Tap water varies widely depending on how it’s treated.
Bob Stefko
Its perfectly reasonable to be concerned about thewater you provide to your houseplants.
Learn about chlorine, chloramine, and other potential issues here.
Credit:Bob Stefko
What’s the Source of Your Tap Water?
Your tap water may be from a couple of sources, depending on where you live.
That source may or may not be great for houseplants.
Credit: Bob Stefko
Many rural families get water from a well, so their tap water is well water.
However, most people in the United States get tap water from a community or municipal water system.
All municipal water systems must be tested and disinfected for public health.
Several chemicals are used, with chlorine being a common choice.
Your municipal water company is required to provide anannual document called a confidence reportstating their practices and chemicals used.
Other possible chemicals added to municipal water include chloramine and fluoride.
The low levels of these chemicals arent harmful to most plants in small doses, but effects can accumulate.
Over a period of time, the additional sodium in the water becomes toxic to plants.
This problem can usually be solved by flushing the pot and soil in the sink.
Even in cities with high water utility prices, tap water is far cheaper than bottled water.
Since most plants arent bothered by tap water, its probably OK to use it.
Plan on flushing your houseplants once or twice yearly, especially if you apply fertilizer often.
Plants whose native habitat includes especially clean water or specialized conditions are also more likely to be affected.
Generally, these are any plants that grow natively in specialized locations such as peat bogs.
This will be any carnivorous plant, likeVenus fly trapandpitcher plants.
Other chemicals like fluoride and chloramine are harder to remove.
Bottled water may be the best solution for fussy plants.
If your plants look unhappy, flush the soil and switch the water source.
Rainwater, bottled water, and distilled water are good filtered options that wont harm houseplants.
It contains lots of minerals and nutrients from the fish, which helps your plants grow.
