Pouring lemon juice on a plant can kill it thanks to the amount of citric acid in the fruit, but even diluted lemon water can have severe repercussions. For example, watering your garden or landscaping with lemon water can have similar effects to acid rain. The polluted gases created by acid rain make the soil acidic, which can damage root systems and burn leaves and bark. The same thing happens with an unassuming bucket of lemon water.
In addition to damaging the plant itself, it can also ruin the soil it’s planted in. Lemon is antimicrobial in nature, and it can wipe out beneficial bacteria and fungi in the dirt; these soil allies not only help plants grow but also produce antibiotics that can protect the garden from common plant diseases. They’re not something you want to cleanse from the yard. Because of this, it’s best to avoid watering your plants with any amount of lemon water.
