I can attest to the bigger the better. I was recently remarking in astonishment about how much it had rained overnight because of how overflowing my buckets were, forgetting that they were sitting under the roof overhang and catching a much greater surface area. I only cottoned on when I saw the one bucket left out in the open only had an inch in the bottom 🙄
I have extremely hard water and when I have a shortage of rain - often, that is - I fill up my watering can and let it stand overnight. I then carefully pour it into another can, discarding the bottom dregs left behind in the first can, as some of the calcium will have settled to the bottom overnight (using boiled, cooled water from the kettle also works filter out some calcium, but an expensive way of doing it). I have ‘scientifically’ proved this works by looking at the amount of cal build-up left in my dog’s watering bowls. Plus someone on the internet said so, so it must be true!
I then add a strong, stewed mug of tea to each watering can, which also helps reduce the effects of hard water. Plus they get a liquid feed for acid plants a few times a year. This seems to work. I have noticed the difference in the health of the foliage since I started doing this, as opposed to just bunging them an acid feed.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Julia, you can always use cold tea (without milk and sugar) which is naturally acidic. That is a simple solution but as everyone else has said rain water would be best.
Oops sorry @Nollie, I should have refreshed my pages as you have already mentioned the cold tea tip!
Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
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I have extremely hard water and when I have a shortage of rain - often, that is - I fill up my watering can and let it stand overnight. I then carefully pour it into another can, discarding the bottom dregs left behind in the first can, as some of the calcium will have settled to the bottom overnight (using boiled, cooled water from the kettle also works filter out some calcium, but an expensive way of doing it). I have ‘scientifically’ proved this works by looking at the amount of cal build-up left in my dog’s watering bowls. Plus someone on the internet said so, so it must be true!