If you make coffee by the pot, you might be curious about whether you can water plants with the cold leftovers. Or, can you put that half-cup of cold coffee in your mug next to your desk in that potted pothos plant?
The quick response is: perhaps. According to the plant. African violets, Impatiens, Norfolk Island pines, Phalaenopsis orchids, and Dieffenbachia are a few examples of plants that seem to benefit from a weekly coffee watering. Other plants that seem to benefit include Impatiens and Impatiens. If you occasionally water acid-loving plants outside, such as azaleas, Rhododendrons, Siberian iris, lupine, and any pine trees or shrubs, with cold coffee, they will thrive. Additionally, liquid coffee can be utilized to moisten an overly dry compost pile.
Keep a tight eye on your plant if you decide to experiment with coffee watering indoor plants. A clue that the coffee is making the soil excessively acidic is when the leaves begin to yellow or the tips of the leaves begin to turn brown. If you like your daily cup of java on the strong side, it’s not a terrible idea to dilute it with water. When leftover coffee is dumped into the soil to “water” plants, they frequently flourish in some offices.
One warning: don’t pour cream, milk, or sugar from your coffee into your plants. Likewise with flavored coffees. Sugars and fats can cause a nasty mess in addition to harming your plants and luring bugs. Coffee that has been sweetened or flavor-infused may rapidly cause fungus gnats or pungent house ants to take over a plant.
Absolutely! The carafe’s leftover coffee can be used to water both indoor and outdoor plants. They will be fertilized by the nitrogen found in leftover coffee. However, avoid spilling cream- or sugar-sweetened coffee on plants because it could damage them and draw pests like ants.
Only once a week should you use coffee to water plants. Coffee from the carafe leftovers should be stored in another container and used every week.
Coffee grounds are a good fertilizer for both soil and plants. Simply scatter the coffee grinds on the ground near the plants. Some acid-loving plants, like azaleas and blueberries, benefit from the use of coffee grounds, but others, like tomatoes, do not.
Which plants are helped by coffee water?
Despite the fact that we humans depend on coffee to get us up every morning, not everyone is a morning person, okay?
We don’t understand that the plants all around us could benefit from a caffeine boost as well.
Evidently, coffee is an excellent source of nitrogen, and plants like blueberries, azaleas, and rhododendrons, which prefer more acidic soil, can benefit from specific quantities of nitrogen. If you intend to do this, The Spruce advises that you keep a close check on your plant. If you’re “watering” the plant with coffee and you see that the leaves are beginning to yellow or brown around the margins, the liquid coffee may be providing too much acid to the soil. Watering down your coffee before pouring it on your plant might be a solution.
Another reminder: Make sure the coffee you use to hydrate your plant is black. Even though it might seem apparent, spilling leftover brew that contains sugars or dairy may draw insects like gnats. You should limit yourself to doing this only once a week, even if you’re just using black coffee.
Coffee benefits your plants in more ways than just what’s left in the pot.
Your developing green buddies can also profit from the leftover grounds by using them as compost or fertilizer.
By adding coffee grounds to the soil around your plants, you may keep pests like cats and rabbits out while also providing a moderate acid fertilizer that prevents slugs from developing.
For those of you who prefer one or two cups (or three or four) a day, this handy tip may significantly reduce the amount of wasted coffee.
Does coffee water benefit indoor plants?
It’s not exactly a new concept to use coffee as fertilizer. Coffee grounds are frequently added by gardeners to compost piles, where they break down and combine with other organic material to produce wonderful, nourishing soil. Naturally, this is done using coffee grounds rather than the actual, iced cup that is currently sitting at my desk. Can you therefore properly water your plants with coffee?
Nitrogen makes up roughly 2% of the volume of coffee grinds, and nitrogen is crucial for plant growth. By raising the temperature of the pile and introducing microorganisms that break down and release nitrogen, composting grounds help destroy diseases and weed seeds. Excellent information!
Magnesium and potassium, which are also essential building elements for plant growth, are also present in detectable amounts in brewed coffee. So it stands to reason that using coffee to irrigate plants would actually be quite advantageous.
