Oh I’m confused now if I should use soft water or not thank you for advice
I wouldn't except in a severe drought when it could be that or nothing. But when I put that opinion up against people more expert than me, I lost. So I'm probably over cautious.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
@hotchocolatelover A lot of water softeners use salt. its best not to use grey water on your plants thats been softened with salt. HTH.
Thanks Achtung great link.
I really think they should re-think the terms used. Grey water in the true sense is run-off ie. roofs etc. which no doubt we all capture and store longterm.
What they are advocating is actually classed as waste water (even the stuff captured in the bucket in a shower ) and has the potential for great risk even in timescales way short of hrs. I wouldn’t water an area used as a seating/dining area and certainly not near any area used for edibles. Goes without saying, never on edibles.
I really think they should re-think the terms used. Grey water in the true sense is run-off ie. roofs etc. which no doubt we all capture and store longterm.
What they are advocating is actually classed as waste water (even the stuff captured in the bucket in a shower ) and has the potential for great risk even in timescales way short of hrs. I wouldn’t water an area used as a seating/dining area and certainly not near any area used for edibles. Goes without saying, never on edibles.
The definitions are well established; rain water is any surface run-off, grey water is from any 'clean' internal house water use - basins, baths and showers and therefore containing soap, fats and skin and hair. There is a 'black' water definition too, but I'll leave that one in case you're still eating your breakfast.
Rainwater is usually safe to store for quite long periods. Grey water isn't. Grey water can be safe for watering plants, especially if you use soaps that don't contain chlorine, triclosan, sulfates, formaldehyde, fragrance or parabens.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
That's right cornelly I've often thought that, our boiler is upstairs and it takes about two minutes before hot water comes through the kitchen tap I'll have to try and save it. Don't shoot me down but I'm sure that I heard someone on television make the statement that as people were saving water from going down the drain during drought periods it may cause the sewers to stop working properly as they need a steady flow of water to flush them through.
I really think they should re-think the terms used. Grey water in the true sense is run-off ie. roofs etc. which no doubt we all capture and store longterm.
What they are advocating is actually classed as waste water (even the stuff captured in the bucket in a shower ) and has the potential for great risk even in timescales way short of hrs. I wouldn’t water an area used as a seating/dining area and certainly not near any area used for edibles. Goes without saying, never on edibles.
The definitions are well established; rain water is any surface run-off, grey water is from any 'clean' internal house water use - basins, baths and showers and therefore containing soap, fats and skin and hair. There is a 'black' water definition too, but I'll leave that one in case you're still eating your breakfast.
Rainwater is usually safe to store for quite long periods. Grey water isn't. Grey water can be safe for watering plants, especially if you use soaps that don't contain chlorine, triclosan, sulfates, formaldehyde, fragrance or parabens.
They may be well established in gardening, I’m not, to noob for that. Sadly I’m established in the water utilities industry and we have differing uses of the term.
Not doubting the safe use on plants, just how the area is used afterwards, the risk of spreading pathogens is high even if it isn’t ‘black water’. If it’s used in area where you dine then there is a risk of touch contamination, personal choice I suppose..
Yes, grey water storage is not a good idea. Washing up water straight on the garden is great. Some people fix up their washing machines to expel their water on to the flower beds, but you need to have the right height level of your machine to do this. Mine is set below the garden so would be a faff. Using eco soaps is probably a good idea if you are considering any of the above.
I will not use soft water due to high salt content from google search I have Daphne shrubs and can’t take this risk will just save rain water I only used soft water for about a week so if it rains it should balance itself out tha k you all
Posts
Not garden related... but my Renal consultant banned me from any form of softener or aftermarket filter due to the salts used.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I really think they should re-think the terms used. Grey water in the true sense is run-off ie. roofs etc. which no doubt we all capture and store longterm.
What they are advocating is actually classed as waste water (even the stuff captured in the bucket in a shower ) and has the potential for great risk even in timescales way short of hrs. I wouldn’t water an area used as a seating/dining area and certainly not near any area used for edibles. Goes without saying, never on edibles.
Rainwater is usually safe to store for quite long periods. Grey water isn't. Grey water can be safe for watering plants, especially if you use soaps that don't contain chlorine, triclosan, sulfates, formaldehyde, fragrance or parabens.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
They may be well established in gardening, I’m not, to noob for that. Sadly I’m established in the water utilities industry
Not doubting the safe use on plants, just how the area is used afterwards, the risk of spreading pathogens is high even if it isn’t ‘black water’. If it’s used in area where you dine then there is a risk of touch contamination, personal choice I suppose..