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.
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!
In side-by-side comparisons, plants watered using distilled water tend to grow faster and stronger than those watered with tap water. We find it the “Best Water for Indoor Plants.” Plants watered with distilled pure water usually produce more leaves and grow more vigorously.
Distilled water is healthy for your houseplants because it's free from chemicals, metals, and other impurities. But—distilled water also eliminates beneficial minerals, so your plants won't grow as quickly as with rainwater or filtered water.
Pro: Bottled water can be a great alternative to tap water, if the local water is not safe for plants. If bottled water is the easiest option for you, try to use bottled spring water as it contains natural minerals that help plants grow.
Run your sink into a watering can, cup, or bucket, and let it sit for a good 24 hours. This will allow chemicals like chlorine and fluoride the time to evaporate from the water. We like to have a full watering can ready to go with still water so that if our soil seems dry, we can water our plant without waiting a day.
White vinegar. Because of white vinegar's high level of acidity, it makes an effective acid plant feed. Mix a tablespoon of vinegar into a gallon of water and use the concoction to feed your roses and hydrangeas once a season.
Chlorine and fluoride
Ordinary tap water, well water, rain water, and snow melt are all okay to use if warmed to room temperature. Chlorine added to drinking water does not harm most plants but some may develop brown leaf tips over an extended period of use.
Best Water for Houseplants
Most tap water should be fine for houseplants unless it is softened because softened water contains salts that can build up in the soil over time and cause problems. Chlorinated water is also safe for most houseplants, but if you have a filtration system, that's much better for your plants.
Distilled water is also a good choice and is easy to find at most grocery stores. Finally, you can also use a reverse osmosis filter to make tap water safe for your plants. This type of filter will remove nearly all contaminants from the water, leaving your plants with clean, safe water that won't harm them.
Warm water absorbs into soil best. – Some houseplants are sensitive to tap water. Let water sit overnight for chlorine to dissipate before using. – Plants in large planters dry out more slowly than plants in small planters because of the volume of potting soil.
Overall, distilled water can be good for plants because it helps remove contaminants, but the lack of nutrients means you may need to use a supplement or consider another type of water.
Results: The rainwater and bottled spring water are great at helping plants grow, but the sugar water and salt water actually hurt growing plants. Tap water and distilled water may not hurt the plants, but you'll notice they don't grow as tall and proud as the plants that were fed rain and spring water.
These plants can be extra sensitive to certain types of water, especially if it contains high levels of chemicals like chlorine and fluoride, which are often found in tap water. That's where boiled and cooled water comes in handy: It's free of most pollutants. It's great for both houseplants and garden plants.
Your tap water contains things, like lead, chlorine, and pathogens. These are harmful to your plants and will cause problems when you're consistently watering them with this tap water. Besides these chemicals, the temperature of the water can also play a roll when it comes to plant problems.
Some parts are particularly sensitive to specific chemicals found in tap water. Fluoride is damaging to spider plants, corn plants, prayer-plants, dracaena, and peace lilies.
In general, houseplants' potting soil should be kept moist, but not wet. They normally need watering once or twice a week in the spring and summer, but less in the autumn and winter. However, depending on the type of houseplant, this is not always the case.
Types of Plants That Like Mist
Tropical houseplants and plants that love high-humidity—such as the Chinese Evergreen, Boston Fern, and Majesty Palm—will benefit most from misting, says Plunkett. (Zebra plants, orchids, arrowhead plants, and begonias are just a few others that love mist.)
Boil water, if you do not have bottled water. Boiling is sufficient to kill pathogenic bacteria, viruses and protozoa (WHO, 2015). If water is cloudy, let it settle and filter it through a clean cloth, paperboiling water towel, or coffee filter. Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute.
Coffee grounds add organic material to the soil, helping water retention, aeration, and drainage. 'Leftover diluted coffee can create a liquid plant fertilizer, too. Simply mix two cups of brewed coffee grounds with five gallons of water in a bucket overnight. '
Coffee grounds (and brewed coffee) are a source of nitrogen for plants, producing healthy green growth and strong stems. Coffee also contains calcium and magnesium — both of which are beneficial to plant health. To use coffee as a plant fertilizer, you'll need to dilute it. It should look like weak tea.
Spring water, unlike tap water, comes from natural sources, and pure, clean, and safe to use for gardening. The natural minerals in the water provide nutrients to plants, enabling them to grow luscious foliage, flowers, and fruits. Make sure to purchase bottled spring water from reputable sources.
Most plants are fine with tap water, but some are more sensitive than others. These include cordylines, dracaenas, spider plants and marantas.