Does Salt Water Affect Mung Bean Growth?

Mung Beans and Moisture

• Mung bean seeds grow best when planted in moist soil. However, after planting, mung bean plants actually prefer dry, hot growing conditions. Rather than daily watering, like some plants require, mung beans prefer and thrive with occasional deep watering. Ensure the soil around mung beans is well-drained and well-irrigated to create the best environment for the plants. Do not allow the soil to be muddy or damp; instead, make the soil moist and allow it to dry thoroughly before the next watering.

Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis is a vital life process mung beans, and all other plants, undergo daily. During photosynthesis, mung beans use water, carbon dioxide and sunlight to create the energy and nourishment they require. Sunlight and carbon dioxide are absorbed through the plants' leaves from the environment around the plants. Water is absorbed through the plants' roots. If any of these key ingredients is not properly accessed, the mung beans are not able to complete the photosynthesis process and will ultimately die.

Salt and Mung Beans

• Salt water is created by dissolving high amounts of salt into a water base. Plant roots are designed to take in water as quickly as possible to utilize it for plant life processes, such as photosynthesis. The same roots are designed to absorb any other substance slowly to filter out impurities. Salt is considered an impurity by mung bean roots, causing the plants to absorb less water overall. Furthermore, the water that is absorbed contains salt, which is drying to the plant in the same way salty snacks make humans thirsty. Mung beans prefer dry conditions, but salt dehydrates the plant. Between the slow absorption of salt water and drying effects of the salt it contains, mung beans will ultimately die due to exposure to salt water.

A Better Alternative

• Pure water is always the best option for growing healthy, strong plants. No additives are necessary; mung beans absorb the moisture they need and trace nutrients from the pure water they receive. Fertilizer may be added to water occasionally to boost plant growth and replace lost nutrients in the soil surrounding mung beans. Finally, if plain tap water seems too ordinary for your mung beans, try watering them with distilled water. Distilled water is purified to remove any harmful or hard-to-process substances, making the greatest amount of water available to your plants immediately.