A composite, time-delayed, polymer-coated, granulated material for maintaining hydration in plants is formulated to delay acceptance of water in order to operate in drilling, plugging, and disking equipment used for aeration, soil amendment, or both. Whether potted or outdoors, whether relying on a third-material binder or a small, hydrated portion of the polymer itself as a binder, the material may be injected or otherwise placed below the surface of soils. Water is eventually absorbed sufficiently to expose the bulk of the hydrating particles attached to each granule. Addition of the granulated material as a soil amendment resists dehydration normally occurring in plants between waterings, yet its initial delay in hydrating supports water-jet injection and soil integration by resisting premature expansion from hydration.
