Can an electric fencer simulate "magic thunderstorm rain?"

So: I've observed that when gardens get lots of "sky rain" and especially "thunderstorm rain" they go nuts. Growth, vigour, production, you name it.

This year, in our drought, all of our gardens just refuse to "pop," to thrive even though they have adequate water. But it's not rainwater; it's not thunderstorm water, with all those frisky ions that make plants commit themselves to growth and production. Ozone, and especially nitrogen. The "smell" of rain (which I posted something on earlier).

I have a (certifiably bonkers) notion that maybe I can simulate this effect somehow, using high voltage arcs from an electric fencer in a water tank. BTW this isn't a weenie fencer. It's designed for many miles of cattle fence. If you grab hold of the wire, it will freaking hurt. Low grade Taser. It will create electric arcs of a quarter inch.

What do you think of my crazy notion? I'm running out of growing season and need an edge.

Guessing most of it is nitrogen dissolved in the water.  Have you tried a fish tank pump aerating your water?

I have ozone machines I use for things, you might look up how they work, they do produce a lot of ozone. And there is no water involved.
At the moment I don't recall exactly how they work.

Actually, it's not the ozone, it's the ions. Look up how an ion generator works.

C. Letellier wrote:Guessing most of it is nitrogen dissolved in the water.  Have you tried a fish tank pump aerating your water?

I doubt that's it. Atmospheric nitrogen is very stable and the plants are soaking in a 78% nitrogen atmosphere all day and all night.

As Pearl suggests, it seems to be about the ions created by natural forces, cracking those stable nitrogen molecules. I think that requires an energy input. The question is, how to simulate this on a meaningful scale?

I don’t think an electric fence is going to do anything. You could try putting an ozone generator in the garden but without rain and with wind blowing it right out of it I doubt it would be worthwhile. I think things looks so vibrant after a lightning storm with a little rain is because of the negative ions from the forming ozone (3rd molecule of oxygen) attaches to particulates (moisture/dust) then falls to and penetrates the soil. Now you’re getting both nitrogen and oxygen to the root structure.

I agree, in the open air it wouldn't do anything. My thought was to do it in an enclosed tank that's 2/3 full of water and then do some mixing and agitating after.

Probably a pipe dream. The situation is likely more complex. I guess I'm grasping at straws.

“Lightning is another natural way. Nitrogen in the atmosphere can be transformed into a plant-usable form, a process called nitrogen fixation, by lightning.

Each bolt of lightning carries electrical energy that is powerful enough to break the strong bonds of the nitrogen molecule in the atmosphere. Once split, the nitrogen atoms quickly bond to oxygen in the atmosphere, forming nitrogen dioxide.

Along with the lightning in the cloud are cloud droplets and raindrops. Nitrogen dioxide dissolves in water, creating nitric acid, which forms nitrates. The nitrates fall to the ground in raindrops and seep into the soil in a form that can be absorbed by plants.

Lightning does add nitrogen to the soil, as nitrates dissolve in precipitation. This helps plants, but microorganisms in the soil do the vast majority of nitrogen fixation.”

https://wxguys.ssec.wisc.edu/2018/07/09/lightning/

Seems like it wouldn’t be a very effective use of energy.  Probably better to just mulch with chopped legumes.  I remember seeing somewhere that thunderstorms were worth around 10 lbs of nitrogen a year per acre vs 30+ for legumes.

Here's a useful graphic illustrating the science of thunderstorms

Yes and remember it all starts with bioprecipitation— we if we mulching, densely planting diverse species, including animals/ creating habitat and including nitrigen fixing species—- we are promoting clouds/rain/ storms

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:What do you think of my crazy notion? I'm running out of growing season and need an edge.

I think it is a great idea. It probably will work but, as said above, maybe not very efficient. Also - I always think that electricity and water don't mix that well, so be careful!!!
Flowforms may be another (safer) option to aerate the water.

Ooh ooh! - an experiment please? - one half garden with transformed water and the other half with standard water.