WATER

[Ruffsta]

I hear RAIN WATER is the best to use, but here I wonder.. what about SNOW?

it melts to water obviously, but what differences to RAIN WATER as far as properties go?

also, what about DISTILLED WATER?

how long can you store these... I mean without going stale since nothing is being added to them to preserve them? personally I wouldn't want to drink water after a year.. bottled or not.. so what is the best water for plants?

[CharlieBear]

The only difference between snow and rain is the temps they came down in so go ahead and melt some if you like and use it. Distilled water is a waste of money in my opinion. People use is for irons etc when they have very hard, sulphur or a lot of metal in the water. It is also used when you have to have ph7 exactly, no trace elements like medical applications, chemistry, cleanroom environments etc., for watering plants, don't waste the money.

[rainbowgardener]

Agree, I don't think there is any difference between melted snow and rain, except whatever contaminants either one might have acquired on the way to being collected. Distilled water is fine if you want to buy it or spring water. Or you can just use tap water that you allow to sit overnight so the chlorine evaporates out of it. I use filtered tap water that has sat for awhile.

I don't think anything happens to water in clean storage except that perhaps some dissolved oxygen is released so it is a bit less aerated. I don't think it has any expiration date.

Any of these would be fine for your seedlings.

[Tilde]

- stored water that lacks aeration - is that a problem?

because of the hurry-cane threat around here, I keep a little bit of water (36 gal) around that I change out once a year. years I don't use it and don't have a veggy garden I pour it out on the lawn, years I do have a veggie garden, I was going to use it to water plants directly when the rain barrel runs dry ...

[rainbowgardener]

Not a problem!

[Tilde]

thanks!