Hard water, defined as having high concentrations of calcium and magnesium is a challenge for many of our customers. Poorly soluble calcium magnesium carbonates cause mineral deposits to accumulate in pipes, sinks, buckets, and vases.
Wholesalers and bouquet manufacturers that go through high volumes of water daily often install expensive water treatment systems to mitigate hard water. These systems usually involve dilution of the hard water with reverse osmosis (RO) water to reduce the hardness to manageable levels; however, many florists and supermarket floral shops may have water softeners installed to prevent mineral deposits.
There is a lot of misinformation regarding how water softeners affect water chemistry and little information on the effects of softened water on cut flowers, and the interaction with flower food. In this research update we will examine the effects of softened water on water chemistry parameters (hardness, alkalinity, pH, and conductivity) with and without the addition of flower food.
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