Craft and decoration activities involving the use of flowers are a popular pastime for home ornamentation. From growing flowers and other plants to fully decorating the finished results, they can be creative ways to make rooms look brighter. One type of product specially designed for this is aqua gems, which help to give plants a more colorful, eye-catching appearance, something useful in image-based working environments like hotels as well as for personal home use. Does this Spark an idea?
Appearance
At first sight aqua gems look similar to marbles. They have the appearance of miniature glass spheres and come in a multitude of colors. This appearance is deceptive; they are not actually made of glass. Aqua gems are made of a polymer substance that is designed to absorb, store and slowly release liquid. This makes them the ideal tool for storing flowers and other plants.
Advantages Over Soil
The use of aqua gems has a few advantages over the use of standard soil. Because aqua gems come in a variety of colors, there is a greater degree of flexibility when it comes to decoration. The standard approach for using aqua gems is to store them in see-through glass containers along with the flowers -- this is seen as a more attractive alternative to using soil. Also, because of their tendency to slowly release the water they absorb, aqua gems are a longer-term alternative to soil (aqua gems keep plants hydrated and fresh longer without the need to regularly add fresh water).
Preparation
To transform aqua gems into their water-holding stage, pour them into a 1 1/2 quart container of water and leave them to soak for six to eight hours. The aqua gems will become swollen with water. After the standing time has passed, place the aqua gems in the desired container (preferably with the plant already prepared). Repeat this process every month or two; note that the aqua gems are reusable.
Other Characteristics
Aqua gems have other characteristics that make them a good substitute for soil. Because the gems are colorfast, they keep their original color even when they have been reused multiple times. In other words, not only will the gems keep looking good over time, they also won't discolor the water (and the plants by extension) or stain the user's clothing. Aqua gems are also biodegradable and nontoxic, making them an environmentally friendly product.
Tags: aqua gems, aqua gems, flowers other, flowers other plants, gems keep