How to Use Rice Water for Plants: 3 Ways

When you rinse your rice before cooking it, do you discard the cloudy water and move on? If so, you are dumping an easy and affordable DIY liquid plant fertilizer down the drain.

While rice water contains essential nutrients that can help your plants thrive, too much of a good thing can quickly go bad. Here’s what we’ve learned about using rice water for plants—and which method is best.

What Is Rice Water, and Is It Good for Plants?

When rice water is added in the correct increments, it can be hugely beneficial to plants. That’s because rice water contains nutrients and beneficial microbes that can help plants grow bigger and fuller. It’s rich with starch, which plants use to store energy for future growth and reproduction.

Additionally, rice water can be used as a fertilizer to increase growth and/or crop production, as it contains the three necessary nutrients needed by all plants: NPK, which stands for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

The starches in rice water also promote helpful bacteria such as lactobacilli and mycorrhizae fungi in the soil. And it’s all environmentally friendly.

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How to Make Rice Water For Plants

Rice water is easy to make, requiring only rice, water, and common kitchen items like a bowl, pot, and fine-mesh strainer. You can use any type of rice, such as short-grain, long-grain, jasmine, or basmati—just be sure it’s plain with no added seasonings.

There are three methods you can use to make rice water for plants: rinsing, boiling, or fermenting. The preparation you choose will depend on how much starch content you want to give your plants.

Fermented Rice Water

Fermented rice water is the most effective rice water solution, as the fermentation process promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria. However, it is also the most time-intensive to make.

1. Place a few scoops of cooked rice inside a glass jar and fill the jar with distilled water.
2. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth and store it in a dark place for one to two weeks to ferment.
3. Check on the jar every few days. If you see white mold, that is normal. If you see any black, brown, or orange growth on the surface, discard it and restart the process.
4. Once the fermentation process has completed, filter the fermented rice water into a clean container or spray bottle.
5. Dilute the fermented rice water with plain water in a ratio of one to two before using it on your plants.

Boiled Rice Water

Boiling rice releases starches and nutrients into the water, which can then be used to nourish your plants.

1. Bring two cups of water (no salt!) to a boil in a small pot or saucepan.
2. Add half a cup of uncooked rice to the boiling water.
3. Boil rice until the water gets cloudy and murky, and allow it to cool.
4. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the rice water from the rice grains, saving the starch-rich liquid in a jar or bowl.
5. Allow the rice water to cool completely before using it to water your plants.

Rinsed Rice Water

Rinsing rice is the easiest and fastest method for making rice water for your plants. The final product will be less concentrated, but still beneficial.

1. Fill a pot or rice cooker with rice and water, ideally with a three-to-one water-to-rice ratio.
2. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes, or use your hand to agitate the grains to accelerate the process of extracting starch and nutrients.
3. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the rice water into a clean container or spray bottle.
4. Shake well before applying to plants.

How Rice Water Can Harm Plants

Just as with all plant fertilizers, adding too much rice water to your plants can be harmful. If misused and over-applied, rice water can lead to harmful bacteria or mold blooms, hardening of the soil, and possible insect infestations.

To prevent this, it’s best to use rice water on your plants no more than once a month.

Plants That Can Benefit From Rice Water

Rice water can be applied to pretty much any plant, but some benefit more than others. When it comes to houseplants, many types of succulents, spider plants, orchids, and ferns thrive when given rice water.

Outdoors in your garden, plants such as peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, and eggplant can experience bigger yields when watered with rice water.

Plants That Shouldn’t Be Watered With Rice Water

For plants being grown in soil, rice water is a safe and beneficial addition. However, if you are growing a plant in a hydroponic system, do not add rice water, as the starch it contains can cause an overgrowth of bacteria and fungi in the water-based gardening format.