Coffee grounds as fertilizer - use in the garden, for indoor plants. Ways to use coffee cake as a fertilizer for indoor plants Coffee as a fertilizer for indoor flowers
Coffee lovers usually throw away “production waste” - the coffee cake remaining in Turks and coffee machines after brewing the drink. But gardeners and gardeners who profess the principles organic farming, increasingly indicate that drunken coffee is effective as a fertilizer in the country. The topic of this article is coffee grounds and its use in gardening and horticulture; questions about the benefits of using coffee grounds in the garden will be discussed in detail.
Useful properties of coffee cake
After brewing ground coffee beans, rested coffee changes its chemical composition, but most of the beneficial compounds and microelements remain in it. Most of the caffeine, tannin, and acids go into the drink, but the following substances remain that can have a beneficial effect on plants:
nitrogen compounds (in small quantities); calcium; iron; magnesium; potassium; phosphorus; B vitamins; organic acid residues.
Of course, the concentration of these beneficial substances is much less than in coffee, but it is quite enough for use in gardening. In addition, the brewing process reduces the acidity of coffee residues (especially Arabica, as the most “acidic” variety), which makes it possible to use them in garden beds.
Today there are several ways to use waste coffee cake:
as a fertilizer; mulching material; additive in compost production; pest control; soil structuring additive.
Also amateurs indoor plants use leftover coffee from a coffee machine or Turks to feed flowers, mulch and control pests.
Coffee grounds - organic fertilizer
Spent ground coffee is an organic fertilizer that cannot compete in its chemical composition with vermicompost, manure and other species, but is able to provide a minimum supply nutrients. Slowly decomposing in the soil, coffee cake releases its beneficial substances to plants over a long period of time. The following supplements will be especially useful:
cabbage; tomatoes; cucumbers; blueberries; evergreen bushes; roses of various types; lilies; hydrangeas; azaleas; rhododendron; ferns; camellias; asparagus.
Before adding dormant coffee to the beds, experienced gardeners advise rinsing it with water to remove any remaining sugar or milk (they can attract ants and cause mold growth). Next, you can either scatter the grounds around the plants in the garden bed, or throw them out by stirring them in a small amount of water. Then the soil must be loosened so that a crust does not form on the surface, which will interfere with the supply of oxygen to the roots of the plants. And when planting seedlings or sowing seeds, you need to add a small amount of coffee cake to the planting holes.
Mulch and compost
Coffee grounds in the garden it can also be used as a mulching material that protects the soil surface from weathering and drying out. In this use case, you only need to make sure that its too dense layer does not dry out into a crust, preventing air exchange and moisture penetration when watering the beds. The solution to the problem can be mixing the grounds with sawdust or cut grass.
Many summer residents have such positive experience as using coffee grounds in the garden to quickly prepare compost. You can just regularly throw it in compost pit(even along with a paper filter, if one was used), but there is also the option of making compost. To do this, the following components are mixed in the pit:
coffee grounds; mown or chopped grass; straw; branches; sawdust; manure.
You can add food scraps if you wish.
A nuance should be taken into account - the total proportion of coffee grounds should not exceed 20% in the prepared mixture.
Having mixed and thoroughly moistened the initial composition, you need to make several holes in the overheated mass for air penetration. For 3 or 5 weeks, you need to make sure that the mass does not dry out and periodically moisten it. After 1.5 months, the nutrient substrate will be ready for use.
Coffee from pests in the garden
Summer residents have experimentally found that the smell of coffee grounds added to the soil repels many types of insect pests from plantings, in particular:
carrot fly; slugs; ants; various types of aphids; fruit flies; larvae of various insects, etc.
When you apply it, for example, when sowing carrots or radishes, you can repel larvae and insects living underground and feeding on root crops from root crops, and prevent the appearance of carrot flies on carrots. Ants and slugs try to stay away from beds sprinkled with sleeping coffee because of its pungent odor. Thus, dormant coffee is effective against pests using any method of application to the soil.
Another useful property of coffee cake is its use to repel pets, especially cats, who want to set up a litter box in the garden.
Use for indoor flowers and seedlings
Dried coffee and its use are not limited to summer cottages; it is also successfully used in indoor floriculture. Fertilizer made from coffee grounds is effective during the growing season of domestic flowers, providing the plants with constant nutrition. Particularly responsive to such feeding and need it:
fuchsias; decorative ferns; indoor azaleas; anthurium, etc.
