10 Plants That Thrive On Rice Water & How to Use It For Maximum Growth

“Rice water? How can that be of any good to my plants?” is probably the first thought that came to your mind when you read the title. 

Trust me, when I was young and saw my mom using rice water for some of her plants, I also found it quite pointless. I mean…why not just use regular water, right?

Well, in this article, you’re going to find out why. So, buckle up because, today, you’ll be learning all there is to know about rice water and plants.

How To Use Rice Water For Your Plants?

Throughout history, gardeners used to dilute rice water with regular water (ideally 1:1), and watering the plants with this mixture brought nothing short of miraculous results.

The diluted rice water adds tons of important nutrients, vitamins, minerals, as well as starch that leads to better and healthier plant growth. 

Plants That Will Benefit From Rice Water

1: Pothos

A plant like pothos that thrives in constant moisture would greatly appreciate rice water. Nutrients from the starch and the ample minerals present in rice water benefit pothos and help them thrive. 

2: Snake Plant

Snake plant boosts growth when watered with diluted, fermented rice water. The starch, vitamins, and minerals enhance soil fertility and promote healthier, fuller growth in your snake plant. 

3: Aloe Vera

This incredibly versatile succulent can greatly benefit from rice water. Ideally, you want to feed your aloe vera with rice water once every couple of weeks with diluted, fermented rice water. 

4: Peace Lily

As you know, I love peace lilies, there are quite a few present inside my house. And, I don’t have more because the whole place is stuffed with other houseplants. If I had even a tad bit of space, my first priority would be to fill the corner with a peace lily pot. 

This flowering plant offers strikingly lush foliage and will substantially benefit from the organic compounds present in rice water. 

5: Spider Plant

After the snake plant comes the spider plant. I mean…how many more plants are named after reptiles and creepy crawlies?

Anyways, spider plants will appreciate rice water feedings because the water contains minerals like phosphorus and potassium that help these plants develop stronger, healthier leaves. 

6: Basil

Apart from being an excellent natural pest and mosquito repellent in the garden, basil is also quite productive and will provide you with continuous harvests as long as you trim it regularly. 

To help it maintain its quick repeat growth, feed your basil with rice water as it acts like a natural liquid fertilizer for this herb. 

7: Tomatoes

Apart from helping tomato plants grow taller and healthier, rice water helps tomatoes by adding starch and other important nutrients to the soil that promote better fruiting. This will positively impact fruit yields, leading to more productive harvests every time. 

8: Cilantro

This perfect garnishing herb thrives when watered with cool, diluted rice water. Rice water on its own can be quite heavy and difficult to absorb for these plants so you want to dilute it to allow for better nutrient absorption and overall hydration.  

9: Peppers

Rice water helps peppers gain improved root strength, which directly benefits the overall root system. A stronger, more efficient root system provides better support to the pepper plants and absorbs nutrients from the grounds much more efficiently, eventually leading to healthier, more vigorous fruit production. 

10: Ferns

Ferns flourish with nutrients that mimic their natural environment. Fortunately, rice water contains those nutrients and can bring drastic positive changes to the growth and development of ferns. You’ll notice your ferns growing denser and having a much more noticeable presence after a period of consistent rice water feedings. 

Conclusion

Although you might think that rice water is only used in cooking, it’s actually not and has plenty of important uses in areas like the garden. Yes, it’s true that not all plants benefit from rice water, but the ones that do, absolutely love it and will give you drastic results after just a few feedings. 

Keep in mind, however, to use diluted rice water in most cases as it limits the chances of you overfeeding your plants with too much starch.