Hey folks! I've got a bit of a question for you. When I boil eggs, I save the leftover water after it cools to use for watering my plants — it feels nice to be resourceful. Now, I'm wondering if I could do the same with my pasta water. The catch is that I usually add olive oil to the pasta water. I've searched online but kept finding mixed opinions. Will this affect my plants negatively?
3 Answers
Honestly, you probably shouldn’t be adding olive oil to your pasta water at all. It doesn’t really serve any purpose - trust me! If you're using it, bear in mind that the water can end up too salty, which isn’t great for plants. You’re better off keeping it for cooking, not for your plants.
A bit of oil in the soil might not harm your plants much because it decomposes fairly quickly. But be cautious! Oils can smother plant leaves if they get on them, causing them to burn. The mixed opinions you’ve seen are probably because some folks confuse this with making homemade pest solutions. So, keep it light on the oil if you choose to use that water.
If you’re salting your pasta water, that's probably the bigger issue for your plants. Some people say it’s ‘salty like the sea,’ and too much salt can really hurt them. Personally, I add oil to my pasta only after draining it, so it doesn’t end up in the water I use for my plants. If it’s just oil and water, maybe consider using a compost pile for that to keep things safe!