I’ve been reading to try to find a definitive answer about whether or not chlorine and chloramine tap water is harmful to my vegetable plants. In past years I’ve irrigated the plants with plain old tap water and had no concerns about any ill effects. This year I am wondering if the tap water was one cause of limited growth in my plants.
No, I don’t have any fear of drinking tap water myself, but I have read that chlorine/ chloramine can kill the beneficial bacteria that plants use to grow and produce fruit. So far this growing season I have filled buckets with tap water, let the water stand to allow the chlorine to evaporate, and tossed in vitamin C tablets to eliminate the chloramine. Some articles and reports state that it won’t make a difference. Some say the chemicals restrict plants’ growth. Is removing the chemicals from the water worth it?