Do you want the answer to why is coffee grounds good for plants? After drinking coffee, we usually throw the thick into the trash, which is a mistake, because it can be very useful. Coffee can invigorate us and strengthen plants, like a natural fertilizer, it can be used to fight pests or prepare a precious substrate rich in minerals. We will tell you how to use coffee grounds as fertilizer for which plants it is useful and when it can harm.
why is coffee grounds good for plants?
When growing plants, we usually buy fertilizers to feed them, considering this to be the best solution. The finished preparations have a well-balanced composition, are easy to use, but they can change the quality of the soil, lead to salinization of the soil, and the destruction of beneficial organisms that live in it. A safer solution would be to use natural fertilizers. It is more difficult to overdose on them, they are also not harmful to the soil and microorganisms living in it.
coffee grounds good for plants
Thick coffee contains useful substances, valuable trace elements that are important for the proper development of plants:
- Phosphorus – affects the proper development of the root system, stimulates flowering, fruiting, seed formation. Improves soil quality.
- Magnesium is the building block of chlorophyll (the green parts of the plant). The trace element is crucial for photosynthesis and absorption of solar energy by flowers. Signs of magnesium deficiency are yellow, rusty spots on the leaves, slow development of young leaves.
- Potassium – especially important for young seedlings, stimulates growth, affects flowering, stimulates the formation of new shoots. The macronutrient supports the rational use of water in the plant, the correct course of metabolic processes. Potassium improves resistance to stress factors (frequent changes in temperature, humidity, drought, diseases, especially fungal). Without potassium, flowers cannot develop normally, they often become stunted.
- Nitrogen compounds – support the proper development and growth of plants, regulate the consumption of other macronutrients (phosphorus, potassium), improve the condition and appearance of flowers. Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency are faded color of stems, leaves, slow or inhibited growth of aboveground and underground parts, chlorosis (yellowing of leaves).
Substances from coffee residues are released relatively slowly, which makes them a natural fertilizer with a long lasting effect. Therefore, you can use ground coffee as a long-lasting fertilizer for indoor plants and garden plants.
What else is thicker useful:
- Soil mixed with coffee pomace is prized by acidophilic plants (which like soils with acidic pH).
- Leftover coffee in the garden can neutralize excess calcium from the tap water.
- They perfectly loosen the soil, reduce its tendency to dry out.
- Recommended: best temperature for indoor plants.
Which plants like used coffee grounds?
Coffee grounds have a slightly acidic pH, so it is ideal as a fertilizer for indoor plants that love acidic soil and garden acidophilous plants.
Reference. Acidophilic plants are those that grow on acidic soils.
Garden plants that love acidic soil include:
- hydrangeas;
- heathers;
- ferns;
- Erika;
- rhododendrons;
- sorrel;
- cranberry;
- blueberries;
- mosses;
- some azaleas, vegetables, such as tomatoes;
- Strawberry.
Which potted flowers like acidic soil:
- fern;
- anthurium;
- camellia;
- begonia;
- jasmine gardenia;
- caladium;
- spathiphyllum;
- codiaum;
- Saintpaulia;
- Stephanotis is abundantly flowering.
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How do you use coffee grounds on plants?
Thick can be used in several ways. It should not contain sugar, milk, other additives, have signs of mold, and an unpleasant odor.
use coffee grounds for Mulching
The easiest way to use coffee cake in your garden is to add it to the soil. It can be mixed with topsoil and used as a substrate for planted flowers. The content of thick in such a mixture should be no more than 20-25%.
Fresh thick matter can be immediately scattered around the plants by mixing it with earth. It can be dried and used in the garden at any time as a mulch.
Horticultural crops need nitrogen to absorb certain nutrients faster. Unfortunately, the soil is sometimes poor in this element. Coffee can help, there is a lot of nitrogen in the grounds and it does not release very quickly. For this reason, it is recommended that you use coffee mulch before watering or rain, sprinkle the thickened flowers or bushes, and then wet the ground. During evaporation, the plants will receive the desired ingredient.
Attention! It is advisable to cover the thick with pine bark or other mulch on top because it is light and sometimes blown away by the wind.
The thick is also suitable for mulching indoor potted flowers. However, it is necessary to mix it with the top layer of the earth, otherwise, it will quickly become moldy and unusable.
For watering
As a vegetable garden fertilizer, coffee grounds are also a good source of nutrients. Thick water is well suited for watering horticultural crops. It contains many minerals including magnesium and phosphorus. You just need to remember to respect the proportions, because flowers and bushes do not need to be poured with coffee suspension.
