Plants love rainwater. Obviously, it is what they are meant to drink. Valued for its softness and purity, rainwater is pH neutral to slightly acidic, a good balance for our alkaline soil here in central Texas. Rainwater does not have the mineral content of groundwater and will never burn your plants. It is not only a clean, salt-free source of water, but it can help improve the salt accumulation in the soil that is so damaging to a plant’s roots. When rainwater is routinely applied, it percolates down through the soil and forces salts away from the root systems, allowing for greater water uptake and therefore greater drought tolerance in the plants. Municipal water contains chlorine and other chemicals that are damaging to plants. Rainwater, of course, does not.

In our personal experience, we have found that seeds germinate faster when soaked in rainwater, and that our vegetable garden is healthier and more productive when watered with rainwater. Rainfall is so rare here in the summer months as to be cause for celebration; having a big stash of rainwater for a few weeks afterwards extends that pleasure exponentially.