Why We're Not Going Gaga For This Diaper Trend For Plant Irrigation

Gardening trends are meant to simplify life, boost plant health, or repurpose household items in unique and gorgeous ways. In the last couple of years, a peculiar tip has gained traction: using diapers to keep plants hydrated. The idea is straightforward — diapers are designed to lock in moisture, so why not use them to do the same for your plants? While this hack may sound like a clever reuse of materials, it's not as foolproof as it seems. In fact, there are several reasons why we're not going gaga for this diaper trend.

If you haven't already heard of it, the concept behind the diaper irrigation trend is simple: cut open a diaper and dump the contents into the soil of your potted plants or garden beds. Diapers are moisture-retaining because they contain an absorbent gel made from sodium polyacrylate. This compound can absorb a significant amount of water, creating a reservoir in your soil that supposedly keeps plants hydrated for extended periods. 

Marketed as a solution for providing long-lasting moisture for your plants, this trend has piqued the interest of many gardeners with busy schedules or gardeners in dry climates who worry about inconsistent watering — a watering mistake that many beginners make way too often. In fact, a 2019 study in the Journal of Environmental Management found incorporating the hydrogel from baby diapers an effective way of improving water retention and soil irrigation, thereby enhancing plant growth. So, wherein lies the issue with this hack?

One of the biggest selling points for modern gardening is sustainability, and the diaper irrigation hack doesn't quite align with that ethos. For one, if you're using old diapers that have already absorbed urine or other excrement, there's a chance of introducing potential hygiene and contamination risks to you and your garden. Urine salts can reduce the water absorption capacity of the hydrogel (via a Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety study). These substances can also disrupt the balance of nutrients in your soil, potentially harming your plants. Additionally, the odor posed by residual waste can be off-putting and even pose health risks, particularly if you're growing edible crops. 

If you avoid this issue by using new diapers, the underlying problem of non-sustainability still prevails. Diapers are not biodegradable and can take hundreds of years to break down in landfills. Even diapers that are marketed as "biodegradable" show only modest biodegradability, according to a 2022 study in the Journal of Cleaner Production. By using them in your garden, you're introducing materials that contribute to long-term waste, defeating the purpose of eco-friendly gardening.

Lastly, the diaper trend is not a cost-effective long-term solution. Over time, the gel in the diapers breaks and loses its absorbency, meaning you have to replace them periodically. The cost of buying diapers can add up. Even if you are repurposing old diapers, the time it takes to cut them open and plant them could be spent on more effective gardening techniques like choosing when you water your lawn wisely or upgrading your soil with moisture-retaining amendments like mulch or compost.