Spring water for growing plants?

[Robinwilliam]

Is is true that the quality of water effects the plant growth? If so, can spring water be used instead of tap water? which water grows plants much better?

[Rowangreen]

It depends how you define 'quality'. In the UK at least many bottled 'spring' waters contain high levels of minerals. That might be a selling point for humans, but might not be great for plants that naturally live in mineral-low enviroments. Depending what your tap water is like, it might be better.

Processes which remove minerals produce purer water, which will be better for some plants, and produce a 'base' to which you can add the correct minerals for each plant. Eg de-ionised, reverse osmosis, distilled, rainwater (naturally distilled, but might contain pollution in some areas) and possibly filtered.

Not good: any process that add mineral salts in, including softened water (apparently some reverse osmosis systems re-add stuff as a final stage)

It also depends on the plant: most of mine do fine on my hard tap water. I just make sure to flush the pots on every watering so that minerals/salts don't build up. It's actually quite good for Paphs that naturally grow on limestone. I do get some de-ionised water for very sensitive plants, such as carnivores.

PS: nice try but no prize. I checked out the Samantha Springs website, and I don't see any listing of mineral contents, (except for being sodium free). Though I do notice that your water seems to be 'permitted as a public water system' and sold as an 'alternative to tap water'. I do love it when people sell water from one locality in another in fancy bottles! (Including coke bottles in this case...)

[Ray]

RG - the only "re-add" I've ever seen with RO systems is a calcite cartridge to stabilize the pH and improve the taste of the pure water for drinking or cooking. I suppose it might be OK to add calcium for plants, too, but my fertilizer does that....