To improve the structure of the soil, it is useful to add coffee, as it increases its looseness, moisture and air permeability, which is especially important for indoor flowers and seedlings. Some gardeners say that you can grow beautiful seedlings or herbs in a pot on the windowsill using only coffee grounds. But at the same time, it is necessary to periodically feed the plants with complex fertilizer.
Thus, it is possible to use coffee grounds not only in the country, but also when growing plants at home. The versatility and lack of additional costs makes sleeping coffee convenient and economical when used in gardening and indoor floriculture.
To get a decent harvest of eggplants, as well as peppers and others vegetable crops, in most regions they must first be sown as seedlings. It is very important to choose the most suitable planting time for your climate zone. Eggplant is a very capricious crop. It is specific in development and sensitive to growing conditions. For some gardeners, plants grow well and produce a rich harvest. Others have been trying to grow them for several years in a row, and each time without success. Moreover, the plots can be located nearby. Find out when to plant eggplants by Lunar calendar in 2020, favorable days for planting seeds and transferring seedlings to a permanent place. Secrets of successfully sowing eggplant seedlings at home.
Soaking seeds before sowing is a process that helps increase yield garden plants. This process also makes it possible to reduce the incidence of diseases in garden crops as a result of their growth. A variety of means are used to soak seed. This could be, for example, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, growth stimulants, or even just water. It is not uncommon to soak seeds in aloe juice. We have all probably heard about such a plant as Aloe. Everyone roughly knows what kind of plant this is. Treating aloe seeds before planting, read our article.
In this article we will talk about very important topic, or rather about seed treatment before sowing. At the moment, there are many really effective methods that are used when soaking seeds. Some of them are more effective, and some are less effective. The use of some is more unsafe (for example, there is a risk of “burning” the seeds if the concentration of the substance in the solution is exceeded). According to many experienced agronomists, the most reliable and effective way for soaking seeds and germinating seeds is a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide.
Carrots are not a very unpretentious vegetable that can be grown in any area in a seedless way, i.e. sow seeds directly into open ground. However, it is not very true to count on their vitality: carrot seeds germinate very slowly, the vegetable itself is susceptible to many diseases, it is very often affected by pests, because of which it is possible that the harvest may become late and not as large as thought get summer resident. A solution for summer residents has long been discovered: proper processing of carrot seeds ensures smooth germination and protects the vegetable from various troubles. For treatment of carrot seeds before planting for quick germination, read our article.
Sweet, ripe, juicy and so delicious tomatoes originate from seeds, or rather, when they are sown as seedlings. A good result of growing tomato seedlings directly depends on the quality of the seed material, but is also very dependent on the preparation of the seeds. Thus, pre-sowing treatment of tomato seeds before sowing them for seedlings is one of the main agrotechnical measures. If you want to achieve big harvest delicious and ripe tomatoes, you can’t do without processing. There are several methods for this procedure. We will talk about each option in detail in this article.
Growing tomatoes in the Moscow region is a rather difficult task. Summers in the region are often cool and humid with big amount rainy days. Tilling the soil and preparing it for placing seedlings requires considerable effort: dense, clayey soils predominate in the Moscow region. On garden plots Every spring melt water stagnates. The soil warms up slowly, and many people fail to plant seedlings in the beds for a long time. However, summer residents do not lose heart and with enviable tenacity they are trying to grow a full-fledged crop of tomatoes in their gardens. For summer residents middle zone I have a lot of experience in growing tomatoes. Of course, it’s not easy for beginners in this business; after all, the region’s climate is not particularly suitable for a heat-loving crop, but making the right choice varieties of tomatoes, you can get excellent harvests in the Moscow region. This article describes the best varieties tomatoes for the Moscow region for 2020, suitable for growing in various regions of the country. We will also find out when to plant tomatoes in 2020 in the Moscow region according to the Lunar calendar.
But not everything always works out according to the rules. There are circumstances in which you may find yourself stuck in deep winter with tulip bulbs in your hands. In this case, you can no longer plant them outside in frozen soil. So is it possible to plant tulips in spring? Can. But this should not be done thoughtlessly, but in accordance with certain rules. Correct spring planting tulips will have a good effect on the condition of the plants, and can even stimulate them to bloom. From this article you will also learn when is the best time to plant tulips in 2020 according to the lunar calendar.
