Hi Laura,

Thank you for your inquiry. The best possible water for your indoor plants is rainwater. A good way to obtain rainwater is to set a 5-gallon bucket below your downspout, let it fill with rainwater, dip empty gallon milk jugs in the bucket to fill them, and then use those gallons of water for your indoor plants.


Because you have a water softener system, that means there is salt in your water. One fix would be to have a plumber bypass one faucet (either indoors or outdoors) to bypass the water softener. Your outdoor faucet would be easier but not helpful in the winter, but if you like me, do a lot of watering plants outdoors in the warm months, it will keep salt out of you soil there as well. 

Personally I fill those milk jugs with rainwater whenever the weather isn't freezing and store them in the basement for use on my (admittedly huge collection of) indoor plants all winter. In summer I take them outdoors ... many will require a shady environment ... to enjoy being in fresh air and rain for a vacation. Notice that you would need to keep an eye on the for any insect infestation that might occur.

I do no know what a reverse osmosis system does to your water...if by chance...it removes salt from your water, then the water in your faucets should be ok. If you decide to do this, keep an eye on the soil in the pots; when salt builds up there, you will see a white dusting on the top of the soil, which you can leach out by setting the pots in your sink and pouring rainwater through them numerous times.

I hope this is helpful and that you figure out a source for collecting rainwater.