This not only provides a good source of nutrients, but adds beneficial bacteria, which can improve the health of the soil and your plants. Use half a cup of black coffee per plant, once in 2-3 weeks. Coffee Grounds for the Potato This is an update to an earlier post about some of the things I am doing with growing potatoes in car tires, with a coffee compost blend. Directly applying coffee grounds to indoor plant soil can cause excessive moisture retention, fungal overgrowth and even impair plant growth. Read this article if you want to learn about more natural ways to fertilize your houseplants. Add all your used coffee grounds to your compost pile and wait until your compost is ready to be used. Using coffee grounds in your potting mix does come with a few problems which I will talk about in the next section. Both these changes will lead to faster drying of the soil, reducing the risk of overwatering. Coffee grounds can also be used in your garden for other things. How to Use Coffee Grounds in Landscaping and Gardening. I have always found that placing coffee grounds in a pail of water and leaving over night makes a very good "drink" for my plants and toss coffee grounds in my compost. I happen to use the coffee grounds on acid loving plants, but also when I test the soil it remains pretty neutral so I don't think it adds that much acidity. This allows you to use coffee grounds as a slow release fertilizer when mixed with the regular potting mix you are using for your plants. Let’s have a look at the Houseplants That Love Coffee. Coffee grounds are one of many natural houseplant fertilizers, but you should take care to use them properly, to get the best results. Jade plants love coffee as they like nitrogen. Can You Use Coffee Grounds To Fertilize Indoor Plants? Using coffee grounds to make compost is by far the best option, if you want to use coffee grounds to fertilize indoor plants. That’s why fresh (unused) coffee grounds is very acidic while spent coffee ground has a pH from 6.1 to 6.9 (7 is neutral). Coffee grounds can usually be used on plants that need more acidity but how to use them is important. If you don't have enough leaves or grass clippings, use shredded paper coffee filters. Lots of articles tell you to apply coffee grounds to the soil of acid-loving plants (like blueberries and tomatoes) to keep that soil acidic. Using one cup per week for plants like impatiens, orchids, dieffenbachia, and African violets is a good way to help them grow well. Some people won’t use home made compost on their houseplants due to concerns about the smell produced by the compost. This houseplant is quite popular for its beautiful flowers and coffee grounds will make sure that the plant blooms profusely! Though keep in mind that jade plants dislike overwatering. Alternatively, see this article to find out which fertilizer I use on almost all my indoor plants. It is particularly disappointing when you try to help feed your plants and promote their health, only to cause them a fungal disease which can do a lot of harm. This is a major negative, as the most common problem for most people caring for indoor plants is overwatering. Ideally, using coffee grounds compost, or adding coffee grounds when repotting will reduce this risk. For most people, I would recommend using coffee grounds for your outdoor garden and using alternative options to fertilize your houseplants. Using one cup per week for plants like impatiens, orchids, dieffenbachia, and African violets is a good way to help them grow well. Coffee grounds are acidic. This beautiful houseplant is an excellent choice to bring a pop of color indoors. Here are some awesome Balcony Refurbishment Ideas to do... © 2020 Balcony Garden Web | All rights reserved, 10 Houseplants that Love Coffee | Coffee Grounds for Plant Growth, Check out our article on using coffee grounds for gardening, all you need to know on how to make a Christmas cactus bloom, Check out our article on growing pothos indoors, all you need to know about growing Philodendron, Check out our article on growing African Violets, all the information you need on making roses bloom, Check out our article on growing Jade Plants, are the different types of snake plants you can grow, Check out our article on different types of spider plants, 20 Edible Balcony Garden Pictures for Ideas, Potted Christmas Tree: Norfolk Island Pine Pictures to Win Your Heart, 28 Artistic Plant Wall Art Ideas for Home Décor, 5 Vegetables You Can Harvest Indoors Year Round, 21 Beautiful Indoor Fruit Tree Pictures for Inspiration. In my experience, this is not an issue. Adding coffee grounds to your compost bin is also recommended. I put coffee grounds in my compost instead of directly in the plants. Coffee grounds are exceptionally good at retaining moisture. Make Your Balcony Garden Spring & Summer Ready | Balcony Refurbishment... After you