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Well, assuming your rainwater isn't polluted (as in heavily laden with sulphuric compound, acid rain stuff from some detroit/allentown smokestack) rainwater is better. It's softer, usually has a slightly acidic pH and often has some marginal nitrogen content from atmospheric electricity.

Bypass the first rain, which washes out most of the pollutants, and start collecting on the second day.

Generally speaking, well water is terrible for plants and probably the last choice. It is heavily laden with dissolved minerals. My municipal water is about 50% well water from time to time, but you never know what kind of batch they are going to mix from month to month, so I just deal with it.

Chlorine isn't great for plants either. There is an inline filter available from ***CHARLEY*** that will filter out a lot of that with activated carbon. Whether it works on chloramines, I don't know.

Measure your water with a pH test kit for pools. If it comes up alkaline, you should probably be using MirAcid and not Miracle Gro (same company, different product). Unless that is, you are growing one of the very few alkali loving plants like.... I don't know... maybe Buttonwood. Everything else likes a neutral to slightly acidic pH.

If any of that isn't clear, please ask again for clarification!

Regards,

Matt

8-Nov-2003	#2
TreeBay Tips:5¢ Advice:Free *MODERATOR GROUP* Join Date: Aug-2001 Location: Silicon Valley Country: USA USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: 4 Posts: 9,745	Well, assuming your rainwater isn't polluted (as in heavily laden with sulphuric compound, acid rain stuff from some detroit/allentown smokestack) rainwater is better. It's softer, usually has a slightly acidic pH and often has some marginal nitrogen content from atmospheric electricity. Bypass the first rain, which washes out most of the pollutants, and start collecting on the second day. Generally speaking, well water is terrible for plants and probably the last choice. It is heavily laden with dissolved minerals. My municipal water is about 50% well water from time to time, but you never know what kind of batch they are going to mix from month to month, so I just deal with it. Chlorine isn't great for plants either. There is an inline filter available from *CHARLEY* that will filter out a lot of that with activated carbon. Whether it works on chloramines, I don't know. Measure your water with a pH test kit for pools. If it comes up alkaline, you should probably be using MirAcid and not Miracle Gro (same company, different product). Unless that is, you are growing one of the very few alkali loving plants like.... I don't know... maybe Buttonwood. Everything else likes a neutral to slightly acidic pH. If any of that isn't clear, please ask again for clarification! Regards, Matt __________________ Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today! bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!