rec.gardens.ecosystems homepage -> archive: MOD$990906.1401@rec.gardens.ecosystems



Subject: Rain vs. Irrigation
From: Chris French and Helen Johnson <news1298@spennithorne.demon.co.uk>
Organization: Its-here-somewhere
Date: Mon, 06 Sep 99 17:41:52
Message-ID: <MOD$990906.1401@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$990904.14208@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



In article <MOD$990906.27885@rec.gardens.ecosystems>, J.F.Hensler
writes
>
>
>
>
>
> (Terry Mooney) wrote:
>>
>> > Why doesn't irrigation water have the same dramatic effect on plants
>> >that rainwater does ?
>
>Eliska replied:
>>
>> I'm wondering that myself. Water conservation proponents say that a
>> deep watering twice a week will help a plant develop deep roots and
>> good growth.
>> After a dry spell here in Florida, during which my plants just hung
>> in, we had lots of rain. They flourished - lots of new foilage and
>> flowers and growth spurts.
>I remember reading somewhere, I can't provide a reference, that rain
>water (especially thunder showers) contains a small amount of
>nitrogen, in effect applying a top dressing of fertilizer every time
>it rains. We too have noticed that rain water is far superior to well
>water for all types of growing things...
>
I guess that rain falling during thunderstorms may have nitrates in it
formed using the energy from the lightening. But I wouldn't have thought
it was that much, and I'd have thought in 'normal' rain the nitrogen
would be just as a dissolved gas which will be of no direct use to
plants.

In the original posters case I suspect that it's just that the ground
got a real good soaking.
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.spennithorne.demon.co.uk/garden/urg/urgrefs.html