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Don’t throw out rice water after cooking

Rice water should never be thrown away after cooking, it can be used as a wonderful fertilizer for plants
Rice water should never be thrown away after cooking, it can be used as a wonderful fertilizer for plants Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto/Adisak Mitrprayoon

October 10, 2024, 11:04 am | Read time: 2 minutes

If you like to eat rice, you shouldn’t throw away the leftover water. It still contains lots of nutrients and minerals. myHOMEBOOK editor Franka Kruse-Gering explains how you can help your plants with rice water.

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There are many home remedies that can be used as fertilizer for plants. In addition to potato water, milk, or salt water, you can also use rice water. It is very easy to make and use – and the plants will thank you for it.

Why is rice water good for fertilizing plants?

During cooking, many nutrients and minerals are released from the rice grains. These substances collect in the rice water and can be an excellent fertilizer for plants.
Among other things, potassium, starch, zinc, magnesium, and calcium can be found in rice water. These are all substances that we also find in expensive fertilizers from the garden center, but they are of natural origin in rice water and cost significantly less. This fertilizer can be used to support particularly heavy growers, such as tomatoes or cucumbers.

How do you make rice water fertilizer?

It is very easy to make. You simply take the water that is left over after cooking the rice. As rice should be rinsed thoroughly before preparation, you can also use this water. Rinsing also releases many nutrients and starch.

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What should you bear in mind?

  • As with many plant fertilizers made from household leftovers, fertilizer made from rice water also has its disadvantages. It does serve as a good basis and can be used as a supplement. However, rice water is not sufficient as the sole fertilizer for plants.
  • Too much starch in the irrigation water can cause the soil of the plants to become hard.
  • Not only do plants benefit from the natural sugar in rice water, but insects can also be attracted.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@petbook.de.

Topics Fertilizer Home remedies
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