You wouldn’t want to use the cup that was in front of you, of course. Most of us flavor our Joe with some flavoring, cream, and sugar (or sugar replacement). Real sugar wouldn’t harm the plants, but milk or artificial creamer won’t be helpful either. Who knows what impact any of the numerous commercially available artificial sweeteners would have on plants? I have bad thoughts. Before using coffee to water plants, make sure you dilute it and leave out any additional ingredients.
What indoor plants benefit from coffee grounds?
Coffee-Loving Plants in the Home
- Cactus of Christmas. Schlumbergera bridgesii is a plant.
- Pothos. Epipremnum aureum is the botanical name.
- Philodendron. Philodendron is a plant.
- black violet Saintpaulia species is the botanical name.
- Cyclamen. Cyclamen persicum is its botanical name.
- Little roses. Rosa, the botanical name.
- Jade Tree.
- Viper Plant.
Does every houseplant enjoy coffee grounds?
The first error you can make is expecting that every indoor plant in your garden would enjoy a generous dash of coffee or some grinds sprinkled among their soil. Due to its high acidity, only a few types of houseplants enjoy coffee.
Your plants are similar to people in that way. Keep in mind that while some people only require one or two cups of coffee to get going each day, others are adversely affected by even one!
The list of indoor plants that benefit from coffee grounds and coffee-based watering is provided below.
Peace Lilies
I had to start with discussing Spathiphyllum or peace lilies. I’m about to publish an entire blog entry on the subject of peace lilies’ love of coffee grounds. For starters, peace lilies appreciate coffee’s acidity as well as the organic material and nutrients present in coffee grounds.
Cyclamen
There are 23 perennial flowering plant species that make up the cyclamen in the Primulaceae family. This houseplant is native to Somalia, eastern Iran, the Mediterranean region, and sections of Europe (only one species though).
Red, white, and pink-hued cyclamen blooms are stunning, and they occasionally come in a single lovely bud. Your cyclamen will appreciate the occasional feeding of coffee grounds.
Jade
The jade plant, sometimes known as the money plant or lucky plant, is another species that enjoys coffee. Its scientific name is Crassula ovata. The jade plant is native to South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province and Mozambique.
A happy jade plant, which is a succulent, may produce white or pink blossoms. You may maintain the happiness of your jade plant by occasionally adding coffee grounds to newly added potting soil or potting mix every 6 to 12 months.
Christmas Cactus
Do you find it surprising that the Schlumbergera, or Christmas cactus, enjoys coffee? It is, in fact! These cacti originate from the coastal mountains of southeast Brazil, where there are upwards of nine species in all.
There is no doubt that the Christmas cactus doesn’t get any coffee, but it can in your indoor garden. Otherwise, provide plenty of humidity and shade for this houseplant.
Philodendron
Both gardeners and non-gardeners thrill at the philodendron’s beauty. It’s impossible not to, since this plant lends a tropical vibe to any house, apartment, or workplace with its huge, vivid green leaves.
Coffee should only be given to the philodendron occasionally for best effects as it doesn’t enjoy being fed frequently.
Golden Pothos
That is also the general guideline for the golden pothos. If you need a refresher, the epipremnum aureum is also known as the golden pothos or devil’s ivy.
The golden pothos also belongs to the Araceae family, which explains why it likes coffee. As long as a room has at least one window that lets in some natural light, this lovely Polynesian plant thrives in a planter or a hanging basket and may be found in practically every area of your home.
For the past eight years, I’ve had at least one variety of pothos growing in my bedroom. Possessing a pothos in your bedroom is just so pleasant.
Miniature Roses
Miniature roses never get too big because they are actual roses. They are the ideal addition to any indoor garden because they are not only attractive and elegant but also take up little valuable space.
Mini roses are available in all the hues of their larger counterparts, and despite their smaller size, they are harder to destroy (not that you’d want to).
Coffee grounds at the base of the plant or liquid coffee used occasionally in place of your typical morning or afternoon watering can help this plant thrive because miniature roses love nitrogen and acid.
