Vegetable Water Does Double Duty

Saturday, May 14, 2011

When I was growing up my mom never boiled vegetables because, as she said, “the best part of the vegetable is lost”.

What she meant was the vitamins and nutrients were lost in the boiling water. As I got older and became more aware and educated about organic gardening I also began to wonder if the nutrients in water used to boil potatoes and beets or the water used to steam many of our other veggies couldn’t be used on my plants.

As an experiment I would cool a pot of vegetable water then use it to water my garden. After some time I began to notice how green and lush my plants were becoming.

Now, I never throw a pot of water down the drain, but rather cool it for watering my plants, both potted and ground planted. From pots of boiled potatoes and pasta to steamed vegetables to canning, the water I use throughout the day is doing double duty—cooking and providing a nourishing drink for my plants.

And, the fact that I save a little on my water bill is just an added bonus.



One Response to “Vegetable Water Does Double Duty”

  1. Water Bucket says:

    Definitely a great way to reuse water. I’ve been saving shower water and using it (I use organic soaps and shampoos.) And I use a rain barrel, but I’m always looking for more ways to reuse and save water.

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