Dehumidifier water in the garden??

jymarino 4/14/2011, 11:03 pm

In the past I have used dehumidifier water in the garden but am not 100% sure this is a good idea. I was told at one garden shop that if I mixed the dehumidified water 50/50 with tap water then it would be fine. Anyone have any experience with this?

middlemamma 4/14/2011, 11:27 pm

Hmmm...good question I have no idea. LOL

I thought a dehumidifier pulled water out of the air...never heard of one till I moved to Idaho from Arizona...there we had HUMIDIFIERS!

Does it pull the water out of the air chemically? If so maybe that's why the garden shop said that?

Maybe research how a dehumidifier works and then that would answer your question?

Sorry for not helping.

BackyardBirdGardner 4/14/2011, 11:32 pm

jymarino wrote:In the past I have used dehumidifier water in the garden but am not 100% sure this is a good idea. I was told at one garden shop that if I mixed the dehumidified water 50/50 with tap water then it would be fine. Anyone have any experience with this?

Sounds like this is some form of pulling water from the air to give to the soil method? It would sure work in STL.

However, if that's correct, I can't see why pulling water from the air and adding chlorinated water to it would help....even if only 50%. The whole point of pulling water form the air would be to get distilled water, effectively.....pure water with no pollutants.

I bet your garden responds better, honestly, to pure water. I know rainwater makes a much bigger difference than tap water. So much so, now I leave a watering can out in the open. I fill it after each time I water. I let it sit so the chlorine loses a lot of it's effectiveness. I water with it first every time now. I may get a 2nd since one watering can isn't enough now that the garden is filling up.

GloriaG 4/14/2011, 11:58 pm

You may want to check with your local water authority. They are required to provide a "water quality report" when you request one. Most towns now use Chloramine instead of Chlorine in their water purification process because it doesn't disipate into the air when it sits like chlorine does. That makes it far less expensive for the treatment facility, because it stays in the water, but it's much harder to get rid of if you want pure water for the garden.

westie42 4/15/2011, 12:17 am

It sounds like it should be quite pure similar to the runoff that an airconditioner puts out. Ask your county ag extension office or some nearby college ag extension for help with that question.

nancy 4/15/2011, 9:00 am

This is a great question! I've often wondered about it as I dump my water into the utility sink. I wish I could dump it into the rainbarrel instead. Yet I have no interest in carrying it upstairs. I'd make a huge mess!

**walshevak** 4/15/2011, 9:59 am

The best, most lush window box I've ever had was the one that was under a window a/c. In fact that was the last time I had a window box. Sad

Had deck rail boxes after that house. The other boxes on the same house didn't do nearly as well because it was not that easy to keep up the water.

Kay

**Furbalsmom** 4/15/2011, 12:26 pm

I use the water that accumulates in my dehumidifier for indoor and porch plants.

We have a fifth wheel that sits for months over the cool wet winter, and keep the dehumidifier going all winter and spring to avoid moisture problems in the RV. Mine is a "portable" model, but really too heavy to move around easily. We have to move it when towing and camping.

Because we only need the dehumidifer in late fall, winter and spring, (when it rains constantly here) I rarely have water to use in the summer when my SFG needs it most.

There are no chemicals used in my dehumidifier, it condenses the water in the air and then accumulates the water in a bin.

nanny 6/9/2012, 12:13 pm

I am using water from the dehumidifier for the flower bed and for the bird bath. I can't see what it would hurt since there are no chemicals in it. No chlorine in it like tap water.

Don't tell it around, because someone will figure out a way to charge $$$ for it. Rolling Eyes

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