The weather has been fabulous, nearly 3 weeks of sunshine is quickly making up for our last dismal summer. The only issue is without the rain we will have extremely thirsty plants! A couple of more dry weeks and no doubt we will have a hosepipe ban across the country (there's already two counties under one), so here I will give you some tips on water collection, what is safe to water your plants with and what should be avoided.
Firstly, a lot of household waste water can be gathered, it is known as 'grey water' and is everything from bath and sink water to water you use to wash your salad with. There are a few things to bear in mind when using this trick.
1. Water from baths or sinks that has had a lot of soaps and detergents used in it should never be placed directly on the plant. You should put it a little away (around 10-15cm) in the soil surrounding the plant.
2. Water with softeners is best avoided if possible as it contains quite a lot of sodium which can make the soil lose its acidity. If you do use it, counter the alkalinity by mixing something like Westland Sulphate of Ammonia or Westland Sulphate of Potash into the soil.
3. Grey water doesn't store well. If left too long in a bucket it tends to develop pathogens so use any water as soon as you have it.
4. Don't use grey water on edible plants. It can contain chemicals that are fine for the plant but not when ingested by us.
Another way of gathering water is to get a water butt which will make use of any short rain showers we do have. These are best placed beneath the down pipe at the corner of the house. We have a 100l one here in the garden center which has the added bonus of a tap which makes using the water a great deal easier, it also comes with a lid which means less cleaning and fishing out leaves.
If you already have one and it doesn't have a lid it's important to give it a regular clean as it can harbor pathogens and pests if left too long untouched.
If you are a tea drinker save all your unused tea from the pot, it can be used directly on plants and also gives them a nutrient boost, herbal teas are perfect for this. Don't use tea that has had milk or sugar put into it as this will encourage fungi.
If you have a fish tank and are changing the water, use the water on your plants. Fish tank water is an excellent source of fertiliser for plants. It is particularly good for house plants. The main thing to be mindful of when doing this is to be sure there is no added chemicals in your particular tank ie. medications or salt (on the off chance you have salt water fish).
No doubt there are some water use activities I haven't covered here but just keep your plants in mind any time you are using water in the house. If the water is heavy on detergents or sugar (bacterial growth) avoid using it, if not use it to give to your thirsty plants!
