The Leftover Cooking Water You Should Be Repurposing In Your Garden

We've previously covered a critical boiling mistake to avoid with potatoes, but here's one you may not have learned: throwing out your boiled potato water instead of using it in your garden. It turns out that the water you use to boil potatoes is an amazingly cheap and natural fertilizer for your plant babies, providing potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus, all of which are essential to growing plants. Knowing how often to water your veggie garden can be tricky, but watering it now and then with potato water need not be. When you boil potatoes, simply strain the water into a jar or bowl instead of washing it down the sink, and allow the water to cool. Then, you can use it as a treat for your indoor or outdoor plants in lieu of regular water.

It's important to note that you shouldn't use your potato water on plants if it contains salt — salt impacts plants' ability to photosynthesize and can cause salt poisoning in high levels. On the other hand, that salted potato water makes a stupendous weed killer that works without using harmful chemicals ... just make sure you localize spraying so that it only impacts unwanted growth! Also nix this hack if you use any other seasonings in your potato water, like chicken bouillon, peppercorns, or vinegar. Another note is that you want to make sure the potato water is thoroughly strained, since chunks of actual potato or peel can rot in your garden and attract pests.

Since potato water is high in potassium, it stands to reason that plants with high potassium needs would really thrive with this fertilizer. Fruiting plants really thrive with extra potassium, producing fruit that is bigger, more vibrant in color, and better tasting due to the fact that potassium affects sugar accumulation and acidity. Your tomatoes, strawberries, and melons will really appreciate the potato water, in other words! Growing flowers? Any plant with large blooms, like roses, orchids, and hibiscus, also adores this treat. Nitrogen is another fundamental component to making plants bear fruit that's healthy and plentiful, and you'll find that good stuff in potato water as well.

Potato water is everything that the viral banana peel water gardening hack claims to be, which is a turbo boost of nutrients for your plants. Flowering or fruiting plants only need a dose of homemade fertilizer every two to four weeks; all your other garden plants can use it every six to eight weeks at a watering. Don't overdo it, because too many nutrients can cause undesirable buildup in plants. Used judiciously, however, you'll find that your otherwise useless potato water is a magic potion for juicier garden crops and prettier ornamental plants that enhances your garden at no extra cost to you. Now, that's the kind of gardening advice that makes us happy!