Is Rainwater Good for Houseplants?

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Is Rainwater Good for Houseplants

As the monsoon season is in full swing, the beauty of your houseplants will flourish as the rainwater washes down them and fills them with the nutrients and minerals that encourage houseplant development and make them healthier. Rainwater is excellent for growing houseplants, and as the monsoon season is in full swing, the beauty of your houseplants will flourish.

Many people feel that since the monsoon is the most helpful season to the environment, this is the best time to keep houseplants outside because they will develop swiftly during this time of year.

The monsoon season causes houseplants to seem healthier, lusher, greener, and cleaner than during other times of the year. Because it is an excellent ecosystem, and more significantly, the recent rains speed up their pace of development in that setting.

Is Rainwater Good for Houseplants?

Rainwater is healthier than tap water in various respects. It includes fewer chemicals, fewer minerals and salts, and no toxins that could harm your houseplant.

You may have heard many times from gardeners and farmers that lack of rain results in poor quality of crops. Why is that?  Why aren’t they simply using water from the tap or a well? When it comes to chemistry, here is where things become interesting. In most cases, tap water has a higher concentration of disinfectant chlorine.

Plants are highly susceptible to chlorine. In addition to chlorine, fluoride is added to the water supply to prevent cavities. A significant number of indoor plants are believed to succumb to fluoride’s toxicity, which manifests in burning, a change in coloration, or spots on the leaves.

Houseplants that Grow Better with Rainwater

  • Pothos Varieties
  • All Kinds of Ferns
  • All Kinds of Swiss Cheese Plants
  • The Beautiful Orchids
  • Spider Plant Types
  • All Types of Snake Plants
  • All Types of Fig Plant
  • Types of Syngonium

How is Rainwater Good for Houseplants?

Rainwater is Safe for Houseplants

Rainwater is just pure hydration; it does not include salts, minerals, or treatment chemicals like regular tap water.

Groundwater and surface water may be tainted with contaminants or include chemicals accumulated in the soil over time. Because of this, groundwater may not only be toxic to plants but also be of no value to them.

Watering plants with tap water or groundwater might be more dangerous since the chemicals are absorbed into the soil and do not have the room to spread out as they would in natural plant beds if the plants were watered with these types of water.

It is best to store any rainwater to water your houseplants.

Rainwater has pH Levels that Match Your Houseplants’ Requirements

We all know that rainwater has a trace amount of acidity, which places it precisely on the pH scale at 7. The range of pH values from 5.5 to 6.5 is considered most favorable for plant growth. The tap and groundwater water often have a pH of way over 8.0, which is harmful to the plants.

However, if combined with rainwater, it can potentially restore the pH level to the neutral zone. Rainwater also assists in flushing out any toxins or chemicals in the soil, putting the soil’s pH level into the appropriate range.

Rainwater Contains Beneficial Components for Houseplants

The macronutrients in rainwater are the most effective nitrogen for promoting healthy plant development. Rainwater also provides your houseplants with necessary micronutrients.

Because certain forms of nitrogen cannot be absorbed, it might be challenging to readily deliver the appropriate nutrients to the houseplants.

Obtaining nitrates directly from rainfall will help you develop your houseplants more quickly. Nitrogen is the primary component responsible for the plant’s health and growth; thus, receiving nitrates directly from rainwater is extremely beneficial.

Rainwater Provides the Soil of Your Houseplants with Essential Nutrients

Many nutrients and minerals in the soil may be readily absorbed by the roots when they are soaked by rainfall. This may be simpler for the plants grown outdoors in the flowerbeds, but rainfall may be difficult to get for plants grown inside unless they are positioned on the balcony or on the rooftops.

You can install rainwater irrigation systems to guarantee that the houseplants you put in tiny indoor plant pots receive the same amount of nutrients and water they need to survive. This will allow them to develop at a faster rate.

Rainwater is Organic Food for Houseplants

As it rests, rainwater will pick up organic particles from the air. Rainwater that has been let to sit for some time will continue to gather substances that are good for your plants even after drinking directly from the sky is healthy. 

The water your plants drink will become more beneficial to them if you add pollen, dead leaves, and even the excrement of birds.

Your plants will benefit from a moderate liquid fertilizer since it will feed them when they are watered. Rainwater is far less harsh on plants than the plant food sold in stores.

Rainwater Reduces the Concentration of Chemicals

It is quite probable that the water that comes out of the tap contains trace quantities of fluoride and chlorine due to the purifying operations performed on the water.  This water may harm the plants. 

On the other hand, rainwater does not include any of these chemical contaminants. Therefore, the potential toxicity of chemicals like chlorine and fluoride is avoided when houseplants are watered with rainfall. This protects the plants from these chemicals. 

Rainwater not only dilutes the toxins but also contains nitrate, a form of nitrogen found naturally in rainfall. It is an excellent supply of elements for plant growth.

