Watering houseplants using cooled cooking water

WATER SAVING WEEK MAY 17-22 2021: Save water and upgrade your houseplant care

Research reveals 46% of people believe their household uses under 20 litres a day when in actual fact, the average person in the UK uses 142 litres of water a day.

Not only does wasting water mean higher bills, it also impacts our carbon footprint.

Have you ever noticed how much water we use when cooking? Whether you’re looking to make more conscious decisions in the kitchen or wondering how you can get the most nutrients out of your meals, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that there is plenty you can do with the water you have left over from boiling vegetables, grains, and eggs.

To mark Water Saving Week 2021, Denby have put together a hack which uses leftover cooking water to help houseplants thrive.

You don’t always have to use fertilizers, pesticides or fungicides to help plants grow. Specifically, you can use the water left over from boiling vegetables to give your plants a nourishing feed. This helpful hack is believed to improve the leaf shine and health of your plants, particularly if they have been looking a little lifeless, and it may even encourage your plants to grow if you use it continuously.

METHOD:

A regular houseplant needs about a tablespoon of water per day on average — that’s around half a litre per month! Instead of giving them plain water from the tap, keep them hydrated and healthy by watering them with cooking water. The vitamins in vegetable water will keep them nourished and even starch from pasta and potato water will provide them with the nutrients they need, provided it’s unsalted (salt will unfortunately kill your plants).

The water you boil your eggs in is another great option for plants, just make sure you allow the water to cool before using it to prevent damaging their leaves and stems. Pour the cooled water to the base of your plants root for maximum impact, also known as ‘Bottom watering’. This allows your plant to have a sufficient drink without drenching their foliage.

Food, Broccoli, Vegetable, Cooking, Pan, Healthy, Meal


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