Don’t throw away the water to cook the rice, as it benefits from the vitamins, minerals, and starch found in the rice grains, making it highly nutritious for a variety of uses, including stimulating plant growth.
How to use rice grains for plant growth
Learn how you can use rice grains to make your plants grow stronger and faster.
1. As a potting fertilizer
This method is a slow release fertilizer: this means that the starch in the rice will be released gradually. As you water the plants, the rice grains will begin to swell and release starch into the potting soil. In addition, with each watering, the soil of the plant will be filled with nutrients thanks to the rice.
Application Method:
You will need 1 tablespoon of rice for a large pot. If the pot is smaller, 1/2 tablespoon is enough. Spread the rice grains around the stem of the plant in a circle around it.
For a more effective impact, using a spoon, mix the rice with the topsoil. In this way, the rice will be absorbed more slowly, giving time for the starch to be released.
2. As a basic fertilizer
This form of application is also a slow release fertilizer. You should apply it once every 2 months: do not fear that the substrate will be filled with rice plants. You should know that the rice we eat undergoes a refining process, making it impossible for it to germinate.
Application Method:
In a large pot, place some topsoil in the bottom with 2 tablespoons of rice. Mix the 2 ingredients so that there is a uniform mixture in the background. You will notice that the rice grains take on a gritty or powdery consistency like perlite. Then, support the plant you are going to transplant well and cover the rest with soil. In this case, in addition to the fertilizer, the rice will facilitate the drainage of your plant.
3. Use rice water
Unlike the previous methods, the rice water will act as a quick release fertilizer. This method is recommended for plants that need to recover nutrients quickly. You should apply it once a week for 15 days and you will notice a marked difference in the growth of your plant.
How to apply it:
Pour 1/2 cup of white rice into a 1 1/2 liter plastic bottle, fill with tap water until the bottle is full. Cover and stir to release the starch, then let sit for 30 minutes.
After this time it will remain as a whitish liquid, it is an excellent fertilizer for your plants. Apply by irrigation: make sure that the bottom rice mixes well with the soil so that it retains its moisture.