Daily and accumulative water consumption of sandy, loamy, and clayey soils that had been amended by two negatively-charged organic polymers (Polyacryl-amide-PAM) applied at rates of 25,50, and 75 mg/kg of soil were studied in a growth chamber experiment. Water retention due to PAM application was either impaired or enhanced in sandy and loamy soils, respectively; clayey soil was significantly less affected. Plant root presence in the amended soils always had a corrective influence on soil structure and water retention over unamended soils.