Rainwater for Plants

Only a devoted gardener can understand that the joy the heaven sent showers bring to his plants cannot be replaced by the same amount of tap water delivered through hoses, drip or sprinklers. So when we talk about rain water harvesting, watering plants is one of the most important requirements that it can be used for. At our rented home, we did not have a rainwater harvesting system at the disposal; so, we used to collect rainwater in containers, whenever possible to satiate the plants placed indoors or under the porch. Therapeutically rain has immense benefits to plants that none of us can deny but at the same time there are other technically explainable reasons as well that throw some light on the importance of rain for plants.
Tap water contains chlorine, which is an important disinfectant, and fluoride, which helps to prevent cavities. Both these elements in traces might go unnoticed through our system, but they definitely have a great impact on the soil. Chlorine halts biological growth and is therefore very harmful for microorganisms that impart life to the soil. All the effort that you put to make your organic manure/ compost go down the drain when chlorine and other minerals snatch away the life in it. Burnt leaf margins are proof that most plants are prone to chlorine toxicity. A number of indoor plants, like the spider plant and Dracaenas, are also prone to fluoride toxicity.
Rainwater is comparatively a lot softer than tap water and hence plants require a soft water drizzle once a while to flush the excess amount of minerals have built up in the soil. Some of you might think that if just mineral impurities are an issue then why we can’t simply feed RO water for raising healthy plants. While it might keep a couple of your plants happy, it’s practically not feasible to feed RO water to entire garden or a green balcony. Rainwater is a sustainable way to keep your plants happy in harmony with nature. It not only nourishes your plants, the persistent showers also dislodge the grim and pollution on the leaves. In fact, the boost in photosynthesis due to better absorption of light after the rains is one of the reasons behind signature lush green foliage of the monsoons.
It feels blissful to observe how a tiny sapling or a decade old tree all dance to the tune of the tickles sent by the raindrops. Our agricultural system was designed according to the rainfall patterns of the respective region and if we would have walked on the rules of nature, climate change would never have led to the de- synchronization of ages old harmony between irrigation requirements and seasonal rains. Planetous aims at spreading water awareness to every household and organization across the globe. Conserve the rainwater and use it to the maximum potential. Rainwater deserves to be treated as a premium quality source of water. Its conservation is not just a way of saving water; it is an opportunity to store a reserve of premium quality water for irrigation, for domestic supplies and of course for potable requirements. For more articles on water conservation and awareness click “Next Article”.