A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The House Plant Forum aerating the water before watering

I have always heard that you should not water in the late afternoon as it is bad for the oxygen content in the soil for the night time -- and oxygen being necessary for the cracking of the co2 molecule and producing growth. I wish to give my plants as mush opportunity to develop as I can...

So the questions are as follows:

1 - Is there any advantage in aerating the water before watering?

2 - Adjusting the PH of the water before applying to the plants?

3 - Is it wise to use tea bags in the water?


The PH is 7.5 to 7.7

pure distilled water (the water we use for labs and titrations) is 7.0 with no ions in it. From what I know, I don't think it's necessisary to aerate the water, as I've never done so before. Water in its purest state is just hydrogen and oxygen. If you add oxygen to the water molecule you get peroxide, but I doubt that's what aerated water is. I don't see any harm in aerateing your water, but every time you water from above, you rinse any residual salts and add oxygen into the pot to fill the space between soil particles. I use water straight from the tap, or I let it stay uncovered for the chlorine to evapourate. Tea contains antioxidants. I've heard of using weak tea to water before, and I've also heard of using tea to water seedlings because it helps prevent damping off.

Aerating the water for your plants won't do any good. The roots need air to "breath", not aerated water. One reason you let the soil dry out a bit between waterings is to let the air get down there. The roots don't need much, but they do need some.

Don't bother adjusting the pH of your water. I work with a pH of around 8.5, both soil and water. I can't grow Azailias(sp) or Blueberries. Everything else does fine.

As far as the tea goes... I have no idea.

why not, not water at night? maybe your overthinking mother nature? water when dry....feed your soil (compost). tea bags...that's feeding your soil -okey dokey!