Hold on, Toni. I'm sending prayers up for lots of rain or snow for you!
I think it's the minerals in the rainwater that makes the difference in plants. Since my hose water comes from the city, it's been purified to a fare-thee-well and all trace minerals removed, I guess, so it's virtually useless, though pure, and I wouldn't stake my life on that.
Last winter and this winter so far have been the exceptions for us, as we usually have about 3 weeks of real winter weather, very little snow, and then we're back into summer, skipping spring altogether.
