Meg's Guide to Gardening: Carbonated Water Makes Houseplants Grow Greener, Faster

Carbonated water is great for plants, if you can spare it. According to the horticultural experts at the University of Colorado, plants watered with sparkling mineral water grow faster and greener than those that drink water alone. The dissolved carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, phosphorous, potassium, sulfur, and sodium in sparkling water are essential for plant growth and easily absorbed by the plant's roots. So is the carbon dioxide which gives the houseplants a much-needed breath of fresh air. For the best results, give them a fizzy drink over a 10 day period once every 30 months.

Let the Carbonated Water Sit

Pour the carbonated water and let it sit for at least five minutes or until it warms up. Carbonated water must be at room temperature before you give it to your plants. Cold water will shock their roots. They may survive one cold dousing but repeated shocks may kill the plant. You can even use old, opened carbonated water that's been sitting so long that it's flat now. Your plants will still benefit even without the bubbles.

Pour it Over the Soil
Once the carbonated water sits, it's ready to pour over the plants' roots. Pour the carbonated water slowly all over the soil in the pot. Try not to wet the houseplants' foliage. Wet leaves can encourage the development of mold and other diseases. Keep watering until the carbonated water pours out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. This will ensure that the nutrients flush over all of the plants' roots.

Water Only When Necessary
The average houseplant only needs water when the top third of the soil dries out, not before then. This means that over the ten day period you only need to apply carbonated water when the plant needs it. Over-watering won't stimulate your plants to grow faster. Instead, it will drown the plant's roots and stunt its growth.

Rotate carbonated water once every thirty days during your plant's growth cycle and it will thank you with abundant growth.