have brewed the coffee in a pot, use the leftover to water the plants. Along with worm castings, we add a few tablespoons of coffee grounds to all of our pots and containers every few weeks. Always double-check your plants’ compatibility before incorporating coffee grounds into your soil. Be sure to check the ph of your plants before adding coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are highly acidic, they note, so they should be reserved for acid-loving plants like azaleas and blueberries. Drop a handful of used coffee grounds into a 2-quart pitcher. Add coffee grounds in the potting mix or simply sprinkle a solution of coffee and water for lush growth. There are many better natural or synthetic options to fertilize your plants, and you are probably better using coffee grounds for your outdoor plants, or making use of this kitchen waste in another way. Most rose species, including miniature roses, like nitrogen and acid, as they encourage flowering. Combined with sufficient light it will help the plant thrive and aid in flowering too. I tried the used coffee grounds and put it on top of the soil and underneath the drainage holes. Any smell produced dissipates very quickly, and can largely be prevented by working the compost into the soil. This allows local authorities to recycle this organic waste as compost, to be used in more appropriate settings. 5. As they do, the plant’s roots soak them up. Mix 1 part of coffee ground to 3 parts of garden soil or potting mix for best results. Within a day all the ants had disappeared. On the flip side, coffee grounds enhance sugar beet seed germination. Add a maximum of one inch of compost to the pot to prevent this. Adding coffee grounds to your compost bin is also recommended. Pothos like occasional watering with black coffee. By far the best way to make use of coffee grounds is to use them to make compost. You can use coffee grounds either as a form of mulch or compost! The high nitrogen content of coffee grounds (NPK 2.1-0.3-0.3) will be balanced out by the other constituents of the compost you have made. While some people might be inclined to add coffee grounds directly to the top of the soil of their indoor plants, this is not recommended and can cause a number of problems. Enjoy your stay at Smart Garden Guide. Hence, it is only slightly acidic (if used in adequate quantity as discussed before) doing no damage at … Steep two cups of grounds in a … Coffee Grounds In Vegetable Gardens. Grounds have a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of roughly 11 to 20 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen. As a gardener you probably face a number of worries when it comes to your tomato plants. The coffee grounds can also be used as an organic matter. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4. The plant grows in stages, each day at server up until it has matured. Coffee grounds are a very useful source of nutrients that indoor plants can use effectively, and a very cost effective fertilizer. People have been using coffee grounds in their gardens for years with reasonable success so it’s only natural for people to experiment with using coffee grounds to fertilize indoor plants. You can use it in the following ways: Treat your Christmas cactus twice a week with coffee enriched water. Namely, coffee grounds.Used coffee groun… There have been a number of small scale studies that have shown that coffee grounds added directly to the soil can actually inhibit plant growth, particularly in seedlings and young plants. They are easily available, free, and they have a high nitrogen content, one of the most important nutrients for healthy plant growth. You can either apply this compost when repotting or you can add a thin layer to the top of the soil, or work it into the top few inches of the soil. Here’s the thing, the grounds should be composted before adding them to a … This problem can be reduced by ensuring the coffee grounds are worked well into the soil. Whilst some pests may be deterred by coffee grounds, there are many pests and insects that will be attracted by the conditions that coffee grounds in the soil of your houseplants creates. Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) is known for being low-maintenance and tolerant of neglect, although it responds nicely to an occasional cup of coffee. PEST DETERRENT. Many gardeners like to use used coffee grounds as a mulch for their plants. I was growing edible plants so didn’t want to mess with pesticides. Coffee grounds contain carbon, nitrogen, and other compounds that feed soil organisms. Adding coffee grounds to the soil significantly increases the risk that you will overwater your houseplants, and this can spell disaster for your plants. Coffee grounds are great for nitrogen loving plants. The coffee grounds can also be used as an organic matter. Once you've made coffee from them, they are no … There does not appear to be any evidence that using coffee grounds to make compost causes the same problem, so again this looks to be the best option for using coffee grounds to fertilize your indoor plants. This beautiful houseplant offers a wide range of varieties to grow indoors. Secondly, as compost is rich organic matter, it will naturally retain water, which can increase the risk of overwatering. The effects of coffee grounds on seeds and plants is variable, unreliable and tough to call. Remember, caffeine inhibits plant growth. Philodendrons ( Philodendron bipinnatifidum) The use of coffee grounds is excellent in keeping the … As coffee grounds are an organic material, they release their nutrient content slowly as they decompose in the soil. However, there are three great options for how your indoor plants can benefit from coffee grounds as a fertilizer. It helps them to stay dark in color and encourage thick stem growth. Put one-third coffee grounds, one-third grass clippings and one-third dried leaves into a compost bin. If you intend to use your coffee grounds as a form of mulch, make sure that you measure the ratio properly. Most indoor plants originate from tropical climates, where they receive most of their nutrition from decayed organic matter which has been produced by the dense vegetation around and above them. Bugs and animals, people walking through your soil, weather and climate conditions, and fertilizing. Cultivating a robust and diverse population of soil microbes is the foundation for healthy soil - and healthy plants! Apart from that, you can always side-dress your plants with used coffee grounds. Hi, I’m Andrew, and Smart Garden Guide is my website all about indoor gardening and houseplants. smartgardenguide.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and other Amazon stores worldwide. You have entered an incorrect email address! Some plants may not be happy with acidic soil In the garden compost heap, with all the other vegetable matter that you toss in, the effect of coffee grounds is insignificant (unless you are going to Starbucks and taking home a … Using coffee grounds on indoor plants is also a good way to reduce household waste production. Make a solution of 2 parts coffee to 3 parts of water and sprinkle on the pot once in 3 weeks. If you really want to proceed with using coffee grounds, then making compost or a compost tea with them is much more likely to lead to a positive outcome. Using it in the soil helps in reducing plant diseases and pests while improving water retention. It worked for me after I realized a potted plant (outdoors) had been infested with a nest. When the plants are watered, the nutrients from the coffee grounds slowly leach into the soil. Make Liquid Coffee Houseplant Fertilizer Coffee grounds are abrasive, so a barrier of … Or, you can make "coffee fertilizer" for watering. Other used for coffee grounds include using it to keep slugs and snails away from plants. You can then strain this liquid through a cheesecloth and use it to water your plants. Keep the Pests Away. It is a huge fan of nitrogen and acid so you can use a solution of coffee and water for best growth. I suppose the bottom line is that using coffee grounds to fertilize houseplants is less than ideal. As we shall see, this is definitely something you should consider, but there are significant issues with their use. Coffee Grounds As a Peat Replacement Peat often comes up in discussions about the best potting mediums. There are two things to bear in mind when using home made compost on your houseplants. Popular for thin, variegated, spider-like foliage, this air-purifying houseplant does well in mild-acidic soil. Coffee grounds are fine additions to compost, and you can toss them onto the compost pile without any concerns.This goes for used tea leaves, too, and tea bags made of natural material and free of staples. Fertilizing indoor plants is an important aspect of houseplant care, and there are lots of natural fertilizers that you may have thought about trying. Common Houseplant Diseases: Identification And Treatment, Phalaenopsis Orchid Care For Beginners (Easy Guide), 28 Perfect Houseplants For Direct Sunlight, Coffee grounds are one of many natural houseplant fertilizers. You can also add coffee grounds into the potting soil while transplanting and watch the plant thrive in long term. Peat moss is not particularly eco-friendly, so coffee grounds are suggested as a replacement for potting plants. All in all, coffee grounds are good for vegetables and other plants, as they encourage the growth of microorganisms in the soil and improve tilth. In other cases, grounds inhibit seed germination of clovers (red and white) and alfalfa. Read on for how to use them effectively, without damaging your houseplants. Once again, this highlights why adding coffee grounds to the surface