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Is it my imagination, or do plants love real rain more than being watered by humans?

PeterJarvisPeterJarvis Posts: 123
in Plants
I could swear that after real rain, plants look much healthier and in some cases, they've grown more, than when I water them myself. Is this true and if so, why? What's going on here?
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Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Certainly the weeds grow faster.
  • chickychicky Posts: 10,410
    edited June 2021
    Real rain soaks everywhere properly- your watering will be local.  And rainwater is much better for ericaceous plants - tap water is alkaline and locks up nutrients.  So, yes, plants like it better 😀
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    They do I had sowed another batch of climbing French beans,they have grown 6inches in a couple of days
  • ERICS MUMERICS MUM Posts: 627
    edited June 2021
    I imagine there’s more minerals etc in rain water than tap water and certainly less lime.

    colours certainly become more vibrant after a good downpour.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    My Celtic roots don't mind a good soaking either. I'm certainly more comfortable than I was a few days ago.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I think plants just get a proper deluge when it rains hard. We don't really mimic that watering as humans.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Rain  rain and rain. It can never do what the hose does.
    That is why we need to catch all we can  when it does rain and then use it again.
    Wonderful rain.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUH7PM0-cpI

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    You can see the effects tap water has on certain plants. Houseplants will start to suffer if you only ever use tap water on them, tillandsia (air plants) won't tolerate the stuff, succulents can do quite badly from it too. Apart from being too cold, the chemicals and minerals aren't ideal for plants. In the garden the plants get rained on to help ease the effects but houseplants often start to sweat salts and things after too much tap water.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    It's nature right, how plants are meant to be watered. It provides water to the whole plant, washing dust of leaves, soaking the whole ground around a plant and doesn't have any of the added stuff like tap water. You can't get near replicating it with any watering system 
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