Can coffee grounds be used on all plants? Are coffee grounds as fertilizer a good idea? Coffee grounds are an eco-friendly fertilizer with lots of amazing benefits and it is a great way to make use of something that will otherwise that will end up taking space in the landfill. Coffee grounds contain several key minerals for your plants to grow and it also helps to add nitrogen to your compost pile.
Coffee grounds attract earthworms which would boost the soil around your plants however not all plants like coffee grounds. It is important to decide if your plant will like the remains of your coffee or not and consider your overall climate before adding it to the soil.
If you make a daily pot of coffee then you have a fabulous source of organic matter at hand right now and there are many ways you can put it to work. Which plants live on coffee grounds? Coffee grounds can be used on hundreds of shrubs and plants but they are some that react better.
Using your coffee grounds as composite is much simpler than it sounds. This article contains plants that like coffee grounds although coffee grounds are slightly acidic and most plants prefer soil that is slightly acidic however some plants react better than others.
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5 Plants That Like Coffee Grounds
Coffee ground is a cheap and effective way to release potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and other minerals into the soil. It can easily be added to your soil and while used coffee grounds are slightly acidic, fresh unbrewed coffee is more acidic and while they are hundred of plants that will thrive with used coffee grounds, not all do like it but here are 5 plants that like coffee grounds.
1. Tomatoes
Tomatoes need soils rich in nitrogen to grow healthy and the coffee grounds ensure it produces a strong fruit. Tomatoes are acid-loving plants and with the high nitrogen contents in coffee grounds, they are perfect for tomatoes. Coffee grounds are great for tomato seeds, it helps the roots to grow and boosts the tomatoes ability to produce chlorophyll.
Tomatoes like slightly acidic and not overly acidic soil hence you can use used coffee grounds and not fresh coffee grounds which tend to have more acid. Used coffee grounds have a PH of about 6.8 and when in doubt, just have them thrown on the compost pile and nutrients are released as the organic matter breaks down
2. Blueberries
Coffee grounds are great for an acid-loving plant-like blueberry. This hardy little plant doesn’t usually need fertilizer but they do get a boost from coffee grounds. Blueberries thrive in a high nitrogen environment just like tomatoes. Mulching your blueberries with coffee grounds won’t do any harm but used carefully as they will be somewhere between acid and neutral.
3. Hydrangeas
Hydrangea is a beautiful flower and if you are growing this, you can effectively use coffee grounds to change their color. Coffee grounds add extra acidity to the soil around hydrangeas. Coffee grounds improve and change the color of your flowers as the nutrient added to it from the coffee ground improves it.
4. Roses
Roses are other plants that do like the coffee ground but not in excess. Too much coffee grounds for roses can give them a nasty nitrogen burn and can kill your roses as well. This difficult to grow plants are boosted by the high nitrogen content in coffee grounds hence it will enable it to grow and you can loosen the texture.
5. Azalea
Azalea is an acidic loving plant hence will thrive with coffee grounds. Adding organic waste to your garden can really give your azalea plant a boost and it is more even more safe to use only all-natural compost and fertilizer so the food you harvest can be chemical and pesticide-free.
Can you put too many coffee grounds in your garden?
Yes, you can definitely put too much coffee grounds in your garden, and although they make good acid mulch too much of anything is just too much. Coffee grounds are acidic and working it into the ground will improve its tilth but it should be applied in small amounts unless you are working with acid-loving plants like camellias and azaleas.
Final Thoughts
Coffee grounds are definitely a great choice for mulching your soil is you are looking for a more organic method for fertilizing your plants. If you love coffee and gardening then you can make the most of your everyday brew to nourish your garden. Different methods of brewing your coffee also determine how acidic the coffee turns out to be.
If you have a cat, it might be best to avoid scattering grinds directly onto your soil but a little mixed with compost where it is unlikely to come in contact with your pets could be alright.
