Is Rainwater Better for Plants than Tap Water?

雨水浇灌植物比自来水更好吗？

Gardeners are always on the lookout for how to best nourish and care for their beloved plants. And when it comes to watering， there’s an ongoing debate: is rainwater better for plants than tap water?

园丁们一直在寻找如何更好地滋养和照顾心爱植物的方法。在浇水方面，有一个持续的争论：雨水灌溉植物比自来水更好吗？

The answer depends on a few factors. There are pros and cons to both water sources.

答案取决于几个因素。两种水源各有利弊。

Tap water is super easy to access， which is its main advantage.

自来水超级容易获得，这是它的主要优势。

In many cases， tap water is regularly tested and conforms to safety standards. In some locations， it may have high levels of chlorine， lead and other compounds that will damage your plants. Remember that you can filter or boil your tap water to make it safe for plant watering.

在许多情况下，自来水会定期进行测试并符合安全标准。在某些地方，自来水可能含有高水平的氯、铅和其他化合物，会损害你的植物。请记住，你可以过滤或煮沸自来水，使其可以安全地浇灌植物。

In most cases， rainwater is free from the harmful chemicals often found in tap water. When you use rainwater， you avoid these chemicals altogether and don’t have to worry about filtering or boiling them out. This is a big reason why rainwater is usually considered better than tap water.

在大多数情况下，雨水不含自来水中常见的有害化学物质。当你使用雨水时，你完全避免了这些化学物质，也不必为需要过滤或煮沸它们而担心。这就是为什么雨水通常被认为比自来水好的一个重要原因。

Keep in mind that rainwater does have its disadvantages. The way you collect your rainwater has a big impact on how safe it is for your plants.

请记住，雨水也有其缺点。你收集雨水的方式对植物的安全性有很大影响。

Only collect rainwater using clean containers to avoid spreading bacteria. What’s more， pay special attention to the material of your rainwater collector since some plastics create damaging gases.

仅使用干净的容器收集雨水，以避免传播细菌。另外，请特别注意雨水收集器的材料，因为有些塑料会产生有害气体。

Rainwater tends to be more nourishing for your plants when collected in a safe， legal way. However， tap water still works well when the chemicals are removed. Remember that the most important thing is to keep your plants happy and hydrated.

当以安全、合法的方式收集雨水时，雨水往往会对你的植物更有营养。然而，当化学物质被去除时，自来水仍然运作良好。请记住，最重要的是让植物保持快乐和水分充足。

Word Bank

conform /kən'fɔːm/ v. 符合；遵守

He refused to conform to the local customs.

filter /'fɪltə(r)/ v. 过滤

bacteria /bæk'tɪəriə/ n. （复数）细菌