Rain or Tap

[Chuckles]

Does it matter if you use rain water or tap water for your plants in pots or in the GH. I use both

[blackrose]

Good question, I use TAP but would it not make a difference in what area you come from, Scottish water is soft and really good but in some areas the water is hard and of poorer quality, then I don't actually know if this would make a difference to plants?
Then in some areas in summer with hose bans it has to be rain water from water buts, again I don't have that problem.
Would like to find out the answer though.

[Deleted]

greety said:

Does it matter if you use rain water or tap water for your plants in pots or in the GH. I use both

Alan Titchmarsh recommends using tap water for seedlings as he reckons rain water will cause damping off.

I use rainwater where ever possible - indoors and out.

[Mr Grinch]

They say rainwater is best, especially for house plants and acid loving things like Acer !

Mr G

[Spruance]

I tend to use tap water for GH plants as rain water does appear to promote the growth of green algae on the surface of the compost. Indoor plants also have tap water except those needing rainwater. The carnivorous plants get rain water too.

Whilst it could severely compromise certain plants to be given tap water (Venus Fly Trap etc) I don't think it would be a problem to give rain water to mature plants.

[Cheerypeabrain]

Me too as well also ;D
We use rainwater only for the acers, hydrangea and insectivorous plants...and if there's any water left over in the can that goes on other plants in pots. I was always told to use warmish (not hot) tap water on seedlings, cacti and houseplants.

[4pygmies]

I have my own water supply (lots of households have a borehole in Norfolk still) and all my tap water goes through a huge layer of chalk before it's recycled back to my tank, so I have to be really careful which plants I water from the tap. I try to give most of them a regular drink out of the water butts anyway. No particular reason but I just feel it's better for them .