrier without the risk of dioxin and other poisons leaching down into the soil.


I should think that there is just slightly above zero chance of anything leaching down into the soil. If you return to the original post, you will note that this question was strictly about container gardening. The object of such gardening is to keep the contents confined to an aboveground container and totally separated from whatever is below. 

Martin


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

They are not intended to act as a moisture barrier, but rather as a moisture retainer.

We just ordered 500 Fir trees. The nursery said they will be shipped in some sort of gell component that will increase their viability. 
So, why not mix "gell" in the garden soil for the same purpose?

The idea was to eliminate the velcro and moisture barriers from the diaper and only use the moisture retaining gell portion.....to help improve the overall moisture retaining capabilities of the soil medium.

There would be no "ugliness" of diapers because the gell part would be mixed in with the soil. 

There would not be any extra expense of buying diapers, because I would just recycle the couple of diapers I get as the result of the grandbaby's once a week visit. 
I would use only diapers soiled with urine and not fecal matter.

I think I will need to do a little experimenting in this summer's garden~~~~


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## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

sure worth an experiment...they sell gels to hold moisture in the soil and from what i understand it is the same formula


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## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

Actually, Martin, I was asking about adding the mixture to the garden soil, not just the containers.

So, perhaps, the best advice would be to limit such experimentaion to the soil within containers, and not work it into the garden.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Basically the moisture absorbing material in diapers is cross linked polyacrylamides or CLP. For use in gardening the CLP evens out rainfall/drought or irrigation cycles thus reducing plant stress which tends to increase yields. Sweet corn has shown some excellent yield increases from the use of CLP. 

In 1997 I read toxicology reports and translated Russian data from tests done with CLP and learned that the plants showed 0 uptake from any material in the CLP. I also studied U.S. reports on CLP and I consider them to be quite safe. Just my opinion from what I read. I also read of some animal tests done with CLP. Feeding it to dogs only gave them diarrhea as one might expect since it is basically just water. Breathing CLP dust can be an issue but doubt any of us would breath enough of it to be a problem.

CLP readily breaks down in sunlight so once added to garden soil there needs to be a mulch layer added so as to prevent the sun damage. Protecting them from sun gives them a multi year lifespan.

A good CLP product will absorb up to 600 times its weight in water, the purer the water the better for the initial hydrating. A one pound box of CLP, about the size of the old powered sugar boxes, will absorb an entire barrel full of water. Once hydrated the CLP is clear like ice but has the consistency of chunks gelatin or Jello. There are different grinds of CLP which gives various sizes of the chunks, or CLP powder makes a slurry for bare tree root dipping.

CLP is too costly for common field crops, especially because of the deterioration by sunlight. A lot of current commercial use of CLP is in lawns. If too much is added the lawn surface is very spongy when walked upon. 

To a certain extent one could achieve similar results by adding great quantities of organic matter to the garden soil.

In 1997 I worked with a promoter of CLP and purchased several hundred pounds. I visited his farm in Oklahoma and picked up the product to avoid shipping. Unfortunately he died from a heart attack a few months later so my source was in essence cut off due to shipping costs. I have since tried to arrange to pick some up directly from a firm in Arkansas but they absolutely will not allow direct pickup, only shipment of it. BOO!

Here are a couple of sites for your reading pleasure. 

http://www.hydrosource.com/serv01.htm
http://www.watersorb.com/index.htm

Use it or not? To each their own.


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## SuburbanHermett (Jan 12, 2009)

Tallpines, you and me must be related b/c I was just researching this very thing, lol. My plan is to use the water retaining beads/gel in my window boxes. My home is S/SW facing and bakes (no shade) and the potting mix just does not work. So my thinking is that the gel will add the water retention property without adding weight that soil/compost would.

I didn't get very far with my searching tho b/c my wee little one has his days and nights mixed up and I am just plain tired and easily distracted. So, thank you for your thread 

And thank you Windy in Kansas for the links. I will be checking those out next.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

You are welcome. Soil Moist and other such brands are sold in some big box stores and in lawn and garden supply centers. Smaller quantity generally means much higher price per unit. For window boxes you probably wouldn't need much so a smaller quantity might be just the ticket.

To comprehend the absorbing with a different example----1/8th tsp. of CLP will absorb a 3 ounce Dixie cupful of water. 

You may want to hydrate CLP before adding it to window box soil so that you don't just overflow the boxes and push soil out once water is added.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

Windy in Kansas said:


> You may want to hydrate CLP before adding it to window box soil so that you don't just overflow the boxes and push soil out once water is added.


You will be happier if you do soak it first. FYI-When it does dry out in the container, you will go to wilted plants in the blink of an eye. Throws the whole stick your finger in the pot or lift a corner method a curve ball.

Interesting stuff. Roots will grow through it.

Soil Moist container had good instructions on amount. Top x inches was to be straight pot mix. You will like it for a hot dry box.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Here is a photo of some CLP applied to a garden at the highest recommended rate. 
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t298/growerguy/Polyacrylamidecloseup001.jpg


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## mellowguy (Jul 8, 2009)

Positive feedback on CLP or not, I wouldn't put CLP in or anywhere near my vegetable garden. I wouldn't use things like sevin or Round Up either, despite the numerous studies that say it's perfectly ok. I'm forced to eat enough chemicals in the food I don't grow, so I try to stay away from anything that could add them in my food garden. Don't exclude the possibility of other chemicals being present in the diaper either. 