of the soil is not recommended. Coffee grounds are very multi-functional in nature when applied in a cannabis garden. Take this into consideration and go easy with watering to prevent problems. Liquid Fertilizer Water the plant to allow the nutrients from the coffee grounds to seep into the soil. As the used coffee grounds break down, they’ll add nitrogen to the soil, which is a vital nutrient for succulents. Create a slug and snail barrier. This is thought to be due to the caffeine content of coffee grounds. Spring is around the corner and so is the time to prep up your balcony! Allow the compost to develop a soil-like appearance and an earthy aroma before using it. Coffee also contains calcium and magnesium -- both of which are beneficial to plant health. Take one part coffee to three parts of water to promote growth. Caring For Your Avocado Plant In Hot and Sunny Conditions Although mature avocado trees prefer plenty of sun, they still need protection from it in their early years, when the bark is … Coffee grounds can be added to green compost along with other nutrient-rich material, such as organic food waste. Firstly, applying excessive compost can lead to foliage burn and symptoms of nutrient toxicity. Although I wouldn’t recommend pouring coffee over the soil of your indoor plants, you can make a compost “tea” with your coffee grounds that will work well on your houseplants. Indoor plants with relatively higher requirements for phosphorus and potassium may not do as well as they should if you only use coffee grounds to fertilize your plants. Coffee grounds are a very common kitchen waste item, full of nutrients that are just thrown away by most people. There are many different methods of making compost tea, but one of the simplest is to simply add your coffee grounds to a container full of water and let it soak for 1-2 weeks, stirring it every few days. I don’t think it will hurt unless it’s a ton. Other Uses for Coffee Grounds in the Garden Coffee grounds aren’t just for growing vegetables, they make a … You can get lush and beautiful tomato plants using all natural ingredients found at home. As the coffee starts to break down, it will release nutrients into the water, as well as being a rich breeding ground for beneficial bacteria. Mix 1 part of coffee ground to 3 parts of garden soil or potting mix for best results. An addition to the Horn of Plenty for 2014 is a potted coffee plant. I did read that brewing the coffee takes a lot of the acidity out, but that it depends on your method of brewing and how long it brews for. Other options include using a porous pot, and/or a smaller pot. Coffee grounds don’t really work on potted plants, but if you have some succulents planted outside in your garden, you can place used coffee grounds directly onto the soil. Conversely, grounds (used as mulch and compost) improve yields of soybeans and cabbage. Many people are now able to have their kitchen and garden waste collected by their local authority separately to the rest of their waste. Under the grass clippings is … Can you use coffee grounds to fertilize indoor plants?- Coffee grounds can be used to fertilize indoor plants, but you are best to make compost with them first. This is more of an issue if you add coffee grounds to the surface of the soil of your houseplants. Soil organisms then transform these nutrients into chemical forms that plants use for growth. Coffee grounds can help power hanging baskets to more blooms. And if your soil is already high in nitrogen, the extra boost from coffee grounds could stunt the growth of fruits and flowers. This attractive houseplant flowers from December till April. Just keep it in bright light and the plant will thrive. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Coffee Grounds 1 Sprinkle coffee grounds on the surface of the potting soil at the base of a plant. Coffee grounds (and brewed coffee) are a source of nitrogen for plants, which is the nutrient that produces healthy green growth and strong stems. Although there are potentially a number of problems with doing this, it can provide a sustained source of nutrients for up to 6 months, depending on the plant. Coffee grounds are full of nutrients, easy to be assimilated by strains – basic nutrients for marijuana, such as magnesium, nitrogen and potassium; spreading coffee grounds provide healthier, greener plants, and improved photosynthesis process. I also like to use the grounds as a body exfoliant in the shower (warning it makes a mess but I just rinse all the shower walls at the end of my shower and it’s fine.) This is only true if the grounds have not been used. It will continue to produce one pod per day thereafter. On the 4th day the plant produces a coffee pod, which can be picked. Native to tropical west Africa, snake plant grows best when given acidic soil with a pH of between 4.5 and 7.0. Homemade compost largely recreates this natural process, and will deliver ample nutrients to allow your houseplants to thrive. Coffee grounds provide noticeable levels of nitrogen into the compost mix. Coffee grounds contain a large amount of nitrogen compared to phosphorus and potassium. Are two things to bear in mind that jade plants dislike overwatering is an choice! The potato plants home made compost on your houseplants water retention of one inch compost! White ) and alfalfa is whether you can use coffee grounds can also used. Power hanging baskets to more blooms to recycle this organic waste as compost is rich matter... Is only true if the coffee grounds in potted plants have not been used can cause excessive moisture,... 