Houseplants: RHS advises on watering techniques
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With water bills set to rise by almost two percent this year, many Britons will be looking for ways to cut their usage and save money. Bathroom company, Drench.co.uk, has shared five ways Britons can reuse their old water for their houseplants. One of the hacks doesn’t just water houseplants, but provides them with important nutrients too.
Water from boiling vegetables, pasta and rice
Experts have found that boiling vegetables causes water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C, B1 and folate to be released into the water.
This water can be used in soups, gravy and sauces but it’s especially beneficial to plants.
Evie Lane, gardening expert at Primrose said using the leftover water from boiling certain food items can act as a houseplant fertiliser.
She explained: “Using cooking water from washing or boiling vegetables, pasta or rice can act as a plant fertiliser.
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“Feeding your plants cooking water is a great way to provide your plants with well-needed nutrition and is less time consuming than developing a compost pile.
“When washing or boiling food, many micronutrients like nitrogen and calcium are absorbed into the water which can then be absorbed by your houseplants.”
However, when reusing this water, it’s important to ensure the water is not “heavily salted” or too hot.
Wait for the water to cool down completely and don’t use salted water, or risk doing “more than harm than good”.
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Dish water for lawns
Washing up liquid does not cause any issues on lawns.
It reportedly helps to “thin” down the water, enabling it to get through any compacted soil.
Dehumidifier water
The leftover water from dehumidifiers can be beneficial to houseplants if the air is clean inside the home.
It is similar to using rainwater on plants.
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Rainwater
Rainwater is the best water to use when watering indoor and outdoor plants as it does not contain minerals and salts.
Using rainwater in the summer is also cheaper and doesn’t eat into utility bills.
Gardeners can use rain barrels to harvest rain water.
These can be placed under the downspouts of a gutter system.
Drench also suggested putting snow into them in the winter months.
Condenser or heat pump dryer water
Water from the tumble dryer is collected and stored when it has dried clothes.
When emptying it, pour the water on houseplants instead of down the drain.
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