Benefits of Rainwater for Plants

If you struggle to keep plants alive and thriving, the answer could be simpler than you think! Plants are living things, and just like us, they need the right environment and nutrients to be healthy. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing an addition to your home garden that could change the game, and benefit your plants—rainwater!

Rainwater is Clean

Unlike tap water or groundwater, rainwater is free of chemicals, pesticides, salt, and other additions like fluoride. This means that rainwater is the purest water for your plants, and can actually help prevent harmful buildup of these harmful toxins in your soil. Another way to explain the difference between rainwater and city water would be to say that rainwater is “softer.”

Rainwater is pH Balanced

If you’ve done some deeper research into gardening, you know just how important pH balance is for soil, and overall plant growth. In other words, some acidity is great for plants; while being not acidic enough can be the difference between a thriving or wilting plant. Tap water is generally alkaline, as well as containing all different types of harsh cleaning products, soaps, shampoo, body wash, and much more. So by the time your tap water gets to your plants, its acid content can be very unhealthy. Use rainwater instead to help keep your plants’ pH perfectly balanced. 

Rainwater has Important Nutrients

As rain falls through the sky, air, and possibly lands before dripping onto the ground, it picks up all kinds of nutrients along the way. For example, if rainwater drips off of your roof and onto your plants, not only are they getting the benefits we already discussed, but they are also being fed from the organic matter the drops pick up from your roof. These nutrients can come from plant matter on your roof, wild animal droppings, and more. However, you can also take advantage of this by storing rainwater in special barrels that keep all these nutrients alive and active for your plants. 

Rainwater Contains Nitrates

Nitrates are very important to plants, because they allow them to be more productive and grow bigger and stronger. However, nitrogen by itself, and in many other forms can be difficult for your plants to absorb enough of. So this means that supplementing your plants with nitrates may not be providing them with enough of this nutrient. If you really want to make sure that your plants are getting the nitrates they need to thrive, try watering them with rainwater! Rainwater keeps nitrates in the soil, where your plants can feed off of them straight from the roots. 

I hope that these benefits of rainwater for plants has inspired you to give it a try for your home garden! Let me know in the comments below if you try it, and if you notice a difference in how healthy your plants are. Bonus points for before and after pics! ;)

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