The window sill, the conservatory or other places with tub or potted plants enrich the home and even serve as a substitute for the non-existent garden for many people. In addition to occasional fertilizing and cutting, watering is probably the biggest effort when dealing with the plants. But which water is the right one? Can boiled water be used, or does it even damage the plants?
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Boiled water and its properties
At the beginning, the question certainly arises as to what is so special about boiling the water intended for watering. By heating above the boiling point, two main effects are achieved:
1. Disinfection
The heating kills pathogens contained in the water, above all bacteria and other microorganisms, with a high level of reliability.
2. Descaling
The limescale that is always present to a greater or lesser extent in normal water is not destroyed by the boiling process. However, as part of the cooling process in the water, it flocculates and settles at the bottom of the container. Heated irrigation water is not completely freed from limescale, but it is significantly less limescale than any form of “untreated” tap water.
Harmful or useful?
If you take a very striking look at the effect of boiling, it quickly becomes clear that there are hardly any negative effects to be feared from the water treated in this way. The reasons are obvious:
1. Lower risk of illness
Due to the extensive elimination of pathogens in the water, this transmission path is practically eliminated. Since rain, wind and migrating animals living on the plants from other carriers of pathogens within closed apartments are also unlikely to play a role, the risk of plant diseases can be reduced to a minimal residual risk by using boiled water.
2. Full nutrient supply
Since watering is primarily a source of minerals in addition to liquid, boiling the water does not affect this supply in any way. On the other hand, organic substances that are more easily damaged by heat are usually obtained from the soil or from fertilizers added there.
3. Less nuisance from limescale
In addition to preserving the nutrients during the cooking process without reducing the dose, boiling has another positive effect on the supply of the plants. Lime can noticeably impair the absorption of various elements by the plant organism. If the amount of lime added via the water is reduced, disruption to the nutrient cycle is also minimized. Compared to unboiled water, the same water in boiled form has a significantly more positive influence on the supply of the plants watered with it.
Boiled water necessary for these types of flowers
All in all, using boiled water is definitely beneficial for watering houseplants. However, there are also various types of plants for which it is even expressly recommended to only use liquid that has been pre-treated in this way. These plants do not react differently to dissolved lime than other plants. However, the dose at which the adverse effect occurs is much lower. Frequently encountered examples of particularly lime-sensitive plant species are:
- Azaleen
- Eriken
- Ficus Benjamini
- Camels
- Myrthen
- Other bog plants
- Usambaraveilchen
- Christmas star
Boiled and distilled?
Again and again one reads about distilled water in addition to cooking. Never confuse these two related processes! Because while the liquid water is heated to over 100 degrees Celsius when boiling, the rising water vapor is caught and condensed again when distilling. However, since the steam cannot transport any nutrients, distilled water no longer shows any traces of lime, but just as few nutrients! While boiled water is clearly beneficial for your plants, using distilled water will permanently harm them by stripping them of salts and other essential minerals.
