Is it okay to use stream water to water your plants?

Smidge34 said:

Yeah, I have to agree. In no way am I saying I'm completely right here, just my opinion from experience and research. There are fellas here with a shit ton more knowledge than I'll ever have and some would disagree with me I'm sure.

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I've grown outdoor guerilla grows using rain, creek, pond, whatever water was available to me, it all worked like a charm. Last 3 years or so I've grown indoor, all in soil. Over time I've used who knows how many soil mix variations and have never owned a ph pen. I can see the importance in hydro but in soil to me it's a waste of money and time unless you have a major on-going problem and trying to figure out the root cause.

Alright thanks for all the help guys, I bought a bottle of nutes a while ago so I was just gonna use it in hopes it would benefit my plants but I guess I'll just go ahead and not use any, would you suggest bone meal for the veg stage or anything like that?

the plants wont mind if you do give 'em a bit extra, ....shame to waste the money you spent, if you are gonna feed em, then feed like normal grown soil plants....But Carefully,you dont wanna get caught.
your doing right , spoil the Girls they like it, feed as you would your indoor plants, a bit extra will be lost to the soil very quickly if you water often....lose your tracks use different routes to go in and out.
Hope you do well

Any water I don't have to pack in is good water. I've use it all, including creeks, rivers, ponds and swamps. I've dug holes to catch seep water and I've caught rain with tarps and trashcans. And go ahead and use your nutes. Each time I go to one of my patches, the food/water ratios is most likely different than other patches. The main thing is that they get some food and water.

In general Its better than most of the tap water for plants. Full of lots of microbes and other beneficial stuff. With no chlorine or fluoride.

Im like Larry and will use anything that saves packing water in. This year im using the trash can and tarp method in one spot, getting the 240 liter bin in was a tiring and stressful job, and a overflow type sink hole swampy thing for the other. (my season hasnt started yet as im in the southern hemisphere and just setting up for the season).

I lug in some quality potting mix and some dynamic lifter and sometimes some mushroom compost and/or chicken manure. I use these VERY sparingly and mix it in to the native soil along with some long release fertilizer pellets and a hanful of Epsom salts. leave it a week or two before planting the plants. Around the first week of flowering I scatter some ash and coals around the base of the plants for Potash (or if im way in front on my site prep then add to the soil before planting).

getawaymountain said:

go and get a moisture meter at lowes ,home depo etc for 30 bucks and ya will never be quessing when to water your plants and they will love it for sure they don't ever all need water when ya think they do

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the only problem with this is if it doesn't need it I basically just walked all that way for nothing, that's why I was looking for more of a general rule for watering, like how every 3 or 4 days? And a gallon per foot?

A lot of variables mate, basicaly check every 4 or 5 days, 3 or 4 in a heat wave.