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bryony

By Bryony

United Kingdom Gb

Water butt is almost out of water- what to use on azaleas etc.

It has only rained about twice over the last month in my location in the SW and I am running out of rainwater in my water butt. I have some plants like azaleas and hydrangeas which need the rainwater as our tap water is very alkaline/ full of lime deposits (not sure what the proper expression for this is). Is there any way of making my tapwater palatable to those plants or should I start a raindance now?!




Answers

 

You're probably best to keep the butt-water just for the Azaleas etc and use tapwater for all other things (once it has re-filled). In the meantime, tapwater won't hurt them. Better that than no water at all.

24 May, 2010

 

The odd watering with tap water won't kill the plants, Bryony, so not really a problem, but if you're really anxious, used previously boiled and cooled water. That takes the lime out (and leaves it all over your kettle!)

24 May, 2010

 

I was going to say cooled water, as it gives the impurities time to take a hike lol

24 May, 2010

 

Cool tap water, unboiled, will have lime in it, Great - unless you live in Devon or the west country generally, where god forbid you use too much soap, you can never rinse it off again cos the water's so soft. And its the lime that's the problem for acid loving plants.

24 May, 2010

 

I meant boiled first Bamboo!!! i know about devon and soap lol done that a while back ha ha ha Soft water heaven, absolute heaven! I miss it

24 May, 2010

 

Oh, I hate it, takes so long to get any soap off...

24 May, 2010

 

Great for the skin though

24 May, 2010

 

Thanks, I will use cooled water, and I suppose if I use ericaceous feed then some effects of any lime (impeding nutrient absorption) might be counteracted.

I miss soft water, it makes your hair so shiny! Hate hard water, appliances are always breaking because they are clogged up with deposits.

25 May, 2010

How do I say thanks?

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