Hydrophobicity is the tendency of a material or surface to repel water. In gardening, it most often describes potting mix or soil that has become difficult to wet, causing water to bead, run off, or pass around the root zone instead of soaking in.
Hydrophobic soil can develop when peat-based mixes dry out completely, when organic matter breaks down into waxy coatings, or when certain soil particles resist rewetting. It can lead to uneven moisture, dry root pockets, and plants that wilt even after watering.
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