So does this geranium
The suggested use of grey water for plant irrigation seems to have sent some readers into a tizzy of confusion; therefore, this week, we will take a look at exactly what grey water is and the easiest way to use it for plant irrigation.
Quite simply, grey water is the term used for water which has already been used for things such as showers / hand washing, laundry purposes, washing vegetables and even from washing the dishes.
This water generally disappears straight down the drain into the sewage system but is, as long as guidelines given below are followed, perfectly safe for garden use.
If basic guidelines are followed, grey water is perfectly suitable for the irrigation of indoor and outdoor plants
Grey water is good: ‘Black water’ from toilets and from chores such as washing / cleaning anything or any area which may be contaminated with human waste is not safe for garden use, unless it has been professionally recycled through an approved sewage treatment system.
Ensuring that household grey water is suitable for irrigation does, however, take some effort on the part of absolutely everyone, including domestic help, who may use tap water for whatever purpose; the use of some commonly used substances must be avoided with a switch over being made to more acceptable, environmentally-friendly, alternatives.
To be avoided:
Bleach, chlorine based cleaning products, acid / alkaline cleansers, sodium salts, solvents and any product containing boron as all of these are toxic to plants and can also, over time, cause long-term damage to the soil.
Bath salts, chemical dyes such as for colouring hair, shampoos, conditioners, ‘regular’ soaps and other beauty products that are easily available in the market, are quite liable to contain ingredients that are harmful to plants and soil. Reading the list of ingredients before purchasing / using any of these items is a must if recycling grey water is what you intend to do.
The above, at first glance, may put you off but consider the fact that in reality, each and every one of the items listed can be replaced with a more natural alternative, the use of which is far better for human beings too.
Take cleaning materials for instance: potentially toxic cleaning materials are an obvious danger to human health via skin contact, via accidental inhalation and so on and so forth. Switching over to the use of clearly labelled, genuine, environmentally-friendly cleaning products makes good sense.