Benefits of using Rainwater in your Garden

Have you ever observed that plants look extra refreshed after rain showers? If you haven’t, try looking out when the next rain occurs and you’ll see that it’s true. Your next question may be, “Why?“

Let’s now discuss the benefits of using rainwater on your plants.

What is Rainwater?

Rainwater is a product of precipitation which is a natural process that happens as part of nature's water cycle. For a tropical country like Nigeria, the rainy season is one thing we can take advantage of, especially in terms of irrigating our gardens. In fact, it still is the best source of high quality water for plants.

Not only that, rainwater also replaces the groundwater source that we utilize via boreholes and wells for domestic use and consumption such as drinking, bathing, laundry, toilet flushing among others.

Why is Rainwater Beneficial for Plants?

So, what makes rainwater special? Why is it beneficial for your plants? Rainwater is known to be a soft form of water. This means that it does not contain dissolved salts of minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium. This makes it advantageous for plants because the odds of accumulating such salts on the leaves, stems, and soil is minimized.

Rainwater is also free of chlorine making it unharmful for your plants especially for those species that are chlorine-sensitive. While chlorine is a form of micronutrient that functions in chlorophyll formation, enzyme activity and cellular development in plants, too much of it can lead to toxicity.

Above all, rainwater is a free source! Admittedly, using tap water on plants can be costly especially if you have a large garden where you need to water everyday. When the dry season arrives, the use of stored rainwater is a big help.

How to Save Rainwater for Future Use?

Saving rainwater is an easy thing to do and will bring more benefits to your garden and household.

Basically, you can use a huge and clean container tank to collect rainwater. Make sure to securely cover the container to avoid mosquitoes from breeding in it. It would help to attach a faucet on the container so it would be easier to discharge the rainwater when needed.

Alternatively, you may also attach a garden hose for hassle free watering. Attach an outdoor tap connector to the faucet of the container first, then, fit the garden hose. This will help you aid in watering the plants in your garden.

You can also have a rainwater harvesting system (RHW) installed in your household. This installation would initially require investment but it will help you save the money used for paying water bills in the future.

Alternatively, if you have roof gutters already installed in your home you can have them directed into a tank where the rainwater can be collected into tanks.

Aside from garden use, you can also use this water for your domestic needs.