I've never felt the need to use any chemical at all in my garden, so that's probably just me (and Ernie and a handful of people I guess)

With all that said, if you see benefits in an ornemental garden, or for your fir trees, and they are far enough away from a fruit/vegetable garden, I don't see much harm. I'm assuming here that the trees are meant to be permanent, or meant to be cut, or meant to be sold as bare roots. If they are meant to be transplanted in pots, I wouldn't trust the diapers to be decomposed in just 3-4 years.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

This was mentioned in a post from a lady who wanted to plant pomegranite seedlings in the Southwest(Arizona, I think), and was looking for some way to help them survive the transplanting. I recommended that she try "Musser Water Gel" from Musser Forests, Inc catalog..... a cross-linked polyacrylamide in the form of flakes.

She was arguing with her landlord who insisted that all of them would live without anything other than daily watering--and if I recall there were to be transplants in the hundreds..... He didn't want to spend any money to keep them alive, and she didn't want to spend the time required to water them. I suggested she try an experiment with the same stuff from _new, unused baby diapers_ to convince him, before ordering any quantity from Mussers....... Musser price is 4 oz, to mix with five gallons of water to treat 2,000 seedlings.

I did get some from a plant center, just to use in an experiment with starting carrot seeds. Not much success, as the gel swelled to 200 times its weight, just as advertised, and pushed all the seeds out of the ground.
geo


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I don't know...I toss my old soil from pots into the compost bin....personally, I wouldn't do it.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

NickieL said:


> I don't know...I toss my old soil from pots into the compost bin....personally, I wouldn't do it.


Does not everything that is in the pots still end up in the garden? If something inorganic goes into a compost bin, it will not come out as something organic.

Martin


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

The problem with water-retaining polymers (like in diapers and in the Soil Moist, Terrasorb type products) is that while they are absolute dynamite at absorbing water, they are incredibly stingy at giving it back. The plant has to be almost dead before the water will be available. (Ohio State University did tests about 10 years or so ago.)

We've had much better luck with a cornstarch based product called Zeba. It even works for fuchsias, which are notoriously hard to keep well watered in our hot, dry, and windy climate.


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## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

Paquebot said:


> Does not everything that is in the pots still end up in the garden? If something inorganic goes into a compost bin, it will not come out as something organic.
> 
> Martin


Thats why I wouldn't use it LOL


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

What about using one of those highly water absorbing clays like bentonite?


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

I would not use Soil Moist again. Even if it were free.

It has a place, but I could not get comfortable with the watering after several seasons.


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## offGridNorthern (Jan 1, 2006)

Ernie said:


> Your tolerance for chemicals in your garden is a lot higher than mine. ..... I don't even like them on kids.


I'm with you, Ernie!!


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## Mid Tn Mama (May 11, 2002)

Ok, I'll be brave and say I'm the one that posted this idea on the tightwad tips thread. You can start throwing pies at me now

I'll let you know how it goes since I put one in a hanging pot with flowers in it this week. I don't know that I would use it on food, but that's just me. I put the whole diaper in there and whoa boy, did it get large. Water it first--then add

It may well be that diapers have bad stuff in them, but this is one diaper that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill. Just because the landfill isn't in my backyard doesn't make it all better.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Well, most do admit that urine is a good thing in compost piles. I add my urine to the compost tumbler. Kew Gardens in London use straw bales for men's urinals. Last I heard, an infant's urine isn't any more toxic than mine. If I had to use diapers in my garden, I'd prefer them to have a little bit of a treat for the plants rather than fresh out of the box.

Martin


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## Beaners (Feb 23, 2005)

We mainly use cloth diapers in our house, but occasionally we use disposables for running errands and such. A disposable diaper that has gone through the washer is about the most obnoxious thing on this planet. It takes forever to get all the gel out. I might try it in a few pots, but I couldn't fathom putting it somewhere that I couldn't get it out of if I changed my mind.

Kayleigh


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## Toads tool (Jun 7, 2007)

Depends?


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Toads tool said:


> Depends?


Almost considered those about 7 years ago after a nasty kidney stone! Everything healed and quickly under control.

Martin


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

you all are giving me an idea...peat moss undies!


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

MELOC said:


> you all are giving me an idea...peat moss undies!


You're a little behind on that. There already are organic disposable diapers.

www.greendiaper.org/your-guide-to-organic-disposable-diapers

Martin


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

no pun intended i am sure!


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## free-2-b-me (May 9, 2005)

I was given a bunch of new depends liners and am going to use them in my flower garden .


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## greengardener (Sep 18, 2015)

Found this article, http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/gel-balls-diapers-harmful-4431.html 
which primarily addresses safety for using diaper gel on babies bottoms, and the environmental repercussions. It makes the claim that SAPs (super-absorbent polymers) are safe and non-toxic, but the bells went off when it explained that SAPs are a petro product. Now, whether container gardening, or mixing into soil, how are petro products safe to be near our food?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

All plastics are petro products, many of us don't think twice about using plastic. Even if you don't like and don't want to use plastics, they are nearly impossible to avoid.


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