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Rice water is what is left over after washing or cooking rice. If you are fond of rice at meal times, you may have noticed how much water it takes to wash rice. Of course, there is no need to waste the water, and it is high in several vital nutrients plants need but is rice water good for snake plants?
Rice water is good for snake plants and gives them nutrients simultaneously. Rice water contains Potassium, Phosphorous, and Nitrogen and is therefore beneficial to indoor snake plants. Rice water reduces environmental waste while boosting the snake plant’s growth indoors.
Suppose you are into waste elimination and recycling and love being water smart. In that case, you will love how we can show you the best way to use rice water and its benefits for your snake plants. We will explain the easiest methods of effectively making and using this nutrient-rich water.
Can You Water Snake Plants With Rice Water?
Snake plants can be watered using rice water, which significantly boosts their growth indoors. Snake plants are some of the hardiest plant species indoors. However, they can live up to 16 years, so a good rice water boost will be highly beneficial.
Snake plants benefit your house environment by providing oxygen, filtering air, and removing harmful chemicals such as benzine and formaldehyde. They can grow to be large, some reaching 12ft in height.
Rice water will be a treat for your snake plant since it can live with little water and nutrition. Snake plants are considered one of the hardiest indoor plants available and can go several weeks without water. Did you know there are more than 70 snake plant species?
The most common snake plant species that will enjoy rice water are –
- The Golden Snake Plant
- Father in Law’s Tongue
- Twisted Sister Snake Plant
- Compact Snake Plant – great for smaller apartments
- Mother in Law’s Tongue
- Mason’s Congo Snake Plant
- Variegated Snake Plant
While most plants need lots of nutrients to grow and survive, snake plants are the opposite. They prefer to be slightly neglected and do not like to be overwatered. If you cook rice once a week, giving your snake plant a small amount of rice water should be sufficient.
What Are The Advantages Of Using Rice Water For Snake Plants?
While some people may be skeptical of using rice water on snake plants, a scientific paper has proven that it is nutritional, beneficial, and safe. The last thing anyone wants is to feed a plant something that may cause harm.
The Agrotechnology Department of the Indonesian University of Riau published a cited paper
proving how beneficial rice water is. Rice water increased crop yield by a high percentage over a specified period. That is proof enough to guarantee its safety and benefits.
Rice Water Is Packed With Key Minerals
All plants need critical minerals to survive, just like the human body. The essential survival components for plants are Phosphorous (P), Nitrogen (N), and Potassium (K). The fantastic thing about rice water is that it contains all three minerals.
Rice water would be the most organic form of fertilizing your snake plants, making it a top choice.
Rice Water Can Be Home Made
What’s not to love about homemade solutions to help cut costs? For example, rice water can be made in your home kitchen; you only need a few minutes and some storage containers or jugs.
You don’t need to specially prepare rice water for your snake plants. Instead, whenever you add rice to your menu, keep the water for later – we will explain how to store the water below.
Rice Water Improves Soil Bacteria
Any plant needs rich and healthy soil. The benefit of snake plants is that they don’t particularly enjoy being in very rich soil. However, the gentle blend of critical nutrients in rice water will ensure the snake plant has healthy roots and leaves.
Rice water will gently activate the right amount of beneficial bacteria in the soil and help maintain a good balance. Be careful not to overwater your snake plant in general.
Rice Water Can Be Stored
Say you only have one or two snake plants and don’t want to overwater them, but you also don’t want to discard fresh rice water. There is an easy solution. Rice water can be stored easily!
There are two ways of storing rice water – in mason jars in the fridge or by fermenting the rice water first and then storing it. We will explain the fermentation and storage process below.
Rice Water Is Friendly To The Environment
Unlike chemical fertilizers that may contain hidden fillers that can harm the environment, rice water is entirely organic and safe.
Because rice starts off as a plant, you are extracting only biological material.
Rice Water Increases Snake Plant Growth
Because snake plants live long, it may seem that they grow very slowly compared to other indoor plants. To help snake plants through critical growth periods, rice water is a gentle and effective growth booster.
Tip – like many indoor plants
Boosting your vegetable plants can be done by watering the entire plant. However, certain vegetable plants, like tomatoes, prefer not to have water on their leaves.
You can mist spray the rice water using a hand spray bottle or overhead misters. If you have drip or irrigation, you can run the water through your tank and ensure the rice water gets to the roots.
Best Methods To Prepare Rice Water For Snake Plants
Preparing rice water is super fast and easy. There is no mess and no fuss involved. The two best methods to prepare rice water for your snake plant is – washing and fermentation.
#1 – Washing And Boiling
I use this method several times weekly, consisting of unboiled rice and cold water. Here is how you do it:
- Place a cup or two of raw, unboiled rice in a container or pot
- Pour a few cups of water over the rice and make sure the rice is fully submerged.
- Now, use your hand to stir the rice around and work your fingers through. The water will become cloudy.
- Strain the cloudy water into a mason jar or jug.
- Refill the pot or container with clean water and repeat this process until the water runs clear.
- At this point, you have removed all the nutrient-rich starch and can cook the rice.
#2 – Fermentation
Only some people know about the fermentation process of rice water. However, fermented rice has a higher nutritional value for your snake plant than plain rice water.
- Take fresh rice water and pour it into a container that can be sealed. Next, you take a few orange peels and place them into the water.
- Place the container in a well-lit area and watch the liquid. In summer, when it’s hot, the fermentation can be done in as little as 5 days, but in winter, it takes up to 20 days.
- You can dilute the fermented water 1 – 1 with water. The fermented rice water can be given to your snake plant once per month. Store in a cool place after fermentation is complete and use when needed.
Check out: Do Snake Plants Like Coffee Grounds?
Conclusion
Rice water has scientifically proven benefits for your hardy, long-living snake plant. Rice water will not influence the plant’s soil needs in any way, making it the safest fertilizer for your snake plant.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_water
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracaena_trifasciata#:~:text=Dracaena%20trifasciata%20is%20a%20species,bowstring%20hemp%2C%20among%20other%20names.
- https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1351/1/012097