Do you like gardening? Have you ever wondered why your plants look withered? Despite you've done everything to take care of your plants. You may even spend a lot of money applying various treatments yet still not see significant results. With this situation in mind, you may also wonder if gardening is not for you.
For those of you who want to start your gardening journey, don't be discouraged! Maybe the simplest thing, like watering your plants, might be the problem. Did you overwater your plants? Underwater them? Did you pay any attention to the water content that you use to water your plants? Simple things such as how frequently you water your plants and what kind of water you use to water your plants might be the cause. A call for plant enthusiasts to pay attention to not only the quantity of the water but also the quality of the water used in gardening. As technology develops, you can use various tests to determine the content in your water. This method seems costly and troublesome, but it really impacts the soil fertility and your plant's growth.
Water Sources Back Then vs Now
If we look back to the hunter-gatherer period around 12,000 years ago, we can see that people back then did not need to carry out various tests on the water they used to water the plants. They even only used rainwater or river water for agricultural processes since the water source is still very pure. There was no involvement of chemical fertilizers, which made plantation products very organic.
However, along with the industrial revolution, several indicators also affect the quality of water sources on earth, which greatly affect plant fertility. In the geographical aspect, water quality can be different for different locations. The quality is affected by the distance to the sea, the intense sunlight exposure, erosion, deposition and runoff. Geographical location affects pH, temperature, odor, taste, and mineral content dissolved in groundwater. For example, water supply near mountainous areas (volcanic areas) has a higher temperature and contains salt, ions and sulfur. The release of groundwater to the surface is sometimes followed by the release of harmful gasses such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and methane.
On the other hand, from a behavioral perspective, various industrial and domestic activities also pollute water sources. At the individual level, some irresponsible parties can contaminate the water with household waste dominated by plastic. This waste can produce microplastics that interfere with soil quality and damage tree foliage and bark level, thereby interfering with the water absorption process by plants. Meanwhile, at the industrial level, dissolved chemicals from factory waste can disrupt the photosynthesis process carried out by plants in producing food. Therefore, you must pay more attention to the water source used in watering the plants in your home.
To farm on a large scale (agriculture), farmers usually use rainwater or river water to water their plants. Rainwater is an excellent water source for watering plants because it is naturally soft water that contains little magnesium and is free from chlorine. For domestic purposes (watering houseplants), rainwater is beneficial but quite difficult to accommodate. Only houses with large yards can easily build rainwater reservoirs to collect rainwater, whereas it cannot be implemented for apartments. Rainwater is also not a permanent source of water; the water discharge will be greatly influenced by the intensity of the rain (affected by geographical location). Therefore, another possible and feasible option used by most households is tap water. But keep in mind that some of the compounds in tap water can actually affect plant growth.
Here are some of harmful component in tap water
1. Chlorine/Chloramines (Cl)
Chlorine is a compound commonly used as an essential ingredient for making disinfectants. The chlorine content comes from the water purification process from several water supplies. The addition of chlorine is intended to kill bacteria that contaminate water. The average level of chlorine in the water supply in Indonesia is around 0.708 (normal range of 0.20 – 1.45 ppm). The use of water containing chlorine in watering plants can kill good bacteria and microorganisms needed by the growing media. In some cases, a high level of chlorine content can cause brown tips and spots on the plant leaves.
2. Fluoride (F)
Fluoride is a type of mineral that functions to compose the formation of bones and teeth in humans. Some water supplies use fluoride in the water for dental benefits. However, it should be noted that even small levels of fluoride contained in water can interfere with the photosynthesis process and the respiration process of houseplants. The fluoride content does not have a significant impact in a short period of time. However, the build-up of fluoride that is formed in plant tissue will gradually have an impact on toxicity and necrosis.
3. Heavy Metals
Apart from chlorine and fluoride, other dangerous ingredients are heavy metals which include Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As), Chromium (Cr), Thallium (Tl) and Lead (Pb). The content is mainly found from wells obtained from a certain depth. High levels of heavy metals in water can interfere with the growth of plants and lead to senescence (cell ageing), thereby disrupting plant productivity.
Some tips that can be done to reduce side effects are exposing water to direct sunlight (12-24 hours before the watering process) or adding chemical liquids to neutralize the water. Likewise the water filtration process is also often used to eliminate some of the harmful content to plants. The filtration process can take place physically with technology or chemically with the addition of chemical substances. No matter what methods are used, the aim is the same to purify water. Filtering water can be costly for watering plants on a large scale, so a rainwater reservoir can be a solution. However, water filters can become very handy for those of you who live in urban areas and apartments with potable plants and hydroponics.
Filtered Water for Watering your Plants!
Terra Water Indonesia offers water filters that are not only intended for agricultural purposes but are also safe for consumption. The Terra filter uses clay to block parasites, colloidal silver to kill bacteria, and activated carbon to remove excess chemicals and odors. With a filtration speed of 2 liters per hour, you can filter water from tap water or well water the night before, and it's ready to use the next morning. The filtered water is very safe for watering and for spraying the houseplant's leaves. The purity resulting from the filtration process will not interfere with plant growth and is safe from toxins that trigger brown tips and spots on leaves.
Recent laboratory results from Terra Water show that the levels of Chloride and Fluoride are below the maximum limit (138.56 Mg/l for Chloride and 0.28 Mg/l for Fluoride). The filtration results are also free from various heavy metal content such as Cadmium (0 Mg/l) and Lead (0 Mg/l). With a water filter from Terra Water Indonesia, you can elevate your gardening experience; therefore get your unit now!