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calik8

could it be the city water

calik8
9 years ago

my summer vegetable garden was a bust this year. I am in the san fernando valley. Even my zucchini died.

Comments (14)

  • eloise_ca
    9 years ago

    Could be! Just last week, I researched the replacement of chlorine with chloramine. From what I read, chloramine is very BAD news, but the city is advertising it as a good thing. Last month, a speaker at my gardening group was showing us how to save seeds. He said he now uses spring water because our tap water will not allow seeds to germinate because of chloramine.

  • nil13
    9 years ago

    My seeds germinate just fine in LA tap water with chloramine.

  • eloise_ca
    9 years ago

    Don't know if all seeds, but he was demonstrating how to save heirloom tomato seeds.

  • nil13
    9 years ago

    I have saved heirloom tomato seeds for over a decade and never had any problems with germination using tap water. Sounds like a load of woo to me. Did he present any peer reviewed studies to support his claim because gardeners have been known to come up with some crazy ideas that have no basis in reality.

  • eloise_ca
    9 years ago

    nil, apparently he spoke of his own experience, and no he didn't provided "peer reviewed studies," because the topic was on how to save seed. But as I mentioned, what I read about chloramine is not good for us.

  • nil13
    9 years ago

    Chloramine is safer than chlorine and it certainly safer than the microbial diseases it defends against. Try reading authoritative sources like the EPA or major syudies for info instead of say Mercola.

    Here is a link that might be useful: EPA chloramine FAQ. (PDF)

  • nil13
    9 years ago

    If I had to guess why someone had trouble germinating seeds with LA tap water, I would guess pH. Typically, LA tap water has a pH around 7.4 but it can vary and be quite a bit higher. At higher pH levels micronutrients can be severely limited. Of course that can be easily solved with a little vinegar or some other acid. Bring the pH down to 6.0 and seedlings will be very happy and less likely to damp off.

    A quick google search (though not authoritative) will turn up many hits about tomato seedlibgs and pH and none about chloramine and seedlings. Malhotra in 1930 would be a good place to start.

    This post was edited by nil13 on Tue, Sep 16, 14 at 16:23

  • stanofh 10a Hayward,Ca S.F. bay area
    9 years ago

    Chloromine is fatal to fish and amphibians. I have noticed that those small salamanders that look wormy have gotten rare to see since Hayward added chloromine a few years ago. I used to see them under every rock or piece of driftwood.
    I think Nil hit it on the head..PH and sodium in the water is rough on plants. Most of that yellow look to many tropicals in soucal is hard water caused.

  • nil13
    9 years ago

    Chloramine is harmful to fish because of nitrification caused by the reaction of chloramine with dissolved organic compounds. But the same ammonium and nitrite ions that are poison to fish are food for plants.

    I think the best argument against chloramine inhibiting germination is the fact that both chlorine and chloramine have been used as a seed surface sterilization protocol for decades at far higher concentrations than you will ever find coming out of tap water.

    This post was edited by nil13 on Tue, Sep 16, 14 at 16:35

  • nil13
    9 years ago

    To get back on topic though, did you do anything differently this year calik8? Different fertilizer, mulch etc. Did everything grow well last year? Did anything get disease last year? Was there anything that did do well? Do you have any pics of the failing plants?

  • hannah82
    9 years ago

    I have some neighbors whose St. Augustine grass is yellowing and dying despite sufficient irrigation. Some thought it was a fungus, some were thinking it could have something to do with the water supply. I dunno! Maybe it was our exceptionally HOT and dry summer but watering seemed to do absolutely nothing for my lawn either (Bermuda/St. Augustine mix). I eventually got so sick of the dead patches and invading weeds that I just tore it out and will be re-landscaping with all native plants this fall.

  • nil13
    9 years ago

    Probably a lack of fertilizer.

  • hannah82
    9 years ago

    Could be, but we're talking multiple households in the neighborhood with the same issue, even including our postman, lol.

  • slowjane CA/ Sunset 21
    9 years ago

    For what it's worth, I had a similar conversation with the folks at my local nursery. He said everyone he's talked to had a hard time this year - even with zucchini and squash. He said his hot peppers did well, but sweet peppers and everything else struggled or was slow. My zucchini did okay - but got massive and I mean like 6 stems, each almost full plant size - but then no fruit.

    Could it have been the weird weather? I heard a story on the radio about farmers having a hard time and things ripening at strange times this year.

    Solar flares? Contrails? jk!