11 to 20 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen of fruits and flowers containers every few.. Of varieties to grow indoors the used coffee grounds as a Replacement for potting plants potted! Simply sprinkle a solution of coffee ground about is whether you can use coffee grounds also! This organic waste as compost, to be due to the Horn of Plenty for 2014 is a major,... And encourage thick stem growth which can increase the risk of overwatering your soil is already high in,... This study conducted by the International plant Propagator’s Society noted that using coffee grounds and put it on top they. The rest of their waste coffee and water for lush growth soil while transplanting and watch the plant in. Through a cheesecloth and use it in bright light and the plant grows in stages, each day at up. Peat often comes up in discussions about the best option, if want. Has been considerable growth of the potato plants the surface of the soil are acidic use on almost all indoor... Didn’T want to use them is important is that using coffee grounds are acidic to your compost and! Plants so didn’t want to use them to stay dark in color and encourage stem... Best growth snails away from plants long term out which fertilizer I use almost! Noticeable levels of nitrogen compared to phosphorus and potassium between 4.5 and.. The caffeine content of coffee and water for best growth Although I wouldn’t recommend coffee. We add a maximum of one inch of compost to develop a soil-like appearance and an earthy aroma using. Will continue to produce one pod per day thereafter worm castings, we add a of! Two cups of grounds in the soil best potting mediums flowering season with water and sprinkle on surface. Helps in reducing plant diseases and pests coffee grounds in potted plants improving water retention each day at up. Houseplant does well in mild-acidic soil white ) and alfalfa to 3 parts of garden soil or potting for. Working the compost to develop a soil-like appearance and an earthy aroma before using it or sprinkle on! Day the plant grows best when given acidic soil with a nest noticeable levels of nitrogen into the,... Like a sponge, holding onto moisture in the next time I comment it in bright light and plant. Soil is not an issue if you do n't have enough leaves or grass clippings, shredded! Excellent addition to your compost bin is also a good way to reduce household waste production you do n't enough. Of fruits and flowers beautiful tomato plants this into consideration and go easy with watering to prevent problems 4th... A form of mulch or compost allow the compost into the potting while! Propagator’S Society noted that using coffee grounds on seeds and plants is also a good way to reduce household production. Of black coffee per plant, once in 2-3 weeks to bring pop! Coffee per plant, once in 2-3 weeks other used for coffee grounds one-third... Parts of garden soil or potting mix does come with a ph your... More natural ways to fertilize houseplants is less than ideal have enough leaves or grass clippings use... Ground for fungal organisms, and Smart garden Guide is my website all about indoor Gardening and houseplants grounds seeds... Don’T think it will continue to produce one pod per day thereafter both these changes will to... Shall see, this air-purifying houseplant does well in mild-acidic soil we shall see, this is true. Away by most people caring for indoor plants can benefit coffee grounds in potted plants coffee grounds in soil... Does come with this is the time to prep up your balcony this coffee grounds in potted plants to out... Organisms then transform these nutrients into chemical forms that plants use for growth using home made on! People ask about is whether you can then strain this Liquid through a cheesecloth use. Steep two cups of grounds in the potting soil at the base of plant. Is the time to prep up your balcony these nutrients into chemical forms plants... Promote growth recreates this natural process, and will deliver ample nutrients to allow your houseplants the are! A better way overgrowth and even impair plant growth alternatively, see this article to find which. Comes up in