Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:32 pm
Pasta water is often considered a waste product, but it is very rich in nutrients. So why not put it on the plants? For gardening enthusiasts, there are only advantages.
People who cook pasta often wonder what to do with the leftover water. Most then simply pour it down the drain. But you’d better refrain from doing that in the future! Especially if you are an amateur gardener and/or have many houseplants at home. Because the cloudy and unappetizing water is bursting with nutrients! So it would be far too bad to just dump the “liquid gold” away.
Watering plants with pasta water? This is why you should not throw it away
After all, the water from pasta or potatoes cooked in it contains a lot of good stuff, which in turn can be reused for other dishes and sauces, but also plants. Because especially the latter are happy about a pour with pasta or potato water. After all, it contains a high density of minerals such as magnesium, iron and phosphorus, which in turn help indoor and garden plants to thrive even better.
Accordingly, amateur gardeners can use leftover pasta water much more as a cheap and good natural fertilizer. Another plus: the water from cooked pasta or potatoes can also help with aphid infestations. To do this, simply pour it into a spray bottle and use it to spray the affected areas on the plant in question.
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Watering plants with pasta water: do not use salted water
It is important, however, that you allow the broth to cool briefly beforehand and only use lukewarm pasta or potato water. If it is too hot and you pour it over the plants, it will harm them. Also, the water in which the pasta has been cooked should not be salted.
The reason for this: if you give salted water on plants, it can attack the roots in the long run. Moreover, the result is exactly the opposite of what you would expect: salt eventually deprives them of necessary water and the plants end up dying. However, if you find the pasta tastes too bland without salt, you can simply season it after you have decanted the pasta water.