tap water okay for growing sprouts?

[NoGMO!]

will plain tap water contaminate sprouts? I use bottled water for drinking, etc. - but it's too expensive for sprouting. does it matter what kind of water I use? (um, for an automatic sprouter)

[berrienoire]

I would say, "Yes, it does matter what kind of water you use." You eat what your sprouts "eat". :)

Maybe you can use a filter? (a sink attachment type or a pitcher filter) The filters won't rid the tap water of "everything", but IMO it's better than using the tap water straight...for times when you don't want to use your bottled water.

[VeggieMel]

I use Britta water to soak the sprouts, but I do rinse them in tap water.

[NoGMO!]

that's a funny coincidence - I just picked up a 2 gallon Brita earlier today - mainly for sprouting- I had the same ideas that you mentioned here.

thanks for the replies~

[berrienoire]

That's great!

[Halo Aglow]

I also use a Brita filter.

[rawpriestess]

filters are great, I have a Brita filter, but stopped using it, because you do want the minerals in your water.

If you live in the city, it might be good to keep using it, we have an Artesian well where we live.

If you are trying to eliminate chlorine, it is easy, all you need to do is let the water sit for 24 hours, in an open container, the chlorine will dissipate, or you need to airate the water, like a sprinkler airates water, or a sink faucet airates the water, or put in your blender for a minute or so.

This will remove the chlorine from your water.

I used to work for the City Utilities, that is how I know this.

Now, I don't worry so much about my water.

[berrienoire]

Hmm. That's really interesting about the chlorine. Now. If we could just as easily get rid of any other ickies it would be perfect!

[TimmyC]

I have an RO system...and my sprouts seem to love it :).


Tim

[Sharon in Colorado]

As an experiment, I once put a couple of celery stalks in both a glass of RO water and a glass of tap water.

The celery stalk in the tap water lasted longer. It stayed green while the other one started wilting and turning white. I believe that plants have the ability to convert certain minerals and sustain better on it.

You can try this experiment with your sprouts, or do the same as me with the celery stalk - or even try putting your herbs in different kinds of water - just make sure you are only soaking the bottom and not the leaves.

[sweetgoddess]

Sharon, you are so clever.

[RawFoodieMom]

Sharon, I read an article somewhere that confirmed what you found in your celery experiment. It was talking about all the controversies of Distilled and Reverse Osmosis water removing the minerals in water and whether our bodies needed those minerals. What it said was that the minerals in water were NOT what humans can absorb, but what PLANTS thrive on. They are minerals for plants to "eat" and not humans. So Distilled or Reverse Osmosis water (I use RO water for drinking and preparing food to eat) is the best water for humans to drink, but not for plants, because plants need the minerals in unfiltered water. Unfortunately they don't need all the other junk that the cities add to our water, but I think RP's suggestion is great, to remove the chlorine. I've heard this should be done for cut flowers as well, let the water sit to remove chlorine and your cut flowers will last longer.

Thanks for sharing your celery experiment. I had wondered about the above information that I had learned, and now it makes even more sense to me. :)

Debra