Other than conservation, is there any reason to collect rainwater for watering my flowers instead of just using city water? In other words, is there anything more beneficial about rainwater?
— Richard, Shawnee
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rainwater
I just happened to watch a segment on Michael Holigan (7/24) about rainwater and rain barrels. They said that rain water was like using distilled water. Their rain barrel was connected to the down spouts of the house and used to water indoor and outdoor plants.
When rain falls naturally
When rain falls naturally over the area there are numerous benefits. The most important are the cooling effects on the soil and the soaking of the soil to allow for deeper root penetration. Rainfall also helps remove a dusty buildup from the leaves helping the plant work more effectively during photosynthesis. Unfortunately, when watering small areas with collected rainwater these benefits are not as great. There are really no benefits except for conservation and feeling good about your practices. Some might argue that the rainwater contains nitrogen from the atmosphere to help feed the plants, but that effect is pretty small. -- Dennis Patton, Johnson County K-State Extension Horticulture Agent