Rainwater definitely feels like the safer bet for veggies...but greywater's pretty handy for ornamentals and fruit trees. Have you tried running greywater to non-edibles instead? Curious if anyone's noticed growth differences there.
I've been wondering about this too—greywater sounds tempting, but I'm still cautious about using it around anything edible. Have you noticed any issues with soap residues or detergents affecting the ornamentals? I'd imagine some plants might be sensitive... I haven't tried it myself yet, just stuck with rain barrels for now. But it's reassuring to hear greywater's working well for fruit trees, might finally give me the push to set something up for my landscaping.
- Totally get your caution about detergents—I've noticed some ornamentals, especially ferns and azaleas, can be sensitive to greywater if the soap isn't eco-friendly.
- Switching to biodegradable, plant-safe detergents made a noticeable difference for me.
- Fruit trees and shrubs seem pretty resilient though; my citrus trees actually thrived after I started using greywater.
- Rain barrels are great, but greywater's consistent supply is a big plus during dry spells... might be worth experimenting with a small setup first to see how your plants respond.
- Good points on detergents, I've had similar experiences. A quick heads-up though—greywater setups can need more regular maintenance than rain barrels, especially filters and pipes... worth factoring into your decision.
Yeah, that's a good point about the maintenance. I was actually leaning towards greywater initially because it seemed like a smart way to reuse water from showers and laundry. But then my neighbor installed one last year, and he's always out there fiddling with the filters and checking for clogs. He jokes it's become his weekend hobby, but honestly, I don't have that kind of patience (or time!).
Rain barrels seem simpler, but then again, they depend on rainfall. Last summer was pretty dry around here, and my friend who relies on rain barrels had to switch back to city water halfway through July. So I'm still weighing it up... maybe a hybrid approach could be the way to go? Curious if anyone's tried combining both systems and how manageable that turned out to be.
