{"id":1908,"date":"2017-12-04T14:36:51","date_gmt":"2017-12-04T14:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cxhorticulture.co.uk\/?p=1908"},"modified":"2023-05-18T13:18:11","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T13:18:11","slug":"challenges-growing-hard-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cxhorticulture.com\/es\/cxtra\/challenges-growing-hard-water\/","title":{"rendered":"The Challenges of Growing in Hard Water"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Many growers are faced with the challenge of growing crops in hard water. If you have grown in hard water you\u2019ll know how difficult it can be. The pH is difficult to maintain, the starting E.C. is high and calcium deposits block drippers and the nutrient profile quickly gets out of balance. By hard water, we are talking about water with more than 60ppm calcium. If you are in any doubt, ask your local retailer to arrange a water analysis. <\/span><\/p>\n

The reasons that these are a problem? Firstly, the blocking of drippers is obvious so we don\u2019t need elaborate on that.<\/span><\/p>\n

Secondly, the pH is difficult to maintain. Because the water contains bicarbonates, you are adding pH up every time you add water. Then, as a rule, you will add pH down to counteract the problem. This can cause calcium phosphate to precipitate out. In addition, the bicarbonates in the water react with carbon dioxide in the air and in the water and create calcium carbonate (limestone) which deposits in dripper lines and in the medium. And that\u2019s only the pH problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

The third major problem is the high starting E.C. If your feed schedule calls for nutrient and additives to reach a target E.C of, say, 2.0, a grower with soft water (low salt) will be able to put in all that is required. With hard water, however, there is not enough \u201croom\u201d to put in everything your feed programme calls for. For example, if your water has a starting E.C of 0.5, that means you can only add nutrients\/additives to 1.5E.C in order to reach your target E.C of 2.0. You may therefore be depriving your plants of vital nutrients or additives.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are several actions a grower can take.<\/span><\/p>\n