Using coffee grounds for plants is a well-known gardening hack, but not every plant will benefit from leftover coffee. That's why it's so important to establish the plants that love coffee grounds, and distinguish them from the ones that don't.
Using coffee grounds in the garden can be wonderfully beneficial when you know which plants like them the most. And yes, there are places you should never use leftover coffee grounds in the garden, but the plants on this list are the areas where you definitely should.
I've asked the experts to share the top plants that love coffee grounds the most, so you can turn your kitchen waste into garden gold.
1. Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are one of the best plants that love coffee grounds. These bold blooms thrive in acidic soil conditions, which the addition of leftover coffee grounds can help towards. Adding coffee grounds - or even teabags - to the soil is also a well-known gardening hack that turns hydrangeas from pink to blue.
'Just note that coffee grounds shouldn’t be used as a replacement for fertiliser,' Graham Smith MCIHort, a horticultural expert from LBS Horticulture adds. 'A balanced fertiliser is needed for the optimal growth of hydrangeas and other coffee-loving plants.'
Use an organic soil fertiliser, like the envii SeaFeed Xtra, £12.95 at Amazon, alongside your leftover coffee. The combination will be more than enough to keep your hydrangeas happy.
2. Camellias
As another acidic-loving flower, Camellias will also benefit from the addition of coffee grounds in their soil thanks to the additional nitrogen the coffee provides.
These sweet flowering shrubs prefer rich, organic matter in their soil, and coffee grounds mimic the natural leaf litter they would receive in their native woodland habitat.
3. Rhododendrons
Rhododendrons are another acid-loving plant that will flourish with the addition of coffee grounds to their soil.
'These flowers thrive in acidic soil,' Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres explains. 'They'll benefit from the nutrients in coffee grounds as this helps feed them to generate larger blooms.'
Mix your coffee grounds with organic mulch around the rhododendrons' root zone for maximum benefit. You can easily make mulch from grass clippings, bark, or straw - alternatively you can buy 2x 9kg bags of straw mulch for £29.30 from Amazon.
FAQs
How to use leftover coffee grounds for plants?
To help the plants that love coffee grounds get the most from your coffee leftovers, the experts recommend adding them to your compost. This will allow the plants to absorb the coffee's beneficial nutrients, whilst still getting everything else they need too (like light, air, and water).
'It’s important that coffee grounds only comprise a maximum of 20% of your compost contents to maintain a balanced mix, otherwise they may prevent the breakdown of organic matter,' Graham advises.
Can I sprinkle coffee grounds in my garden?
You can sprinkle coffee grounds in the garden, but it's best to do this in moderation. 'You need to be careful with how much coffee you're putting down and how often because too much in the same place can create a bit of a barrier which will prevent water, air and nutrients reaching the roots,' Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries warns.
The best method is really to add your coffee grounds to your compost. This will prevent the coffee from clogging up the soil and causing more harm than good.
Now you know the top three plants that love coffee grounds, will you be saving the leftovers from your next morning cuppa?
