Is Bottled Water Good For Plants? - Indoor Home Garden (2024)

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Is Bottled Water Good For Plants? - Indoor Home Garden (1)

If you’re passionate about gardening and caring for plants, you might have thought about whether bottled water is good for plants or not. You’ve probably already tried using different types of water to grow and maintain the health of your plants. So let’s take a look at what type of water is good for your plants.

Is bottled water good for plants? Well, yes. Plants need water to grow. And any type of water is good for plants. A better question, though, is, how good is bottled water for plants? The answer to that is, it depends. Some types of bottled water are good for plants. Others are not so good. Among the different types of bottled water, spring water is deemed best for plants. On the other hand, (bottled) purified or distilled water is the least beneficial for plants.

Why Is Spring Water The Best?

Plants benefit from the natural minerals that spring water contains. They will grow faster and fare better. Likewise, distilled water will sustain and maintain your plants. But purified water, including distilled water and deionized water, doesn’t have the nutrients that spring water contains. So if you water plants with that, they won’t grow and thrive as well as they would if you use spring water.

Pros & Cons Of Bottled Water

Each type of bottled water has different benefits and drawbacks for your plants. Check them out below.

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Sparkling Water

This bottled water contains carbon dioxide. It’s a lot like sodas. It adds fizz but without the calories.CO2 boosts nitrogen levels, the amount of plant nutrients, and, the rate of leaf photosynthesis. Some experiments showed thatcarbon dioxide infused watercontributes to plant growth.

The drawback would be the cost of using sparkling water to water your plants. If you maintain a few plants, you can sustain the costs. For a regular to large garden, it’s likely not a cost-effective way to water your plants.

Spring Water

You can call quality bottled spring water as the purest of the pure. Bottlers collect it from underground sites where water naturally flows upwards to the surface.As it flows through the rocks, it absorbs natural minerals. It’s alsofree from contaminants and chemicals.

The drawback would still be the same as sparkling water, which is, the running costs of using bottled spring water for your plants. If you’re lucky enough to have access to a nearby spring, then well and good. Otherwise, expect regular trips to the shops.

Mineral Water

Bottled mineral water is basically the same as bottled spring water. But there’s even more mineral content. This type of bottled water contains at least 250 parts per million TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). Very likely, there are also sodium traces along with calcium, potassium, and sulfates. Some bottling companies further add minerals.

There are some drawbacks to using bottled mineral water for your plants. First is the cost. Next, it may slow down plant growth. And your plant may not be as healthy. The high mineral and sodium content may pose problems to your plant.

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There are also additives in mineral water that your plant doesn’t need. If these remain in the soil along with the salt content, your soil may get affected.

Purified water

Purified bottled water has undergone treatments like reverse osmosis (deionization) or distillation. These treatments remove bacteria and dissolved solids.

Commonly, purification methods will remove beneficial minerals as well. But, there are some companies that purify water in different stages. Stages include a process where minerals are added back to the water.

The main drawbacks to using this, primarily, is the cost. Second, with less mineral content, your plants benefit less.

Further, some purification methods consequently inject additives or unnatural components to your water. Thus, can cause your plants to suffer from stunts in growth.

Is Bottled Water Good For Plants? - Indoor Home Garden (2)

What Other Types Of Water Can You Use On Your Plants?

If you can’t get your hands on some bottled water, there are other options available. As I’m sure you’re already aware!

Tap Water

Tap water is every home’s basic and regular water source. It’s what gardeners commonly use to water their plants. There isn’t much of a drawback since running costs are definitely lower compared with buying bottled water for plant use.

But there is a drawback for places which have hard water. This means tap water in those areas has extra chemicals like magnesium and calcium. High concentrations of sodium may also be present since sodium softens water.

If you live in such a place, consider using a charcoal filter to water your indoor plants that don’t get rainwater.

Rainwater

Naturally, rainwater is the best choice for watering plants. It’s natural. It doesn’t have hard water elements. The pH level is suited for most plants.It’s also free. When it rains, it pours. And your plants get watered by mother nature. You may also collect rainwater in containers. Just don’t store them for a long time.

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Use them whenever you can. Else, the container may become a breeding ground for bacteria. That will be harmful to your plants.You should apply proper cleaning methods to your rain barrel or container. And always ensure that you pour the rainwater on to the soil and not directly on the leaves.

The only drawback is the seasonality of rainwater. Droughts will cut rainwater supply. You may also run out of stored rainwater in summer.

Well Water

Well water is untreated groundwater. It is likely hard water as well. In essence, well water is rainwater that’s moved through the soil and collects in an aquifer (an underground permeable rock that stores water). It’s likely to absorb other components. Therefore, it’s not pure. Well water is generally deemed unsafe for human consumption. But like with rainwater, plants can receive well water.

If you have well water, you can use them on your plants. There seems to be no drawback to using well water on plants. It’s a free source that households and farms have been utilizing to water their gardens.

Boiled Water

Some gardeners treat water with boiling. Boiling water will kill contaminants and bacteria that are harmful to your sensitive plants. If you suspect that your tap water is contaminated, this is an option for you.

