Water is essential for plants’ optimal growth and survival. While most people stress over the accurate amounts of water provided to the gardens and houseplants, experts like Chad Massura, a professional gardener and CEO of Rosy Soil, take it from a different perspective. He shared how the composition of water used in homes impacts soil microbiology. Organic and living soils can get disrupted when interacting with hard water that contains minerals like chlorine and chloramine. “Fluoride toxicity can lead to tip burn and leaf discoloration in sensitive plants,” Massura said.
Therefore, if possible, gardeners and plant enthusiasts should use filtered water to water their houseplants. This is generally convenient for people with built-in filters with taps or fridges, or by simply filling a pitcher from your filtered water source and feeding it to the plants. This is especially important for plants that are struggling to survive or showing signs of poor health indoors. The filtered water eliminates hard water elements like chlorine, fluoride, and other salts that accumulate in the soil and interfere with the beneficial bacteria in the soil. "Outside, the chlorine usually binds with soil or gets washed down, but in a pot, it can build up, causing some issues,” Massura explained.
The majority of the world uses tap water sources to nourish plants. Calcium, magnesium, and other salts are a common occurrence in hard water and cause buildup in the soil, obstructing the flow of nutrients to the roots. Hard water can be beneficial for alkaline-loving plants like cacti and succulents, but other plants like blueberries and orchids, which thrive in high pH levels, it is not ideal. Plant owners must consider the probability of their tap water deteriorating the soil quality in pots. "If your tap water is on the softer side and doesn’t contain high levels of chlorine, it may be fine for most plants,” the expert revealed. @GardeningInCanada also shared her take on the ideal water for plants on YouTube.
However, tap water is barely a cause for concern for most plant owners, as houseplants seem to do fine with regular watering. Sara Bendrick, landscape designer and contractor at Sarita Landscapes, noted that water quality varies from place to place. So, people must look out for their water quality type and adjust their plants’ watering needs accordingly. It all comes down to preferences and the water supply in every home. Yet, Massura insisted that filtered water is “preferred” for houseplants with limited soil resources. According to Culligan, a study found fluoride, a common element in U.S. municipal taps, can inhibit photosynthesis due to buildup in the soil.
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