This is a water-absorbing gel that absorbs 200-400 times its density in water. It is used as a soil amendment to increase the water-holding capacity of soils, reducing watering frequency by 20-40% in the ground and 50-75% in containers and hanging baskets. It greatly aids establishing of young plants, and improves soil structure, staying effective for 8 years. It has been used to help trees in drought and to reduce the water requirements of lawns. I have used this product for 12 years in producing plants from seed and found it very useful, needing very little in the soil. It is a synthetic polyacrylamide polymer that has been determined nonhazardous by OSHA, but has not passed organic standards by OMRI.