We are constantly looking for ways to reuse water at home in order to save money and protect the environment. Since a household dehumidifier can produce a significant amount of water every day, many people wonder if it is suitable for watering plants.
Yes, you can use dehumidifier water for plants except for edible plants. Dehumidifier water may contain trace amounts of harmful microorganisms, putting you at risk if you consume the vegetables watered with it.
In this post, we will cover everything you need to know about using dehumidifier water for plants, such as why dehumidifier water may contain bacteria and fungi and which plants are suitable for watering with dehumidifier water.
Read on to discover more interesting facts about it.
How is dehumidifier water made?
I believe knowing how dehumidifier water is made can help you tell whether or not it is good for your plants.
The dehumidifier works by filtering out the excess moisture in the air in a bid to lower the indoor humidity level. With the help of a fan, the air will be drawn into the condenser coil. When the air cools down, the moisture in the air will be left in the machine and eventually accumulates in the reservoir.
In other words, dehumidifier water is made through a condensation process that turns the air’s moisture into water.
However, moisture will not be the only thing settled out during this process. Along with the water droplet, the bacteria, mold, dust, and dirt will also get into the reservoir, making the dehumidifier water different from distilled water.
The condensed water is usually free of minerals. However, dehumidifier water may include traces of metal that is leached by coils. In addition, the coil can get dirty over time, and the stagnant water in the tank can become the peri dish for mold and bacteria.
Is dehumidifier water safe for plants?
To answer this question, we should figure out if the contaminants in the dehumidifier water can affect the health and growth of your plants.
Luckily, most plants can resist such an amount of contaminants especially when applied directly to the soil.
Soil plays a major role in the decontamination of contaminants, ensuring that contaminants in dehumidifier water are decontaminated over time and do not have a negative impact on your plants.
As a result, dehumidifier water is generally safe for plants.
What makes dehumidifier water not good for edible plants?
Even though dehumidifier water will not wreak havoc on your plants, it is not advisable to use it on edible plants.
Due to the impurities in the dehumidifier water, it is not a type of drinkable water. Actually, it is identified as a type of gray water.
It is difficult to avoid contaminants entering or remaining on vegetables when using them to water them. Consuming these vegetables may pose health risks to you and your family.
Therefore, it’s better to be safe than sorry and don’t water the edible plants with dehumidifier water.
Plants you can water with dehumidifier water
Although it’s not a good idea to use dehumidifier water for edible plants, many other types of plants can still benefit from it.
Carnivorous plants
Since dehumidifier water is free of minerals or only contains traces of minerals, it is great for carnivorous plants to grow and thrive.
Carnivorous plants are adapted to grow on nutrient-poor soil, and they will get the nutrition supplement through insect prey. So the water that contains less heavy metals would be a better choice.
People prefer to use distilled water or rainwater to water them, and dehumidifier water is similar to them.
Flowers, trees, and lawn
We will not eat flowers, trees, and lawns in our garden. Hence, it is safe to water them with dehumidifier water. You can watch their conditions when you first apply it and decide if you will continue to do that.
Do you need to treat dehumidifier water before using it for plants?
No, there is no need to treat it before watering your plants. As I said previously, the soil can treat those microorganisms well. It will have little effect on the plants.
However, it is no harm if you want to take the time to filter it or boil it beforehand.
Cautions when using dehumidifier water for plants
While dehumidifier water is not toxic, you should exercise caution when watering plants.
Know your plants in advance
It is important for you to know what plants in your garden are edible or not. Not only vegetables, but some herbs are also edible, so you should put dehumidified water away from them.
In addition, some plans may be susceptible to some specific bacteria or fungus. In this case, you use the dehumidifier water carefully. For instance, you should avoid applying it on their leaves.
You can try adding a bit to the plants to see if they cause any negative effects.
Note that some plants can grow better with dehumidifier water. So knowing your plants are important when it comes to watering.
Mix it with other types of water
Because dehumidifier water is demineralized, some plants may not be able to get adequate mineral contents as much as before, such as calcium and magnesium which is common in tap water and well water.
When this happens, the plants will suffer from a slower growth rate, small leaves, short roots, and other symptoms.
To remedy this problem, you can mix it with tap water or alternate between different types of water.
Clean the dehumidifier regularly
How clean your dehumidifier water is dependent on how clean your dehumidifier is. While plants can tolerate some contaminants, it is not a good idea to add too many to them.
The coils and water tank can become a thriving environment for germs to grow over time.
As a result, you should clean your dehumidifier regularly to keep the bacteria and fungus at bay.
Conclusion
Reusing dehumidifier water is a good way to reduce our water footprint. Dehumidifier water has many uses, and you can use it for plants.
Watering plants with dehumidifier water is generally safe because our soil can decontaminate the impurities in the water.
However, this condensate is not potable, and you shouldn’t apply it to edible plants in your garden to prevent any harmful substances be absorbed by your body later.
Some plants require additional minerals to thrive. Under these circumstances, you should mix it with tap water.
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