The popular indoor plant hack expert warns could cause ‘unwanted mould’

There’s a new trend circulating online at the moment, encouraging people to use their leftover pasta water when watering their plants.

But it turns out that the hack might not be as good as it seems.

Plant doctor and horticultural expert at Patch Plants, Kelly Dyer, has issued a warning to all plant parents out there – pasta water can cause a slew of issues for your beloved green children.

“It is widely encouraged to keep leftover pasta water to add to your pasta sauce for added flavour and silkiness; however, many TikTok creators recommend keeping it set aside as feed for your plants,” says Dyer.

“There is no scientific research into this and I would take the balanced view that this hack is no substitute for watering with clean water and maintaining a regular feeding schedule with a balanced fertiliser.”

Dyer added that since the water is also often quite starchy, it can leave a residue on the surface of the soil, which she explains, “which will look gross and lead to unwanted mould!”

While experts warn to steer clear of the new trend, if you still want to give it a go, make sure you do it correctly.

The main thing to remember is to keep your pasta water free of oil and salt.

TikToker Secateur Me Baby says to boil your pasta until soft, keeping the water free of any other extras, explaining that “the starchy water contains mostly selenium and manganese which acts like food for microorganisms in the soil.”

He says to drain the pasta water and let it cool before decanting it into your watering jug and using it on your plants.