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Washing up water

midnightbluemidnightblue Posts: 66
in Fruit & veg
The hot weather is a problem here in my bit of Scotland - I have almost no water so can't use any on my garden. Is it okay to use washing up water on my tomatoes? They are in pots.
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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I think you could.
    The only point that springs to mind is that washing up liquid is relatively high in nitrates so would encourage leaf growth rather than fruit.
    My neighbour has used washing up water on a hydrangea in her front garden for many years when it's dry and that thrives.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    Since water's been short I've been tipping it on everything, justifying it on the fact that most of the detergent elements will have been spent on the washing up.  NOthing's keeled over (yet).
  • midnightbluemidnightblue Posts: 66
    Thanks Pete.8 It's maybe worth a try because they will die otherwise.
    I was worried something toxic might happen! Maybe I should add tomato feed to it first then.
  • midnightbluemidnightblue Posts: 66
    Treeface said:
    Washing up water is usually full of bits of floating food? Maybe sieve it first :/

    That's a good point, thank you yes I'll do that then.
  • midnightbluemidnightblue Posts: 66
    nick615 said:
    Since water's been short I've been tipping it on everything, justifying it on the fact that most of the detergent elements will have been spent on the washing up.  NOthing's keeled over (yet).

    Sounds like it's worth a try then!Thanks for answering, my tomatoes will be happy!
  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    In hot spells we get a shower in the bath with the plug in, rather than the separate shower so that we can ladle out the water and use it on the garden. I've never noticed any ill effects from the shower products and shampoos we use. I think that the plants would rather have something rather than nothing. In the process, your gardening feet get a good soak.
  • celcius_kkwcelcius_kkw Posts: 753
    @Joy* the idea of ladling a whole tub of water out during a hot spell makes me a break a sweat just thinking of it... I’d probably end up stickier than before I had a bath lol!
  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    Hi Celcius. Actually we have a cheap plastic syphon which we bought for about £1 from a cheap supermarket a couple of years ago. The buckets we use aren't used until evening when things have cooled down so we don't get hot.
  • midnightbluemidnightblue Posts: 66
    Joy* said:
    In hot spells we get a shower in the bath with the plug in, rather than the separate shower so that we can ladle out the water and use it on the garden. I've never noticed any ill effects from the shower products and shampoos we use. I think that the plants would rather have something rather than nothing. In the process, your gardening feet get a good soak.

    I did a very similar thing up till 2 weeks ago but added my clothes as well so that I trampled them clean! But now I haven't got enough water for a shower - its a jug and bowl if I'm lucky.
  • HelixHelix Posts: 631
    Washing up water is fine....just let it cool down first! 

    I have a square’ish bucket that sits by my feet when I shower, and I get about 3/4s of a bucket every morning. 
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