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Vegetable water in houseplants....

andrizzle
14 years ago

Ok, so my mother was telling me that she read somewhere that watering your plants with (cooled) water that you cook your vegetables in is great for your plants because of all the vitamins and whatnot... I decided to humor her by watering my anthuriums with it, and now I just have stinky, stinky plants, lol! They don't seem t be adversely affected, but stinky nonetheless.

Has anyone else tried this? Maybe there's a better way to go about doing it...

Comments (11)

  • maidinmontana
    14 years ago

    Hi,
    I read/heard the same thing a few years back. I use broccali/cauliflower, asparagus and artichoke water to water my asparagus fern. I diluted the water first. It seems to really like it. As a matter of fact, I stopped for a few months and it acts as tho it misses the veggie water. I have never seen knats on it but that doesn't mean it can't happen, and it does make sence. It does smell a bit afterwards, but the smell doesn't last long.

    few months agao my sister tried the technique with corn water on her Christmas Cactus (very old plant) and it didn't not repond well at all. As a matter of fact she has been trying to recover the plant ever since. So, it may not be a good thing or maybe only certain veg water should be used. . . .

    HTH. . .

    Maid~

  • linda_schreiber
    14 years ago

    Using vegetable water for watering plants is ok if you are careful about some things. But the plants probably don't
    benefit enough from the 'nutrients' enough to make the care worthwhile. I generally reduce vegetable water and add it to a stockpot for people.

    Any bits other than clear water are a big problem. Any starchy/sugary vegetable water is a big problem. Different plants will respond differently to different types of vegetable cooking water. All in all, not worth the fuss and experimentation, in my opinion.

    Over some time, you could make a good pot of soup....

  • citrusnut
    14 years ago

    My plants seem to like vegetable water, too, and respond well to it. But, the only way that I will give the vegetable water to my plants is if I DO NOT SALT the vegetables when boiling them or add anything else to the water.

  • jojosplants
    14 years ago

    I have never tried this, but have also heard the water from a hard boiled egg is good for plants. The calcium.

    No salt of coarse!

    JoJo

  • birdsnblooms
    14 years ago

    Some of us have sensitive noses, detect smells more than others. But the odor will dissipate over time.

    Maid, did you sister boil the corn water before adding to her plant? If not, corn water, from the can, contains a lot of salt, something plants can do without. In excess..Most inexpensive fertilizers contain salt..

    I'd like to try the veggie water..Several years ago I read veggie water, w/o salt, gives plants a boost..w/o the salt.

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Your plants don't need anything Toni.

    They are beautiful just as they are...:-)

    I never seen so many happy plants frolicking under one roof in the dead of winter at a time, as in yours..You got me beat by a few hundreds....

    Mike..:-)

  • birdsnblooms
    14 years ago

    Hey Mike..thanks so much..The thing is I enjoy experimenting with plants, using natural substances. That's how I started using SuperThrive. I saw several ads in the paper, and thought, naw, it's probably another 'BLANK' ad, lol..then I found it at a local store, and tried it..since then, never been w/o a bottle.
    Another thing is winter stress. Anything, including veggie water, might help someway or somehow..Ya know?

    Your citrus are doing fantastic..How many do you now have?

    Mike, I'm you'll catch up..lol...Toni

  • meyermike_1micha
    14 years ago

    Let's see, from the top of my head, about 15..lol

    I forgot how many you have...I do remember them looking mighty fine though...
    I will tell you what helps my plants form winter stress. I sing to them....lol

    Can't wait to get home and take a shower, throw my feet up on the foot stool, eat my supper, have a drink and watch my favorite show in my plant room tonight..Do you think they like TV?

    Mike:-)

  • birdsnblooms
    14 years ago

    Mike, honestly, I believe plants love music..I sing to mine, too..lol..my voice isn't bad. Perhaps if someone screeched instead of sang, plants would wilt..lol

    They've done studies proving plants respond to music. It's said, plants grown in a room where classical music is played do fantastic..those where Rock and Roll is played, do bad. I think they must have done something wrong with the second set..Plants respond to music period. Music and talking.
    I listen to various types, including oldies like The Beatles, or real oldies when I turn on a Judy Garland movie...to what is called House Music..lol..

    Mike, it sounds like you'll be all comfy-cozy, surrounded by plants, watching your favorite tv show, with your feet up...what will you watch? Toni

  • Anindita Mukherjee
    2 years ago

    I water my plants with leftover vegetable water and water with which I clean rice or lentils. Sometimes I put a tiny bit of organic fertilizer in it and it “brews“ for a few days.


    My plants seem to really like it. I haven’t given them regular tap water for over 6 months now.