Carmen S asked:
I have a new housemate who is putting buckets of standing water (which I fear will attract mosquitoes) around the backyard, because he’s off the belief it needs to sit around for up to 3 days to dechlorinate the tap water for his tomato plant and other garden items. While I’ve heard of doing this for you fish in a fish tank, I’ve never known anyone to bother doing this for plants. His only evidence that this is necessary is the “salts” that build up on plant pots from tap water. But as the plants themselves draw nutrients from soil and water – including salts I would think – does it effect the plant growth or health whatsoever if you use fresh tap water w/ whatever the local chlorination level is?
Again, he is doing this for outdoor plants planted in the ground, and some outdoor plants in pots – but not indoor house plants – as far as I know. So don’t the outdoor plants in the ground at least have sufficient drainage? (i.e. how would you “flush” them, or would you need to?)
Tags: Housemate, Indoor House Plants, SitI have a new housemate who is putting buckets of standing water (which I fear will attract mosquitoes) around the backyard, because he’s off the belief it needs to sit around for up to 3 days to dechlorinate the tap water for his tomato plant and other garden items. While I’ve heard of doing this for you fish in a fish tank, I’ve never known anyone to bother doing this for plants. His only evidence that this is necessary is the “salts” that build up on plant pots from tap water. But as the plants themselves draw nutrients from soil and water – including salts I would think – does it effect the plant growth or health whatsoever if you use fresh tap water w/ whatever the local chlorination level is?
Again, he is doing this for outdoor plants planted in the ground, and some outdoor plants in pots – but not indoor house plants – as far as I know. So don’t the outdoor plants in the ground at least have sufficient drainage? (i.e. how would you “flush” them, or would you need to?)
7 Responses to 'Is it necessary or at all beneficial to dechlorinate tap water you use to water a garden?'
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You are right. Open buckets of water are a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and doesn’t help the plants a bit. If he really wants to give the plants better water, he needs to get a rain water catching system that has a covered barrel to prevent the breeding ground for the mosquitoes. And yes, there are salts in the water and they will eventually build up in houseplants but I would take them outside and flush them if I saw signs of salt damage (browning at the tips of the leaves). I think I’ve done this once or twice in my life and I am 66!
ps.. I AM a believer that rainwater is far superior to tap water for the plants.
There is very little chlorine in the tap water we drink, however, chlorine is very alkaline. Adding to much of an alkaline substance to the soil can cause the plants not to uptake nutrients as they need to. Also like your friend mentioned, the salt build-up can cause a problem. Gypsum will displace the salt in the soil, as far as p.H. goes, he can add a small amount of pelitized sulfur to the soil, test the soil first, the p.H. ideally should be between 5.8-6.5 You can get a small test kit for around 5-6$ at Ace Hardware and do it yourself. These steps will correct the tap water, and cause there to be no need to breed mosquito’s in standing water. Plus it will eliminate a lot of hassle.
Here is an article on this that will keep the buckets of water out of your yard..tap water will not have no ill effects on garden plants..however swimming pool water will for it is highly concentrated with chlorine..but this is an added item and not one already contained in the water..
It really depends on where you live and the time of the year as to how much chemicals are mixed into your drinking water. So you will probably have a variety of opinions in that area. In some areas you do need to leave water out to allow it to evaporate. But this process should only take 24 hours if the water is kept in the sunshine. Also as long as the water is being used then refilled, you should not have a problem with the mosquitoes, the water will need to be standing for about a week for a hatch to occur.
The whole of the city where I live has been using it for over 25 years on their gardens and there’s been no problems so far so.
I read somewhere that the chlorine evaporates from a jug of water into the air after a few hours so I would doubt you would need 3 days anyway. You will have to see if you can get some scientific research on the net to back up your argument your housemate sounds a bit ‘driven’.
It is not necessary or beneficial.
The amount of chlorine being fed to your outdoor plants is negligible.
Once the water mixes with the soil and moisture already present in the soil I would be surprised if chloride would be detectable at all – besides, plants need traces of chlorine which is in the soil to begin with.
Your housemate is wasting his time.
If he is using ‘artificial’ fertilizer, he should be more concerned with the damage that might be doing than the small amount of chlorine in your drinking water.
By the way – the chlorine in your drinking water is a gas. It begins to evaporate immediately once the water comes out of the pipes. That is why there are those of the belief they should let the water they are using for their houseplants sit overnight or for 24 hours to give the chlorine time to evaporate. I think they are wasting their time also.
Some people are also of the belief the minerals in faucet water are a problem. Waste of time.
The fertilizer salts they are using are more of a problem – they build up and burn the roots of potted plants. That’s why they need to be flushed every so often – and what do we flush them with – tap water.
Edit: The reason we need to fertilize our houseplants is because the soil mixes we use are devoid of any nutrients or minerals.
The minerals in our tap water are actually helpful. Our garden soil is jam-packed with minerals and nutrients.
If you planted your houseplants in a potting mix from the store (without any added fertilizer) and watered those plants with de-mineralized, un-chlorinated, pure H2O – the plants would die for lack of nutrition.
I even use my discarded water from my aquarium to water my plants…mmmmmm… full of good stuff