The proportions of infusion for indoor and garden plants:
- For garden plants. We dilute 1 glass of grounds for 20 liters of water. This infusion can be watered with acidophilic cultures every 7-14 days.
- For potted flowers – lovers of an acidic or slightly acidic substrate, a similar coffee infusion can be prepared by pouring a tablespoon of the grounds in 0.5 liters of water. After mixing the grounds with water, wait for it to swell. When this happens, you can water the flowers with the mixture.
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use coffee grounds in compost
In some countries, there are specialized companies that collect used coffee grounds from offices, bars, restaurants and other institutions to compost and use as an additive to substrates.
It is worth taking an example from them and adding thick to the compost. Thanks to the thicker, the soil will be enriched with additional nutrients and will quickly acquire the desired consistency. Due to the content of nitrogen and other minerals, the grounds will become a valuable component that improves the structure and nutritional value of the compost. Improved compost will allow garden crops to grow better, more luxuriantly.
The smell of coffee will attract earthworms, which accelerate the processing of organic matter and the formation of humus.
At the same time, there is no need to be afraid that the compost with the addition of coffee will become too sour, because:
- firstly, there is not too much thick;
- secondly, the reaction of coffee varies according to different sources, it can be acidic and neutral, therefore it has little effect on the pH of the entire compost.
Ground improvement before planting
A good option is to fertilize the soil with coffee grounds. This is easy to do. Dig a hole 15-20 centimeters deep and add 1 cup of coffee to it, lightly sprinkle with earth, stir, then completely cover with earth. Saplings planted in such fertilized soil will have good growth and health.
We do the same when planting indoor flowers, add the thick to the ground.
use coffee grounds To repel insects
Using coffee grounds will help repel some insects:
- From ants . Just sprinkle it in small portions where insects appear to get rid of the ants. Waste from an automatic or semi-automatic coffee machine can also be used to repel ants.
- From aphids . Aphids can cover all stems, leaves, severely damaging the plant. If we do not want to use strong artificial aphid remedies, we can opt for natural substitutes. Leftover coffee can be spread around the stems in the soil. It is worth adding to them a little chopped garlic, onions. This will maintain pesticidal properties. To enhance the effect of the thick, you can prepare an infusion of thick and garlic (onions): mix 2 teaspoons of thick with 2 glasses of water and a small amount of garlic and onion broth or juice. Spray the plant with the resulting preparation.
As Cat scarer
If cats like some garden plants, start watering them with coffee leftovers. You can also add some orange peels there. Plants will not be harmed because coffee is also an excellent fertilizer, and cats will most likely avoid these areas.
How often should I put coffee grounds on my plants?
When growing crops in your vegetable garden, you should not rely solely on the use of coffee grounds as the only fertilizer, as its composition is not particularly rich in nutrients.
The thick is also not able to greatly change the reaction of the soil, in contrast to preparations and specialized fertilizers (for example, ammonium sulfate).
However, it will help:
- preserve the acidity of the soil;
- will enrich the soil with nitrogen, minerals;
- will improve its structure (the thick is light, loose, therefore loosens the soil, increasing its absorbency).
The thick is also useful as an additive to the potting medium. It is enough to add a few teaspoons of grounds to a small pot to improve the structure of the substrate, make it more absorbent, better aerated.
Can you put too much coffee grounds in your garden?
Unfortunately, despite its many benefits, coffee isn’t exactly perfect:
- Various studies have found that coffee grounds inhibit sprout growth and development and seed germination.
- Coffee has been blamed for the caffeine it contains, which has all the allelopathic properties in relation to seeds and seedlings. It should not be used for cuttings, growing seedlings. Sometimes coffee is bad for the growth of certain plant species (like Tradescantia), so use it in moderation and watch the plants react.
- Avoid overusing coffee for plants that like alkaline soil.
- lavender;
- thyme;
- oregano;
- grapes;
- Snapdragon;
- oleander;
- bougainvillea;
- caroline yucca.
You should never overdo it using the grounds. Of course, it does not replace a completely specialized fertilizer – it does not contain all the ingredients that plants need.
Coffee grounds can have many beneficial uses at home. In a pot or vegetable garden, it becomes an excellent fertilizer for flowers and other plants. Since it absorbs odors, it will also freshen the air in the apartment a little. So let’s not treat thick as waste it will become a valuable ecological fertilizer. It can be used as organic fertilizer with an extended shelf life, mulch, compost, substrate or repellent.
