Is oat water good for plants? What do oats do for soil? Can it be used as a fertilizer? Don’t worry; we have all the answers!
When it comes to nutrition, oatmeal water packs a punch for plants. It nourishes the soil and is an affordable home food for your botanical babies. Now, oat water may not be as effective as commercial fertilizers, but it definitely boosts plant growth. Let’s dig in and see if it’s worth a try in your own garden as well!
What is Oat Water?
Oat water is basically supercharged water for your plants and is made from oats! It’s made by soaking oats in water for some time, which allows the extraction of nutrients from the oats to seep into the water. This includes Potassium (up to 0.3%), Phosphorus (up to 0.05%), and other plant elements such as Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Boron, and some Vitamins.
Now, where do all of these come from? Well, oats are rich in minerals, potassium, and soluble fibers. But that’s not all. They also have nitrogen (helps plants grow leaves) and phosphorus (important for strong roots).
When you soak them in water for a long time, all of this is slowly released into the water, enriching it (except the soluble fibers.) You can use this enriched water for your plants and reap the benefits.
What to Use in the Garden – Oats or Oat Water?
Why skip on the benefits of both? You know that oat water is great for plants, but oats have soluble fibers that are highly beneficial as well. So, there are two ways: Apply just the oat water or mix a bit of soaked oats in the soil as well, but adding this can attract pests like ants and rodents.
The soluble fiber in oats will break down and improve the soil structure, acting like tiny sponges, soaking up and holding onto the oat water.
The soluble fiber is a good worker here because whenever the soil dries out, these little sponges will release the stored nutrient-rich oat water to the plant’s roots, keeping them hydrated for longer between waterings.
How to Use Oat Water in the Garden?
Using it is easy, but making it is where most people get confused. Here are 4 easy steps that double as tips for making your own oat water.
- In a container, mix 1 cup of oats with 2 liters of water. Take uncooked oats (they have more nutrients).
- You can soak the oats in water overnight—around 12-24 hours but keeping them for 3-4 days will extract more nutrients. Plus, soaking more will increase the beneficial microbes due to fermentation.
- After soaking, strain this water. Once you have separated all the solids from the liquid, take 1-2 handfuls of soaked oats and mix them into the oat water you have (if you wish to add oats in the soil as well). The rest of the strained ones can be added to the compost bin so they don’t go to waste.
Now that you have it ready, all you have to do is apply it to your plants. You can use the oat water directly on your plants like regular water. Use a watering can or pour it gently around the base of the plants. For results, keep doing it every other week.
You need to know that oat water isn’t a miracle cure—it’s not the most powerful fertilizer, so don’t expect huge overnight results, so give it time to work its magic. One last thing—the water can get smelly if you ferment it, so be prepared for that.
More Tips for Using Oat Water for Plants
- If the oat water seems very cloudy, you can dilute it with water before using it on your plants. A 1:1 ratio is a good starting point.
- Don’t use cooked oats or flavored oats. These won’t provide the same benefits and might attract unwanted pests. You can also try pasta water and rice water–both are highly beneficial for the plants.
That’s pretty much it. Now, try it for yourself 😄. Do let us know how oat water works for your plants in the comments below!
