With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley.
While many of us consider the quality of our water for drinking, protecting food and even protecting our appliances, we often forget that there are other areas of our property that can be affected. Whether you have a green thumb or just want to brighten up your garden, you may need to consider which type of water is best. The right choice of water can make the difference between a vibrant garden packed with colour or a tired looking yard with plant growth issues. With a choice of soft water, hard water or reverse osmosis, you need to explore to make the right decision for your garden. So, here we’ll explore the impact these different types of water can have on your garden, to help you make an informed decision about the water treatment options you need in your home.
Hard Water
Hard water is extremely common throughout Canada and the rest of North America. It contains elevated levels of magnesium carbonate and calcium. Inside your home, this can cause spots, stains and scale accumulation on fixtures and inside your appliances. Hard water has a terrible reputation for being harmful to our homes, as scale accumulation can compromise the efficiency and lifespan of your water using appliances, fixtures, and pipes. Outside, is a different story. In the right amounts, these hard water minerals can actually be beneficial for your plants. If the levels of magnesium and calcium are too high, they can cause stunted growth in more diverse gardens, but some plant species can thrive with this type of water.
Unfortunately, hard water often has a high alkalinity, which can cause issues for acid loving plants. If you’re growing Begonias, Caladiums or Azaleas, you should check your water pH. If hard water is creating high alkalinity, you may need to switch to reverse osmosis for more controllable watering.
Soft Water
While soft water can be extremely beneficial inside your home, it can be detrimental to the plants in your garden. If your garden receives lots of rainwater, the occasional exposure to soft water is not likely to be harmful. Unfortunately, watering your plants exclusively with soft water is not recommended. Most water softener models use sodium chloride in the process of ion exchange to remove the calcium and magnesium particles that are creating hard water. This can lead to a build up of sodium gradually accumulating in your garden soil, which can cause problems with plant growth.
Instead of using soft water, use reverse osmosis or hard water for the plants in your garden. Most water softener models feature a bypass that will allow untreated water to be accessed by your outdoor spigot. This will allow you to only have soft water where you need and want it. A bypass will enable you to have the best of both worlds, with untreated water for your garden, while providing the protection of softened water for the rest of your home.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse Osmosis systems can significantly reduce the contaminants in your water supply. Water is passed through a semipermeable membrane, allowing 99.9% of contaminants to be trapped. RO systems are effective at removing heavy metals, minerals, bacteria, and even viruses. This means that these systems are even effective at removing e.coli and other potentially harmful bacteria and viruses.
In the garden, reverse osmosis water can be a great choice for plant diversity. The most significant benefit is that RO systems provide consistent, clean water, which allows you to control the fertilizers and nutrients added with ease. If you have iron, chlorine or bacteria problems in your garden, you should appreciate how beneficial reverse osmosis water can be for your plants. It’s like having clean rainwater direct from the tap.
Additionally, the pH of reverse osmosis water is easily changed. So, if you have plants that have specific alkaline or acid requirements, they are sure to benefit from the versatility offered with reverse osmosis water. You can simply add nutrients or fertilizers as required for the optimum health of your plants.
Conclusion
Water is a vital component of a vibrant garden and healthy plants. While it is okay to water your garden with hard water, gardens with delicate or diverse plant life may still have problems. When the only source of water for your garden is hard water, you may start to notice growth problems and other plant issues. You will need to keep an eye on any potential damage caused by high levels of minerals or the alkaline pH of hard water.
While it’s okay to use soft water on your garden, it doesn’t actually provide any benefits for your plants. Soft water should only be used on outdoor plants that receive natural rain. You should also be wary of using softened water when you have very high levels of hardness in your untreated water. The harder your water, the more sodium will be used to soften your water. This may mean that your plants and soil are vulnerable to an increasing build up of sodium. In this scenario, you should use normal tap water for your plants, so you should employ a bypass from your water softener to allow untreated water for your outdoor tap.
Reverse Osmosis should be considered the best water type for serious gardeners. RO water allows you to precisely control the nutrient flow for your plants and garden. You should use reverse osmosis if you want to take care of the delicate plant life in your garden.
If you’re unsure about the best type of water treatment for your home and garden, you should speak to a water treatment expert. An experienced professional can not only assess your water to diagnose any quality issues, but also guide you through the treatment options that are best suited to the specific characteristics of your water supply. This will ensure that you can enjoy all the benefits of treated water inside your home without compromising the health and aesthetics of your garden and plant life.