African Violets
The African violet or Saintpaulia is the last houseplant you should give coffee to. Ten species of perennial herbaceous plants belong to the Gesneriaceae family.
African violets have enticing purple blossoms, thus the name (also yes, this plant does come from Africa).
African violets, like miniature roses, cannot get enough nitrogen or acid, so you can give them coffee more frequently than you can other houseplants on this list.
Which plants are resistant to coffee grounds?
We understand that it feels nice to use your leftover morning coffee instead of putting it in the trash. The gardeners who write about it aren’t mistaken when they claim that it’s rich in elements that are good for the soil, such nitrogen, which is crucial for plant growth. Adding organic matter to your garden’s soil is generally a good idea because bacteria will eat it up and break it down into more nutrients the plants can consume.
However, even proponents of coffee-ground gardening express a few words of caution. They point out that because coffee grounds are so acidic, they should only be used for plants that also enjoy acidity, such as azaleas and blueberries. Additionally, the additional nitrogen boost from coffee grounds may slow the growth of fruits and flowers if your soil already contains a lot of nitrogen. These cautions, however, fail to mention one significant issue with used coffee grounds: the presence of caffeine.
How frequently should I use coffee to water my plants?
Put some water in your leftover coffee and use it to hydrate your indoor and outdoor plants. These impatiens are among the plants that thrive in acidic soil and will eat it up and grow. Kathleen Crowder
You know how there’s usually just a little bit of coffee left in the carafe? You may utilize it to fertilize your plants, both indoor and outdoor, rather than just pouring it down the drain. Coffee grounds (and brewed coffee) are a source of nitrogen for plants, which results in robust stems and healthy, green growth. Additionally, coffee includes calcium and magnesium, both of which are good for plants.
You must dilute coffee if you want to use it as plant fertilizer. It ought to resemble stale tea. You don’t have to be picky about it if you aim for a solution that is roughly 1/4 coffee and 3/4 water, or even a half-and-half combination (depending on how vigorously you make your coffee).
You can use coffee fertilizer in your vegetable garden, indoor plants, and potted plants. Coffee and coffee grounds are acidic, and while some plants, including lily of the valley, lavender, and honeysuckle, like an alkaline soil and won’t perform well with the addition of coffee, others actually fare better in an acidic environment.
Here is a list of acid-loving plants that benefit from a good cup of joe, taken from Gardening Know How, while there are many more not on this list:
- black violets
- Blueberries
- Azaleas
- Orchids phalaenopsis
- Amaryllis
- Begonias
- Cyclamens
- Hydrangeas
- Bromeliads
- Gardenia
- Hyacinths
- Impatiens
- Ferns
- Roses
As a general rule, feed and water your plants with a mild coffee solution once every week. Both the added nutrients and the water will be welcomed by them.
While we’re here, let’s also take a moment to discuss the used coffee grounds.
When directly incorporated into the soil or added to your compost pile, they make an excellent supply of nitrogen (though some inconclusive studies argue against the efficacy of adding them directly to soil). As they increase the soil’s acidity and act as a moderate fertilizer, acid-loving plants like blueberries, azaleas, and rhododendrons will like them. Slugs, snails, and ants are just a few of the garden pests that can be effectively repelled naturally by coffee grounds. Additionally, if you compost with worms, your worms will adore them!
You can scatter used coffee grounds around the bases of plants or dry them up and make them into cakes that, when pushed into the soil, gently decompose and feed your acid-loving plants over time.
Coffee Ground For Plants FAQ
Roses are fragile flowers that occasionally require fertilization. Coffee grounds can be used as fertilizer for roses, but use them sparingly because their high nitrogen concentration might cause the flowers to burn if used excessively.
Due to their strong acidity, coffee grounds are beneficial for many plants, including hollies, blueberries, hydrangeas, and azaleas.
Some examples of plants that don’t like coffee grounds and can’t thrive in soil with them are Chinese mustard, Italian ryegrass, asparagus fern, and geranium.
To prevent harming plants, it is advisable to sprinkle coffee grinds into the soil thinly, at least a few inches away from the stem of the plant.