Sounds kind of yucky almost. On the other hand, potato water is pretty cool! You might be surprised to learn how useful and flexible it is.
Potato water can be used instead of thickener, added to many foods to make them taste better, or even used in the garden to make the soil more fertile. There are many ways to use potato water. Keep reading to find out how to make it.
If you frequently cook potatoes you may have wondered if that leftover potato boiling water could be put to use on plants. The answer is yes – with some caveats. Below we’ll explore the potential benefits along with tips for using potato water on your indoor and outdoor plants.
Why Use Potato Water on Plants?
Potatoes are packed with nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc. When you boil potatoes, some of those beneficial minerals leach into the cooking water.
Instead of pouring that enriched water down the drain, many gardeners take advantage by using it to fertilize plants The potato water adds supplemental nutrition and provides a natural, free, organic boost.
Potential Benefits for Plants
Watering with plain potato water can provide the following useful benefits:
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Extra potassium for flower blooming and fruit production.
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Phosphorus for root, stem, and seed development.
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Magnesium and calcium for plant metabolism and growth.
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Iron and zinc for healthy foliage and plant enzymes.
Overall, the nutrients give plants a helpful dose of minerals for improved flowering, fruiting, growth, disease resistance, and more.
How to Use on Indoor Plants
Potato water can provide a nutrient-containing “tea” for houseplants. Here’s how to use it:
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Collect water after boiling potatoes. Allow to cool fully.
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Pour the potato water into a watering can or spray bottle.
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Use to water or mist indoor plants, especially flowering and fruiting varieties.
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Give plants a good soak, allowing excess to drain out.
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Use every 1-2 weeks in place of plain water for an added boost.
How to Use in the Garden
You can likewise take advantage of the nutrients from potato water in the garden:
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Boil potatoes as normal. Reserve the water once cooled.
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Transfer to a watering can for easy garden application.
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Water around the base of plants, trees, shrubs, and in garden beds.
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Focus on heavy feeders like tomatoes, peppers, and squash.
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Use every 7-14 days to supplement normal watering and rain.
What Not to Do
Avoid using potato water in these cases:
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Water is still hot – always let cool first to avoid plant damage.
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Potatoes were seasoned – salt, spices, or oil can harm plants.
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Water contains potato bits – strain out any solids before using.
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Plants are freshly seeded or transplanted – wait until established.
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Lawn or grass areas – too much moisture can lead to fungal issues.
Alternative Uses for Potato Water
Besides using on plants, cooled potato water can also be:
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Added to pet food for extra nutrition.
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Poured on compost piles to provide beneficial nutrients.
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Used to wash and brighten windows and mirrors.
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Fed to chickens, pigs, and other livestock.
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Used to make homemade broth or soup stock.
Reap the Benefits in Your Garden
With its wide array of minerals and nutrients, leftover potato water is too valuable to waste. Take advantage of this free garden booster by using it to supplement your indoor and outdoor plants. With proper usage, potato water can help your plants thrive with minimal effort. Just be sure to use it as an addition to regular watering rather than the sole source of moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about using potato water on plants:
How often should I use potato water?
Use it every 1-2 weeks on indoor plants and every 7-14 days in the garden. Too much can oversaturate soil.
Should I dilute potato water before using?
It’s fine to use full strength on established plants. But dilute with 50% plain water for seedlings and transplants.
Can I spray plants with potato water?
Yes, it can be sprayed on leaves with a spray bottle for foliar absorption of nutrients. Avoid wetting the foliage too much.
Can potato water be used on all plants?
Most food producing and flowering plants will benefit. Avoid using it on sensitive species prone to fungal issues.
Is potato water high in starch?
Potatoes do contain starch, but not much leaches into the water when boiling. The water contains more dissolved minerals.
What is Potato Water?
Potato water is quite simply the water that’s leftover in the pot after you boil potatoes. It’s starchy and thicker than plain water and has little bits of potato floating around in it.
So why would you save potato water? You could just strain the potatoes and pour the water down the drain like you would with pasta, but that would be boring!
Potato starch mixed with water has a similar consistency to milk or water mixed with flour. It thickens things up, adds nutrients to other foods, and makes bread and doughs taste and feel better. You can even buy dried potato starch to have on hand if you don’t regularly boil potatoes.
Since potato water can be used for many things, don’t just pour it down the drain the next time!
Even Ma Ingalls knew this little kitchen trick. She used potato water to make her home-cooked meals taste even better.
More Questions About Potato Water
Yes, you can use all of the minerals and vitamins in potato water whether you drink it or put it in food. Just be sure that the water is from peeled, clean potatoes (preferably organic) with nothing else added.