dukeofargy

Since bananas like water, and there are water restrictions here in southern Ontario, I am wondering how bananas would take to bath water ( cooled down, of course ). My wife likes her baths, and it seems there is a lot of water that goes down the drain. If the water is clean, other than some shampoo, I am wondering if this would be acceptable to bananas.

Thinking green.

Randy4ut

I am sure others will pipe in on this one, but right off the hand, as long as you are not planning on an edible banana and one for ornamental purposes only, I think you should be alright. Now, I am still learning also, but I don't see the problem with it. Looking forward to hearing what others have to say on this one. Good question!!!

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lorax

If you allow it to settle and cool, there should be no problem. I had a greywater seepage from my showers and bathtub into my banana rings when I lived in the south of Ecuador (which is a windy semidesert), and they absolutely loved it. These were edibles - Cavs, Dwarf Cavs, Oritos, and Plantains. I didn't notice any adverse flavouring when they fruited.

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I speak for the trees.

Randy4ut

With edibles I would definitely be careful from a bacteriological standpoint. Living where you do, I doubt you will be using grey water on any edibles, but if you are, there is a chance for adverse conditions that you may want to consider... IMHO!!

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rhymechizel

I don't think that the bath water is going to be dirty enough to worry about bacteria. I don't think it would would be any worse than flushing the toilet in the same room as your tooth-brush.

Randy4ut

You may want to google "Grey water" and see what you come up with... You would be surprised...

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Randy4ut

just some info I thought you may want to read...

Our Water, Our Future - Using Greywater

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magicgreen

I have used grey waters for years on my plants. Mainly hostas though.
I have found that it breaks down clay soil. And I also found that slugs don't like it ! (I guess because of the soap)

Gonna try it on the nannas too! maybe............

That is..... if I feeeel like toteing it down to the 1st floor and then, down more stairs to the garden! This is not something I look forward to doing.

I go green also. But since getting a lil' older, a lil' heavier, and the stairs seem a lil' longer;
I'll more than likely leave "that grey water green thing" to the ranch style homeowners, and all you young folks! LOL

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(Started growing bananas July 2007)
(Zone 6)

dukeofargy

Randy, there is some interesting information in that article. Thanks for posting the link. I was thinking when I read the concern about salts, that my wife does sometimes put epsom salts into her baths. I have used epsom on the brugmansia plants, and within a day, they are so much perkier than ever, and become a nice darker green. A little epsom seems to be good for the plants,... cleans them out.... so to speak.

MagicGreen, I agree that the lugging of the water could be a deterent, but when water is so expensive here in our community, and there are restrictions, one begins to think of alternate means.

Rhymechizel, I was thinking similarly. Of course, if one was sick, that might be a different story. I agree that the water should be used fairly quickly though, so any bacteria doesn't spread. .... thinking that we don't have any bacteria in our house. LOL

Lorax, I have heard in the past that some plant really like the dish / bath water. Hostas in particular. I see some similarity there, although to a different scale.

Thanks one and all for your responses.

Randy4ut

Dukeofargy,
Speaking of epsom salt, basically magnesium, is a great supplement for alot of plants. I feed my cold hardy palms with a handful of epsom salts everytime I fertilize them. It really does make a difference. Since you have posted this question, I have spent some time looking around the internet about grey water and have learned quite a bit that I did not know, so thanks again, for posting the question. Stirs more questions in everyone, in my opinion...

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dukeofargy

You bet. These days are not much different to the tight $$$ days of the 20's in some respects. We have to watch our personal resources and stretch them to the maximum. Right here in town, gas is now $5.12 a US gallon. Being retired, one thinks twice about longer trips. My hydro & water bill for last year was $2062.28. Half of that is water alone. In Rockwood, we do not have our own sewage plant; are not allowed to have our own septic system; and we have to ship our sewage via pipeline to Guelph. We are at the mercy of the Guelph council as to what we pay for water. We are charged twice for water. Once when it comes from the tap, and once again when it goes down the drain. Interestingly enough, it costs more when it goes down the drain than when it comes from the tap. Even the water that does not go down the drain is charged as if it did go down the drain.

Hence the concern about watering thirsty plants. My brugmansia take watering every day as well. The rain barrel gets depleted somewhat quickly as a result.

Randy4ut

Wow, and I thought I had it rough. He Tennessee is a GREAT place to relocate to. I have friends that live around here that are retired and relocated from both the Northeast, as well as FL. Most used to go to FL to retire, but the cost of living down there, from my understanding is ridiculous anymore. Hey, TN is still warm and close enough for weekend trips to the beach!!! Come on down, my friend, and try us out!!!
Take care and best of luck with your tropical paradise above the border!!!

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mskitty38583

im glad you posted your question. i know that in some parts of the u.s. they use grey water to water outside plantings, for city parks and in the cities.(fla,cali, and ar.) i was not aware that it could be done here. thats great. hopfully we wont have a bad drought like we did last year.

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"kokomo" beach boys:

dukeofargy

amen to that thought. We don't want drought. I lost my entire front lawn two years ago. It turned black and dead. Last year, it barely made it through August. Hopefully this year will be better.

John

mskitty38583

well i fixed the problem with having a dead lawn because of water restrictions....i used chipped up trees that the city was gonna throw away. so my whole front yard is mulched in. they are suppossed to bring me another load in a week or two, then i can start on the side yards. ive started collecting milk jugs to use as drip irrigation for my nana trees. put them in the mulch near the base of the nana tree and poke holes in them. it will allow watering on a drip level. if they restrict the water again ill fill them at night.. i have to have some grass in the back yard due to my banana crew, but if i have my way ill landscape it and tier it out for veggies and a few fruit trees. i have 5 ft. high fence to keep out the deer so im not to worried about that. and ill use some drought tolorant plants if i have to go to texas( hi fernie) to get them. lol!

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WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION
"kokomo" beach boys:

dukeofargy

MsKitty,

Unfortunately, I can't mulch my lawn. Currently, I am living in a development that has restrictive covenants about what the front lawn will look like, the colour of the brick, doors, windows, etc. Mind you, it does look really nice, but sometimes the restrictions get in the way of the creative thinker, which you obviously are. Having said that, several of us are using the mulch on the back yard as grass does not grow well there because of the shade from the bush behind us. My particular yard, however, is very HOT and not shady at all, as well as quite sloped. I don't think it would be wise to mulch this sloped lawn as it would be too trecherous to walk upon with loose mulch.

I have purchased automatic drip line equipment. However, I thought that using the bath water might be a good way to reuse a natural resource which might otherwise go down the drain. Now, if only I could figure out a way to get the water from the bath tub to the plant without my having to carry it.

Chironex

I really have no idea about the answer to your questions, but was wondering whether or not soft water treatments would have an affect on mineral content of the grey water? Would it result in a sodium build-up? Just thinking out loud. If the experts think it is a good idea, then I will use it too. Damaclese may also be interested as there are water restrictions in Las Vegas. Thanks for your question.

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Scot


"Grow 'em if ya got 'em!"

dukeofargy

That is a fair question, Chironex. The water softener uses salt to cleanse it, but then flushes the salt away. I am thinking that there wouldn't be a lot of salt in the water. Our softener runs only once a week and it is a small machine. I don't see the tank holding all the softened water we use.

I may be wrong though. Let's keep the discussion going. Meanwhile I shall try to do some more research on this matter.

John

chong