Starch water

[MrsWilson2012]

I had some plants that were beginning to wilt, though i don't really know why as they were properly taken care of (appropriate amounts of water and sunlight, correct air temp, etc). My grandmother told me an old trick her grandfather had used.

Boil potatoes just as you would when making mashed potatoes. When draining the water after boiling, collect the water murky potato water in a container and use it every 2-3 days when watering your plants. I tried it, and it worked! I'm not sure why, maybe the extra nutrients from the potatoes.

Has anyone else ever tried this?

 

[ChanellG]

It's no wonder it worked! Potatoes are a great source of potassium, which all plants need, especially those that produce fruits or flowers. If you boil eggs, you can save and use that water to supply needed calcium (mainly for fruiting and flowering plants). The water from steaming or boiling other vegetables can also be used as long as you don't add salt or oil while cooking.

 

[darehare]

Wow, thanks so much for the tip! I have been using mealworm for my tomato plant, mainly to deter animals from eating all my tomatoes. Didn't know how to give my plant a boost when its leaves were wilting. Hope starch water works well for fruits and edibles producing varieties of plants too.

 

[peachdejour]

OH! I was told that starch water was a weed killer! No wonder it didn't work! I did end up using a mix of dawn, white vinegar, and water later that did work very well. I was duped! haha!

 

[Kansas Terri]

REALLY!

Dawn and vinegar is WONDERFUL for removing hard water spots: just let sit a couple of minutes and wipe it off! I never knew it was also a week killer!

 

[globulon]

Humm, never realized it was even a possibility to use the boiled starch water. That's a very clever idea! Now I feel incredibly wasteful for always pouring mine down the drain.

 

[DancingLady]

It sounds like a mild fertilizer. I'll have to try that I don't like to have to use chemical fertilizers even on my indoor plants.