Is Rain Water Beneficial for Plant Growth?

[pivoxa15]

Some time again, my neighbour told me that rain water is better for the plants than tap water. Is this true? Both tap and rain water come from open sourse such as rivers or paddocks. Tap water has been treated and cleaned. But I guess rain water is pure H20 since heavier elements could not evaoprate. Is that way rain water is better for plants? Does rain water contain more mixtures of nitrogen compounds mixed in it? If so does that help as plants need the nitrogen but cannot absorb it directly from the air.

 

[hypatia]

Rain water is considered "soft" water. Void of the chemicals found in treated water. Its also highly oxygenated and normally of a neutral PH. Plants love it, I collect it for my indoor plants, and use it to rinse my hair.
Durring the summer my rain barrel{50 gal} fills up quickly, my veggie garden does much better sense I've started useing rain water.


This artical may be worth a read.
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/g...ing/water_nitro/water_and_nitrogen_cycles.htm

 

[pivoxa15]

Would you drink it? I once say in a public park, a tap leading to a barrel of rain water. It had a sign saying 'Do not drink'. I wonder why. It seems they only use it for toilet flushing and washing purposes. Is it the case that it's better for plants but worse for humans. How come?

 

[hypatia]

I have drank fresh rain water, with no ill effects. But after it sat for a while in a barrel not sanitized, or sealed correctly, I wouldn't drink from it. Bacteria, micro-organisms or larva may also be calling it home. Yet it still would be fine for plants.
You would also want to avoid rain water if you live in a highly industral area, the rain can pick up chemical laden soot from the factories.

 

[majinmonkey]

dont forget that rainwater picks up a good amount of CO2 in the air, along with other pollutants(they're everywhere now, thank you very much mr. industrial revolution) and may lower the pH.

Rain water is normally not quite saturated in CO2, and has a pH of around 6 in the absence of atmospheric pollutants. This effect is separate from the phenomenon of acid rain, where industrial pollutants such as sulfur dioxide dissolve in rain water and lower its pH drastically

whether or not this has an adverse effect on people or plants or even hair is up to someone else to find out if anyone cares.