Is Cold Water Injurious To Plants?

Those who study works on horticulture by different writers, will

discover many opposing views in respect to the modes of caring for, and

the treatment of plants. The proper temperature for water when applied

to plants, has been frequently discussed by different writers; some

contend that cool water, just drawn from a well or cistern, should never

be showered upon plants, but that it should first be heated to the

temperature of the room in which the plants are standing. Others, with

equal zeal, claim that cold water will not injure the plants in the

least, contending that the water will assume the right temperature

before injury is done the plant. Now which is right? We have

experimented in this matter to a considerable extent, in order to

satisfy ourselves as to which of these two views is correct. In the

month of December I took from my collection twelve large geraniums and

placed them by themselves in the conservatory; six of these I watered

with cold water, drawn from a hydrant pipe at the temperature of 45 deg.,

and the other six were supplied with water from a barrel standing in the

conservatory, and was of the same temperature of the house, that is from

60 deg. to 80 deg.. The plants watered with the cold water gave little if any

bloom throughout the winter, while the six watered from the barrel grew

finely, and bloomed profusely.



Always water your plants in winter time with lukewarm water, if you

would have a profusion of flowers, and thrifty-growing plants. The water

should be of the same temperature as the room or place where the plants

are. There is no theory about it, it is a practical fact, all talk to

the contrary notwithstanding.