Watering Seedlings With Well Water

hunter · February 8, 2007

Quick question- Is it a bad practice to use well water from the water softener to water seedlings? I would guess so (and have never used it), but I'm not sure there's enough dissolved salt in the water to cause a real problem.

**carolyn137** · February 8, 2007

I can't see any problem at all in using well water as I've done ever since I moved to this new location in 1999.

If the water is good enough for humans to drink it's good enough for seeds to grow as well.

And yes, I have an attached softener as well.

I've got to tell you, though, I LOVE my well water; it comes out so icy cold and doesn't have any additives that might be found in municipal supply water . And yes, I've had it tested as everyone should who uses well water.

It's a deep 65 ft driven in rock well, not a shallow point type, since the latter would be impossible where I live atop the rocks.

Tomstrees · February 8, 2007

For me - I let my tap water sit at least 24 hours before watering seedlings - lets the chlorine evaporate ...
I use this practice for my bonsai trees and tomato/pep seedlings ~

Tom

ps.
who wishes he had well-water like his parents ... better taste - (me thinks)

giardiniere · February 8, 2007

Well water was all my dad used when I was kid. :wink:
Our garden was quite a ways from the house, but there was a well, about 50' deep, that we would draw water from by hand. That was what my parents used to make their coffee too....and like Carolyn said, it was always good and cold.

dcarch · February 8, 2007

In the olden days, you dump water melons into the well, and next day, ice coooold watermelons.

dcarch

hunter · February 8, 2007

Thanks for the replies! I figured the salt in the softened water would be bad for the seedlings. This news makes my life a whole lot easier!

PaulF · February 9, 2007

Hunter: There is only an extremely small amount of salt in softened water. I think it is said to be about the amount of salt in three slices of white bread.

Water softened water for consumption passes through resins that trap the ions of the impurities, i.e. the hardness in the water (calcium mostly, some iron and magnesium, or whatever makes your water "hard"). The salt comes into play when the resin is flushed to release all the hardness ions and that goes down the sewer and not into your drinking water. However, some sewer systems can't handle all that backflush, but that is another story.

So, after all that, the only salt you or your tomatoes would swallow would be the minute brine atoms left on the resin as it does it's job to collect the hardness ions.

My softener has a bypass so I can get the hard water if I want. Yours might also if you think your tomatoes would need the minerals in the water before the softening process.

I hope this is not perceived as a sales pitch or lecture. It only meant to put aside your fears of salt damaging your tomato plants.

hunter · February 9, 2007

PaulF,

Thanks for the information! It's much appreciated!

February 8, 2007	#1
hunter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 213	Watering Seedlings With Well Water Quick question- Is it a bad practice to use well water from the water softener to water seedlings? I would guess so (and have never used it), but I'm not sure there's enough dissolved salt in the water to cause a real problem.

February 8, 2007	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I can't see any problem at all in using well water as I've done ever since I moved to this new location in 1999. If the water is good enough for humans to drink it's good enough for seeds to grow as well. And yes, I have an attached softener as well. I've got to tell you, though, I LOVE my well water; it comes out so icy cold and doesn't have any additives that might be found in municipal supply water . And yes, I've had it tested as everyone should who uses well water. It's a deep 65 ft driven in rock well, not a shallow point type, since the latter would be impossible where I live atop the rocks. __________________ Carolyn

February 8, 2007	#3
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	For me - I let my tap water sit at least 24 hours before watering seedlings - lets the chlorine evaporate ... I use this practice for my bonsai trees and tomato/pep seedlings ~ Tom ps. who wishes he had well-water like his parents ... better taste - (me thinks) __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

February 8, 2007	#4
giardiniere Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Zone 6, Southeast Kansas Posts: 364	Well water was all my dad used when I was kid. :wink: Our garden was quite a ways from the house, but there was a well, about 50' deep, that we would draw water from by hand. That was what my parents used to make their coffee too....and like Carolyn said, it was always good and cold. __________________ Dave

February 8, 2007	#5
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	In the olden days, you dump water melons into the well, and next day, ice coooold watermelons. dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato

February 9, 2007	#7
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	Hunter: There is only an extremely small amount of salt in softened water. I think it is said to be about the amount of salt in three slices of white bread. Water softened water for consumption passes through resins that trap the ions of the impurities, i.e. the hardness in the water (calcium mostly, some iron and magnesium, or whatever makes your water "hard"). The salt comes into play when the resin is flushed to release all the hardness ions and that goes down the sewer and not into your drinking water. However, some sewer systems can't handle all that backflush, but that is another story. So, after all that, the only salt you or your tomatoes would swallow would be the minute brine atoms left on the resin as it does it's job to collect the hardness ions. My softener has a bypass so I can get the hard water if I want. Yours might also if you think your tomatoes would need the minerals in the water before the softening process. I hope this is not perceived as a sales pitch or lecture. It only meant to put aside your fears of salt damaging your tomato plants. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.