While the distillation process helps remove contaminants that can be harmful to plants, it also removes minerals that are good for plants. Over time, using distilled water for plants can result in stunted growth and discoloration because they aren't getting the nutrients they need.
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.
Reverse osmosis is a more complex filtration process and can remove chemicals from tap water, making it safe for plants. It is an effective process of filtration, clearing out chlorine, sodium, and chloramines, along with other toxic materials.
Misting is highly recommended at least once a month, and more often with species that enjoy it (see full list below). Be sure to spray the top and underside of your leaves, and if using for cleaning your leaves, wipe the leaves down with a cloth after misting to remove dust.
Some plants want daily misting; others are OK with two to three times a week.
Differences between Filtered Water and Distilled Water
Filtered water can remove many impurities, including chlorine, and sediment, but it cannot remove all impurities such as heavy metals bacteria and viruses. Distilled water, on the other hand, produces water that is almost pure, with virtually no impurities.
All water -- no matter if it comes from a natural spring, artesian well, or regular tap -- may have trace but safe amounts of minerals, bacteria, pesticides, and other contaminants. Distilling rids water of all those impurities. It also removes more than 99.9% of the minerals dissolved in 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.
Give Your Plants the Right Nutrients
Make sure your water filter removes contaminants but won't strip away beneficial minerals in the process. You'll also want to ensure that there are no harmful chemicals in your tap water, but that healthy minerals remain.
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.
While distilled water won't actually harm your plants, you will notice that your plants won't grow as quickly or as tall as plants watered with rainwater or bottled spring water. Some people have also suggested adding Epsom salts to grow plants faster, though there's no proof that this helps your plants either.
Examples of some plants that don't appreciate misting are succulents and other drought-resistant plants like Aloe Vera and Jade Plants, as well as any plants that have fuzzy or hairy leaves, as it is easy to cause these kinds of leaves to rot if they get too wet.
It is possible to overmist? As they say, too much of anything is still too much. Repeatedly dousing your plants with moisture is no exception, so Resta says be careful not to overdo it. "You want to be cautious about how much water may be gathering on your leaves' surface," she notes.
The biggest difference between bottled water and distilled water is that bottled water is meant for drinking and distilled water is not. This is because of the mineral content of each form of water, which is determined by the way in which these products are filtered or purified.
The reason for the controversy is that minerals such as sodium, calcium and magnesium that are essential for our health are removed together with harmful pollutants during the distillation process.
Is bottled water distilled? Bottled water is not distilled. Rather, it undergoes some form of filtration process, typically reverse osmosis. The differing tastes of bottled water brands stem from the minerals added to the water after filtration and can also be affected by where the brand sources its water from.
When you want the cleanest water that you can find, it's recommended that you opt for distilled water. If, however, you want to drink clean water that's somewhat healthier, you should choose purified water. Both types of water are healthy for you as long as you maintain a balanced diet.
As a rule of thumb, all cacti, drought tolerant plants, and the great majority of succulents, should never be misted!
Types of Plants That Like Mist
(Zebra plants, orchids, arrowhead plants, and begonias are just a few others that love mist.) "It's best to mist each of these plants as you see the top inch of the soil become dry to the touch," he says.
As for misting — for the plants that need to be misted to thrive like air plants and ferns — it's best to mist them in the morning *and* the evening whenever possible. The morning mist helps to prepare them for the day ahead, while the evening misting helps create a little extra humidity.