They stay wetter in cold wetter and drier in hotter weather. They produce a lot of branching roots when they come to the side but the media I am using usually shrinks a bit away and makes some branching roots as well. I don't think I will buy them again, they would be great though if you are planing to plant in the ground later because you would just plant the whole thing and the brand I bought had different grades to break down in different time periods made by root pouch.