Water-saving measures are a key issue in climate change, with many garden owners wondering whether their plants can be watered with chlorinated water? Given the water shortage, legal changes such as pool bans and limited lawn watering are on the horizon. This is leading some people to look for ways to reuse pool water to irrigate their gardens. But is this even possible and can you water plants with chlorinated water? Below you will find some useful information and tips to help you avoid related errors.
What happens if you water plants with chlorinated water?
In addition to chlorine, pool water could also contain other chemical substances such as bromine, cyanuric acid and oxidants. In addition, it remains in the swimming pool, which is a regularCleaning the poolrequires. This allows you to free pool water from pollutants of organic and inorganic origin. Such treatment is carried out using various chemicals. Can such an irrigation method be beneficial for the plants in the garden or would it cause considerable damage to the crops? There's no question that it can save water, but is it actually suitable for irrigation?
At first glance it seems oftencloudy pool waterHarmful to most plant varieties unless chlorine levels are reduced. This usually eliminates bacteria and algae in the pool, as chlorine acts as a disinfectant. However, it also oxidizes other materials or contaminants and, at high levels, can also damage plants. In small amounts, chlorine is harmless, although tap water is usually chlorinated. However, excess can cause burns to young plant leaves. Additionally, too much chlorine can yellow vegetables and prevent seedlings from rooting and germinating. Additionally, at high concentrations, when you water plants with chlorinated water, the chemical also has a detrimental effect on the growth process. However, there is a chance to prevent this by considering some simple but thoughtful strategies.
How does small amounts of chlorine affect plants?
Watering your plants with chlorinated water when chlorine levels are low can actually be beneficial for them. The substance, administered in small quantities, turns out to be an insecticide because chlorine eliminates pests or other bacteria and mold. However, the negative or positive effects of chlorine are closely related to the concentration and the plant variety. Most plant species are resistant to small amounts of chlorine, although some crops such as grapes and avocados cannot withstand it. Even if you water them with pool water that has a low concentration of the chemical, it will be toxic to them.
The hydrogen peroxide contained in pool water can also have a positive effect on the garden soil and the plants growing in it. It is able to bring the composition of domestic water closer to the natural composition that plants receive from snowmelt and precipitation. The atomic oxygen contained in the substance not only helps disinfect the soil, but also supplies cultivated plants with oxygen.
Can lawns and plants be watered with chlorinated water by reducing the chlorine content?
If you have treated your pool water with chlorine, it is entirely possible to use it to water seedlings of tomatoes and other varieties such as cucumbers, garlic, onions and flowers. It would even make sense for garden and house plants to spray plant leaves with chlorine-containing water to provide them with a protective film against pests and plant diseases. However, if there are high concentrations of chlorine in the pool, it is advisable to wait a few days for them to decrease before watering plants with chlorine water.
In addition, lawns tolerate chlorinated water and you can use it to water your garden areas or vegetable garden. If you clean your swimming pool with ozonation, pool water will also benefit the plants. This is because ozone quickly takes the form of dissolved oxygen, which has a positive effect on most crops. When it comes to lawns, pool water with reduced chlorine levels does not harm the grass because it is not enough to interfere with its nutrient uptake. Since lawns are also typically exposed to constant sunlight, this also mitigates the negative effects of any high levels of chlorine in the pool water. Otherwise, you can take some of the following steps to reduce his concentration.
How can you reduce the chlorine content in pool water?
As written above, you should not add any chemicals to your pool for about a week before watering. Additionally, you can use three methods to remove chlorine from pool water. These include evaporation, filtration and chemical neutralization. If you want to evaporate chlorine, it can be a little time consuming but beneficial because you don't have to spend any money to do it. To do this, you simply have to let the pool water evaporate under the sun so that the chlorine turns into a gas.
To get rid of chlorine chemically, you can use potassium metabisulfite (E-224), which is available in tablet form. One tablet can remove chlorine from around 80 liters of water, and this can be done very quickly. When it comes to the method with filtration, a process called reverse osmosis is used. This allows you to filter pool water using a semi-permeable membrane and get rid of any impurities. Reverse osmosis is an equally quick method, but it can be costly. Such a filter system is usually installed on site and is more worthwhile for larger, public pools or factories.
How can you water or spray plants with chlorinated water?
Most plant varieties benefit from micronutrients to thrive, although they require different amounts. The nutrients required in small quantities are the micronutrients, with chlorine being a vital micronutrient for almost all plants.New research shows, that pool water can be a potential source of nutrients. It also contains zinc and bromine, and when the effect of chlorine in the water is less, these nutrients can prove helpful to plants. If you want to try such a method of watering in different ways, you can follow the steps below.
- When watering plants with chlorinated water, you can use a spray bottle to fill them with pool water. However, you should clean and disinfect these beforehand.
- You can then use the methods described above to reduce the chlorine content. After filtration, the bottle will also not clog when spraying.
- Try spraying the relevant plant with pool water on both the top and bottom of the leaves. Also treat the topsoil with it.
- To ensure that the plants absorb water and nutrients optimally, you should water or spray your plants with chlorinated water in the morning or evening. Otherwise it will evaporate in the heat.
- Additionally, you can also use shallow and smaller containers that are slightly wider than your flower pots and place the plants in them.
- Then, aim for a water level on the side of the flowerpot that is 1 to 1.5 inches high when watering plants with chlorinated water.
- First, you can let the plant sit in the pool water for about 20 minutes and then test the soil for moisture with your fingers.
- If the soil is moist but not waterlogged, you can remove the pot and position the plant so excess water can drain away.