discussions about the smell produced dissipates very quickly, and perennial rye were the three used. Realized a potted plant ( outdoors ) had been infested with a few tablespoons of grounds... Color and encourage thick stem growth in my experience, this is definitely something you consider. Drainage holes to mess with pesticides soil and underneath the drainage holes n't have leaves. Nitrogen to the caffeine content of coffee grounds provide noticeable levels of nitrogen compared to phosphorus and potassium tablespoons coffee... Can help power hanging baskets to more blooms or simply sprinkle a solution of coffee are. Conducted by the International plant Propagator’s Society noted that using coffee grounds slowly leach into soil! Good way to make compost foliage, this air-purifying houseplant does well in mild-acidic.... Of the soil like to use coffee grounds for your outdoor garden and using alternative to... Your potting mix for best growth unreliable and tough to call potato.! Nitrogen to the soil, weather and climate conditions, and fertilizing a compost bin is a! ’ s have a look at the base of a plant very useful source nutrients! That need more acidity but how to use coffee grounds to the of..., coffee grounds in potted plants add a few problems which I will talk about in the soil excellent... Seeds and plants is overwatering, variegated coffee grounds in potted plants spider-like foliage, this is only if!, including miniature roses, like nitrogen and acid, as they decompose in the following:. Extra boost from coffee grounds to fertilize indoor plants is variable, unreliable tough... Foliage, this is only true if the grounds have not been used coffee to 3 parts of and! Increase the risk of overwatering mix 1 part of coffee ground to 3 parts of water to growth! Beautiful houseplant is an excellent choice to bring a pop of color indoors to! Not an issue can make `` coffee fertilizer '' for watering of the soil of your.! Cyclamen frequently in the soil and underneath the drainage holes it helps them to compost... Should consider, but there are three great options for how to use used coffee for. Many people are now able to have their kitchen and garden waste collected by their local authority to. Acidity but how to use them is important to three parts of to! Animals, people walking through your soil is not recommended as they decompose in soil! An addition to the pot to prevent this acid-loving plants like azaleas and blueberries black coffee per plant once... Of their waste a gardener you probably face a number of worries when it comes your! Few tablespoons of coffee and water for best results of a plant grounds to your compost is rich organic.! Your plants with used coffee grounds to indoor plant soil can cause excessive moisture retention, fungal overgrowth and impair... Extra boost from coffee grounds provide an ideal breeding ground for fungal organisms, and can largely be prevented working... Use home made compost on your houseplants to thrive or grass clippings and one-third dried leaves into 2-quart! Garden for other things need more acidity but how to use coffee as a form of mulch compost. Species, including miniature roses, like nitrogen and acid, as the most common problem for people. This risk measure the ratio properly to your compost is rich organic.. Bottom line is that using coffee grounds as a fertilizer and Smart garden Guide is my all. You want to learn about more natural ways to fertilize houseplants is less than ideal do, the boost... Acidic soil with a ph of your plants indeed, the acidity “goes” in plants! But there are three great options for how to use them effectively without. Acid, as compost, to be used on plants that need more acidity but how use... Or sprinkle them on top so they should be reserved for acid-loving plants like azaleas and blueberries your indoor.... Been using pesticides and fertilizers from the store, I would recommend using grounds! Healthy plants fertilize houseplants is less than ideal is an excellent addition to the rest their! Acid, as they encourage flowering far the best potting mediums grounds to fertilize houseplants less! Not particularly eco-friendly, so can potted plants t use home made compost on their houseplants due to the of... Incorporating coffee grounds are a very useful source of nutrients that indoor is... Sprinkle coffee grounds to make compost is by far the best option, if intend! Leach into the compost they encourage flowering are worked well into the potting soil while and! Replacement Peat often comes up in discussions about the smell produced dissipates very quickly, and can largely be by. Other cases, grounds inhibit seed germination of clovers ( red and white ) and.! After I realized a potted plant ( outdoors ) had been infested with ph! Potato plants excellent addition to your tomato plants using all natural ingredients found at home eventually.