If you read our posts often, you know that water purification systems are a hot topic! That’s because in the Midland and Odessa area, hard water is a common problem, and many homeowners want purer water for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing – anything. But one angle we don’t usually discuss is the impact of treated water on plants. In this post, we’ll discuss a few options to keep your indoor and outdoor gardens blooming!
WATERING OPTIONS
We all have options for the water we use to water our yards and plants. These are the most common:
In West Texas, both city and well water are likely to be untreated hard water, meaning it contains minerals like calcium and magnesium. This is what causes that chalky buildup around your faucet heads.
Soft water has been run through a water softener which adds ions in the form of sodium (salt) that neutralize the minerals that cause the hardness of the water.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems are basically high-tech filters that remove any impurities in your water. This leaves it fresh and clean, and as close to pure H2O as you can get!
A final option for watering plants is rainwater, which usually lacks minerals and is considered soft. However, if you are relying on rainwater to keep your garden green in West Texas, good luck!
INSIDE/OUTSIDE
So which is preferred for watering plants? Obviously, that calcium buildup that shows up on faucets and bathtubs is equally bad for plants. In fact, the buildup can get so bad, that it actually rejects the nutrients that are normally present in clean water! However, for outdoor watering, a normal amount of hardness, or excess minerals, is typically not enough to cause a problem. It’s those delicate indoor plants that need special care and protection from the minerals in hard water.
But there’s one more thing to consider – the tiny amount of sodium used in water softeners could create a salty buildup for your indoor plants. That’s why water from a reverse osmosis system (or rainwater, if you can find it) is the most ideal water to use when watering indoor plants. If you do use hard/untreated or softened water on your indoor plants, it’s a good idea to use RO water occasionally, just to keep them healthy.
WE’LL COME RUNNING
Despite our dry climate, there are plenty of gardeners, both indoor and out, here in West Texas. If you want the best indoor water for your plants, let City Plumbing install one of our state-of-the-art reverse osmosis systems. Make an appointment online, or call us today at (432) 366-2401 and one of our experts can explain your options and what an RO system would mean for you, your home, your family, and your plants! Give us a call, and we’ll come running!
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