CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Is all water created equal?

Darla Davidson writes: "I have recycled air conditioning water for years (capturing the water in a large plastic garbage can) and watered plants -- both inside and outside. When I suggested to a neighbor this type of watering rather than using a water hose, he had been told you had to be careful about using air conditioning water because it could contain a virus. Is there any harm in using this type of water? I thought it would be probably be the same as using rainwater. I know of others who do the same -- but this virus idea is new to me. Any thoughts?"

Air conditioner condensation water is almost the same as rain water. They both come from the moisture in the air.

In the case of rain, the moisture makes the clouds and then comes down as rain. Air conditioners speed up that process.

According to DIY Network, you can use this air conditioner water to irrigate small plants and vegetables nearby. The small drip of water will keep the plants moist all summer.

No matter what kind of air conditioner you have, whole house or window box, it drains water that you can capture. Each time an air conditioner runs, it pulls moisture from the air inside the home. Because the water has to go somewhere, it's drained outside the house, usually through a condensation pipe. The water slowly drips from the pipe each day. It doesn't seem like a lot of water, but the constant dripping really adds up over time. This water can be caught in a bucket or fed directly to nearby plants.

Using air conditioner water can be an extremely efficient way to take care of nearby plants. Choose plants that get only a few feet tall so they won't grow over the unit. You can plant small vegetables near the end of the condensation tube, and they'll get constant water over the summer when air conditioner runs more often.

I've used the water from our dehumidifier to water the houseplants for years and I've never had a problem.

The article "How to Save Air Conditioner Water for Plants" is at www.gardenguides.com/85302-save-air-conditioner-water-plants.html#ixzz0qScSoM00.

Dealing with slugs

A tip from Anne Wesp, in Fine Gardening magazine: "The best way I have found to deal with slugs is to build a barrier around the plants they love most. I collect the prickly balls that fall off my sweetgum tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) and spread them under my hostas. I also circle the stems of my dahlias with the prickly seed-pods. To keep the barrier in place, I surround it with a collar of rocks. The slugs are deterred by the sharp circumference and my plants are saved."

Making white roses brighter

Bulb food will make lilies and white roses pop -- and if you pick white roses when they are still a bit green, bulb food added to the vase water will make them whiten quickly.

Container gardening

Author Barbara Baker has written an interesting book, "Container Gardening for Health: The 12 Most Important Fruits and Vegetables for your Organic Garden." Published by Prairie Oak Publishing, the book covers container and organic gardening and discusses pesticide residues in food.

Baker lists the 12 fruits and vegetables, which she calls "the dirty dozen," that are most likely to have chemical residue, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Environmental Working Group. She suggests growing these at home to avoid pesticide exposure.

The top produce items that are considered "dirty" by Baker include peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach and potatoes.

Baker gives suggestions of varieties to plant, container choices and preparation, location, harvesting and other handy information.

Reach Sara Busse at sara.bu...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1249.