Orchids and peace lilies are among the most popular houseplants due to their beauty and being easy to care for, but it can be frustrating trying to get them to produce flowers. 

Houseplants like orchids and peace lilies can remain flowerless, begin to droop or have yellowing leaves due to a lack of nutrients in their soil, but there is one food that can help give them a boost. 

Tishana, a gardener and founder of Coco and Seed, has shared that she uses the water leftover from washing rice as a natural homemade fertiliser to help her houseplants grow. 

She said: “Rice water! Have you tried it on your plants? I personally don’t cook rice often but when I remember I use it on my plants. 

“After you wash your rice the water that is left back contains starches and minerals. The minerals contain trace macronutrients of NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that help your plants grow.”

Rice water contains small amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, three essential nutrients houseplants need for root development, foliage growth, and boosting flower production. 

It also contains small amounts of B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium which supports the plant’s energy production so you get better quality and bigger flower blooms. 

This fertiliser is made of what otherwise would be kitchen waste, making it a very cheap and eco-friendly way to help plants.  

Tishana said: “Beneficial to soil and stimulating healthy bacteria. On soilless plants, the nutrients go directly to the roots.”

How to feed orchids and peace lilies rice water

All you have to do is add rice to a bowl and add cold water from the tap to the bowl.

Swirl the rice around with a spoon or with your hands and soon you will notice the water begin to change water as the starches separate from the rice.

Carefully strain the rice from the water and pour the starchy water into a container. 

Turn it into fertiliser by mixing together one part fresh water and one part rice water to dilute it and avoid overfeeding houseplants. 

Pour the solution directly onto the base of the soil of your orchid or peace lily. 

Feed houseplants with this simple solution only once a month. Do not overdo it as too much organic matter in the soil at once can lead to diseases such as root rot. 

Always use fresh rice water on houseplants and do not store the water for long periods, as rice starch can ferment and quickly become mouldy. 

Tishana said: “Enjoy! You just created a plant fertilizer from plants. How cool is that?!”