Remember to cool the water before using them on your plants, and use a saucer. Heat may damage your plants. It may even kill them.

Is Bottled Water Good For Plants? - Indoor Home Garden (2024)

FAQs

Is Bottled Water Good For Plants? - Indoor Home Garden? ›

Although most people fill their watering cans with tap water, that may not be the best type to keep your plants healthy. Instead, homeowners should use rain, well or even bottled water. Why? It has to do with what's in the water – rain, well and bottled water are the purest options.

Do plants grow better with bottled water or tap water? ›

While both water sources should allow the plants to grow, the findings should be that the bottled water will provide more nutrients to the plants than the tap water.

What is the best water for indoor plants? ›

Unless there is something seriously wrong with your tap water, then tap water is better than filtered water for plants. Plants need minerals. By the time it makes it through to roots and into the plant, traces of chlorine or other disinfectants in tap water are converted to a trace of salt.

Can I water my plants with a water bottle? ›

Bottle Watering

This indoor plant watering system uses empty bottles to help keep your plants alive while you're away. For plants in small or medium planters, a standard water bottle provides enough for about three days. For larger plants, use something bigger like an empty wine bottle.

Can I water my plants with expired bottled water? ›

If you're a frugal or environmentally-conscious person, you may wonder how to salvage your expired bottled water. While you may be tempted to give expired water to your plants or pets, your idea may backfire, as the same contaminants that put your health at risk could also make them ill. They need clean water, too.

Which bottled water is good for plants? ›

Natural spring water is the ideal water for plants as it contains natural minerals that promote plant growth. Spring water, unlike tap water, comes from natural sources, and pure, clean, and safe to use for gardening.

How long should you let tap water sit before watering plants? ›

Run your sink into a watering can, cup, or bucket, and let it sit for a good 24 hours. This will allow chemicals like chlorine and fluoride the time to evaporate from the water. We like to have a full watering can ready to go with still water so that if our soil seems dry, we can water our plant without waiting a day.

Can I use bottled water for indoor plants? ›

Although most people fill their watering cans with tap water, that may not be the best type to keep your plants healthy. Instead, homeowners should use rain, well or even bottled water. Why? It has to do with what's in the water – rain, well and bottled water are the purest options.

What can I use instead of distilled water for plants? ›

Alternative Forms of Water

Your plants can survive on RO water, but the water lacks all nutrients, even more so than distilled water. If watering on an RO system, we recommend adding a well-balanced fertilizer to your plant's feeding schedule. The best water for your plants is rainwater. It's clean and chemical-free.

What time of day should I water my plants? ›

The best time to water plants is in the morning or evening.

Morning watering is actually preferable to evening watering as the plant has time to dry before the sun goes down. At night, water tends to rest in the soil, around the roots, and on the foliage, which encourages rot, fungal growth, and insects.

How do you use plastic bottles to water your garden? ›

Drip Irrigation

Start by cutting off the bottom of a plastic bottle then poke or drill holes into either the cap or neck of the bottle. Bury the bottle upside down close to a plant so that the holes lie about four inches (10cm) below the surface.

Can plants drink water through their leaves? ›

While plants can absorb water through their leaves, it is not a very efficient way for plants to take up water. If water condenses on the leaf during high humidity, such as fog, then plants can take in some of that surface water. The bulk of water uptake by most plants is via the roots.

Why bury glass bottles in the garden? ›

One thing to note is that bottles placed upside down in the soil can also be filled with water and have holes pricked in the lids. They will then add thermal mass to keep temperatures stable in a growing area, and can slowly release water for plants in the same way as watering globes bought for this function.

Is Dasani water good for plants? ›

Do not give them tap water or purified drinking water (such as Aquafina or Dasani) or they will quickly turn into mutated carnivorous plants and eat you. (we're just kidding, obviously.) However, your plants will thrive on what is best for them: Pure Spring Water.

How long is water safe in plastic bottles? ›

How long can you keep bottled water? According to the US Food and Drug Administration, bottled drinking water doesn't require an expiration date. We recommend to use the standard best practices and to consume the bottled water within 2 years from the date of manufactured.

What type of water makes plants grow faster? ›

The best water for your plants is rainwater. It's clean and chemical-free. Rainwater contains the highest levels of oxygen, which is beneficial to plants. High oxygen content in water leads to larger root mass, encouraging faster intake of nutrients and plant growth.

Do different brands of water affect plant growth? ›

In the end, the hypothesis was rejected. Plants watered with tap water grew shorter than others. The data showed that purified water made the plants grow the tallest while mineral and spring produced stronger stems and healthier leaves.

What liquid will make a plant grow faster? ›

Carbonated water

Carbon Dioxide is a fundamental element of the photosynthesis cycle, without which the plants can't make their own sugar. Carbonated water includes macronutrients that are needed for their development.

Does tap water have enough nutrients for plants? ›

To understand which type of water is best, it helps to know what's in each kind of water. Tap water is suitable for most plants. However, some are too sensitive because of the chemical properties of water. Tap water can contain varying levels of minerals, salts, and chemicals.

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