Nitrogen is a plant’s most important nutritional component to thrive and develop. As a result, the greenness of plants may be improved by watering them with rainwater.

Difference Between Rainwater and Tap Water

In most cases, rainfall is preferable to houseplant owners than tap water in terms of its ability to sustain plant life. It has a lower concentration of chemicals and a higher level of oxygen. Any plant, whether a houseplant or an outdoor plant, will benefit more from watered with rainwater. 

Chemicals are added to city tap water to disinfect it, combat germs, and perform other similar functions. Because less rainfall is available to flush the chemicals away regularly, houseplants may be more sensitive to the effects of these chemicals than other plants.

Because less rainfall is available to flush the chemicals away regularly, houseplants may be more sensitive to the effects of these chemicals than other plants. The fluoride often found in tap water is another factor that might limit a plant’s ability to absorb water via its roots.

Your plants will be less likely to be damaged by things like pests if they only have limited contact with the outside world.

Therefore, it is necessary to strike a balance between the plant’s exposure to items that might harm it and the good rainfall that falls on it. A few quick outside visits should be fine to enjoy a light spring rain.

Read Is Epsom Salt Good for Houseplants?

Collecting Rainwater for Your Houseplants

Plants are found everywhere in nature, and despite man’s best efforts, we cannot recreate in their entirety what took nature millions of years to create.

Even if people can’t replicate nature completely, we can still use the resources that are freely available to us so that we may continue bringing life into our homes. Nature provides the ideal environment for plants to thrive.

Many different approaches may be taken to collect rainwater; however, most of these approaches include setting a container in the open air to catch the rain or collect any runoff.

If the sole purpose you have in mind for the water you collect is to utilize it on your plants, then it is perfectly OK to collect runoff from your roof.

A rain collection barrel will be the superior choice if you want to put it to use for other purposes than collecting rainwater.

When you collect rain from the roof, in addition to the rain, you may also be receiving chemicals off the roof, animal excrement that is being washed off by the rain, and any other pollutants that have accumulated on your roof since the last time it rained.

Although these toxins would harm human health, plant life may benefit from the potential addition of more nutrients they can use.

Even if stagnant water, such as that which would accumulate in a bucket, for example, might have an unpleasant look and would make a person ill, a plant would consider it a delicious gift!

While you probably shouldn’t rely on standing water as a consistent supply for your plants, giving them a drink from time to time is not a bad idea. In any case, bottled water is preferable to water from the tap.

Utilizing rainwater gathered in a container or pond is the best choice. It will include things like bacteria and other natural goods that will fertilize your plants in addition to watering them.

Read Why are my house plant leaves drying up

What Does Rainwater Contain That is Good for Houseplants?

Ammonia

Ammonia is an essential component for plant growth since it contains nitrogen. Nitrogen encourages the development of houseplants and boosts their growth, ultimately resulting in a houseplant with better health.

In addition, it is necessary for the process of photosynthesis, which may be defined as the transformation of light energy into chemical energy in plants.

Carbon Dioxide

It is important for plant development since rainwater contains carbon dioxide, which has been shown once again to be necessary. In places with high CO2 concentrations, the pH of the rainfall ranges from roughly 5.6 to 6.8. This indicates that the rainwater is acidic and perfect for your houseplant!

Read Why Do House Plant Leaves Turn Yellow?

Why Should You Use Rainwater for Your Houseplants?

In places that are experiencing droughts, it helps to preserve water. Water conservation may be necessary for some regions, particularly those at risk of being ravaged by wildfires. 

If you collect rainwater and then use it to water your plants, your houseplant will bloom in such a way that you will know you have done your part right in taking care of your houseplants and that you are also doing your bit to save water by reducing the amount of water that you use. Every little bit helps, especially considering how far along climate change is.

Rainwater is organic, and if you are one of the many people worried about the number of chemicals in our tap water, you should know that trying to grow your plants organically as much as possible is beneficial not just for your plants but also for the environment. 

It is preferable to try to grow plants, even houseplants, without the use of pesticides.

At least from the perspective of the plant, rainwater is similar to a combination of food, vitamins, and water all wrapped into one. It may be beneficial in maintaining their health and allowing them to flourish in an artificial environment.

They will have the greatest chance of survival if you give them water formulated specifically for plant life. If you do this, you will do your best to help them.

Is Rainwater Good for Houseplants
Is Rainwater Good for Houseplants

Our Final Thoughts

With evidence all over the internet from people all over the world, we can confidently say that rainwater is good for houseplants. Not only does rainwater meet the exact acidity for your houseplant, but it also provides them the necessary nutrients all packed in one source.

If you have a lot of houseplants, you may want to explore using rainwater as an alternative to groundwater or tap water due to the high concentration of chemicals and toxins in those two types of water. Rainwater can dilute it while providing a delicious treat for your houseplants, resulting in a healthy plant.

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