The rain contains more Nitrogen and Oxygen than most tap water, and because your plant roots are receiving them directly, you'll notice them grow quicker and greener with rainwater.
Rainwater is naturally “soft” and can help flush these minerals out of the soil in your house plant's container. A periodic leaching is a good thing. Rainwater will also clear out the stomata or respiratory pores on your plant's leaves, improving its ability to take in carbon dioxide and nutrients for photosynthesis.
The hard tap water creates a calcium carbonate and soil layer within the pot. This can prevent water from getting to the roots, which can of course spell bad news for your houseplant. One of the best ways to reverse this effect is to put your houseplant out in the rain.
Stored rainwater may contain some organic matter, in the form of insect larvae or algae growth. Rain also contains traces of nitrates, essential for plant growth. If you filter or distill your tap water, then it is better than straight tap water for your houseplant.
The benefits of rain water encompass conservation, cost, and ease of collection. It may also be higher in nitrogen with a more elevated pH than tap water. The chlorine and fluoride levels in most tap water can actually stop plants from effectively taking up nitrogen.
While watering your yard plants with bottled water may be impractical, using bottled spring water for your indoor plants will make a big difference for them. To give your plants the absolute best, rainwater and bottled spring water are your best options. Any water containing sugar or salt will hurt them!
You may end up with stunted plants and poor production after too much rain. Excessive soaking after rain showers and storms can ruin plants' roots, which in turn affects how plants grow.
A common rule of thumb is that plants need the equivalent of 1 inch of rain a week. If your gauge shows that your yard only got half an inch of rain last week, your plants probably didn't get enough moisture. A rain gauge can be a bracing corrective to our subjective impressions.
Step 1 - Filter the water before it enters the storage tank.
This is the most important step and should be taken on every rainwater harvesting system no matter what the size - whether storing the water in a waterbutt for use in the garden, to large commercial systems.
There are many reasons why rain helps lawns look greener, but one of the main reasons is nitrogen. After it rains, there is more water available in the soil for plants. When plants take in that water, they are also taking in nitrogen from the organic matter that's in the soil.
Watering your plants is not necessary when nature is doing it for you. It's also not necessary for at least two days after it rains, and often for much longer. Determining how long to keep your timer off depends on the speed and amount of rainfall.
Rainwater is probably a plant's favorite, so long as you don't live in a place with too much pollution. Well water is usually good too, if it's not too alkaline for acid-loving houseplants. 2 Tap water can be great, but the salt in softened water can become problematic—and some plants don't like chlorinated water.
Distilled water is soft water without the trace amounts of sodium left by a mechanical softener. Using distilled water for indoor plants provides a safe and impurity-free source of irrigation that can prevent any toxicity from chemical or mineral buildup. It's also free of contaminants like bacteria.
DON'T Use Softened Water
Water softening systems use sodium, which can negatively affect the health of your houseplants. If your softener connects to both the hot and cold faucets – or if you aren't sure how it's connected – fill up your watering can at an outdoor spigot. Or, use filtered or purified water.
Collecting and saving rainwater for use in the garden just makes sense, and was a common practice by our ancestors. See how it's done, and start saving money on your water bill. The patter of rain on the roof can make a gardener's day. Not only is nature watering the plants, but it's providing hydration for later use.
Texas, California, Colorado, and others have determined that rainwater collection is legal, but collectors must follow stipulations.
California drought regulations ban watering for 48 hours after a rain, but Mark Mahady with Walter Andersen Nursery said most homeowners should wait longer than that. "Most established plants will need no water for another week," said Mahady.
The best time to water plants is in the morning or evening.
More importantly, watering at these times actually helps the plant retain water. If you water in the afternoon, especially during summer, the heat and sun are at their peak and the plant's water will evaporate instead of absorbing into the soil and roots.
Plants are influenced by all of the environmental changes around them. Plants respond to the vibrations of nearby sound which turns on two key genes inside of them that influence their growth. Plants also increase photosynthesis production in response to carbon dioxide, which is a by-product of human speech.
If the sun comes out after an extended rainy period, it is not unusual to see vegetable plants wilt or collapse because the bright sun causes the leaves to lose water rapidly. If the roots aren't absorbing water properly, that leads to wilting.
If you have a garden, you may have noticed your plants wilting or just not growing. You can blame all this rain for causing the roots of plants to rot.
Most houseplants can tolerate tap water, but some may be more sensitive to its quality. Research the specific needs of your plants to determine if tap water is suitable or if you need to make any adjustments.
Plants with long, narrow foliage such as Spider Plant, Peace Lily, Dracaena, and Prayer Plant can be negatively affected by tap water high in fluoride. Plants also prefer their water at a pH level between 5.0 and 7.0.