Just realized my balcony tomatoes needed a different kind of water

I was at the local community garden tour in Austin last month, and I saw a gardener using a big bucket to collect rainwater for her plants. She said, 'The chlorine in tap water can build up in the soil over time.' I came home and started filling a few old milk jugs when it rains. My tomato plants on the 4th floor balcony look way happier now, with more flowers and less yellowing on the leaves. Has anyone else tried switching to rainwater for their container veggies?

2 comments

2 Comments

richard_nelson20d ago

Oh man, rainwater is a total game changer! I had the same leaf-yellowing issue with my peppers until I started leaving a couple five-gallon buckets out during storms. The difference was crazy within a few weeks. Just watch out for mosquito larvae if you store it for more than a few days. I toss a small piece of mosquito dunk in my big storage bin, works like a charm.

ruby46320d ago

Totally feel you on the rainwater thing. My tomatoes perked up almost overnight once I switched. The mosquito dunk tip is a lifesaver, for real.