Many of those who want to start growing indoor plants mistakenly believe that all that is required is a suitable container, soil and sufficient watering. However, experienced gardeners know: in order for a plant to enjoy good growth and abundant flowering, it must be periodically fed and supplied with nutrients.
To do this, it is not necessary to purchase expensive fertilizers, but you can use traditional methods. Coffee cake has been used by gardeners for a long time as a fertilizer for indoor plants, especially since it is found in almost every home. Many people adore coffee - an aromatic drink that invigorates in the morning, energizing for the whole day.
Plant nutrition
Properties and composition
Ground coffee, regardless of the type of roast, has high acidity, which turns into a drink when brewed. For this reason, the acidity level of the grounds is neutral (about 7 pH). By adding it to the soil, you don’t have to worry about acidification. Due to the content of manganese, potassium, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and calcium in coffee grounds, it is a good way to feed indoor plants.
For example, nitrogen, taking part in photosynthesis, improves plant growth. If it is deficient, their leaves turn yellow. And potassium and phosphorus influence the formation of flowers. The harm from an overdose of coffee cake is zero, since the amount of microelements in it is for both indoor and outdoor use. garden plants optimal.
Benefits and harms
Dried coffee has the following beneficial properties:
- improves soil structure: the soil becomes breathable and loose;
- nourishes the soil with minerals important for plants;
- promotes better absorption of nutrients by plants;
- repels harmful insects;
- promotes good aeration, improving oxygen access to the roots;
- has a beneficial effect on young shoots, stimulating their growth.
Coffee grounds can cause harm if they are placed in the ground wet.
This can lead to the development of fungal diseases and mold. Mold can also occur when raw materials are stored without prior drying. Therefore, before use, it is advisable to dry the cake in the oven and then place it in a glass container or paper bag.
For which plants to use?
According to experienced flower growers, appearance The health of many indoor plants improves after adding coffee grounds. Azaleas, hydrangeas, fuchsias, ferns, and begonias respond gratefully to such feeding.
In small quantities, fertilizer will also be useful for other plants, for example, orchids. When growing this flower, coffee grounds can be used if there are white insects - midges - in the soil. In such situations, the soil must be periodically cleared of coffee fertilizer.
Often a solution based on cake is used in the rose garden as universal remedy for spraying. With its help, roses protect from ants, snails and midges. Thanks to coffee spraying, you can get rid of the bronze fly, a flying insect that significantly impairs the decorative appearance of flowers.
The soil fertilized with coffee grounds must be well watered so that the nitrogen can be released from the grounds.
If coffee machine residues are added to the soil where they grow indoor roses, you can get an unexpected result: the buds will have a different shade. Breeders often conduct similar experiments when developing new varieties. But if you want to get the natural color of the flower you are growing, then when feeding the plants with coffee grounds, you must first infuse them with water, and only then water them.
Methods of use
Eat different ways applying this fertilizer. In floriculture they are used in various directions, namely:
- The cake is placed at the bottom of the flowerpots, creating a drainage layer in the container.
- As a top dressing, you can use a solution, to prepare which you need to dilute coffee grounds (1 tsp) in water (1 l).
- A few days before flowering, you can carry out a rich fertilizing. To prepare it, you will need to grind a small amount of straw and dry leaves and add approximately the same amount of coffee grounds to the resulting mixture. After thorough mixing, the product is left in the container to overheat. To speed up the process, the fertilizing material should be sprinkled with a layer of soil, leaving 3-4 holes. After a month, the fertilizer is ready and can be used for its intended purpose.
- You can fertilize with dried cake, sprinkling it on the soil and sprouts in pots. To store coffee grounds, you need to use glass, plastic or tin containers that prevent the risk of moisture getting into them.
Coffee cake - fertilizer for plants
When planting or replanting plants, some people add coffee to the soil. However, you must remember that its amount should not exceed 10% of the total volume of soil.
Flower growers' mistakes
Using coffee grounds to feed plants, some gardeners make serious mistakes that minimize the beneficial properties of this substance. To achieve the desired effect you need to adhere to simple rules. For example, you cannot use coffee grounds if the drink was prepared using milk. Otherwise, there is a high risk of growth of pathogenic microflora.
Inexperienced gardeners sometimes water flowers with the grounds left after cooking. instant coffee. This should not be done under any circumstances, as there is a risk of burning the roots due to the high acidity of this drink. When using coffee fertilizer, it is important that the soil dries well after watering, otherwise midges may appear in the room.
Adding coffee grounds to the soil
When adding cake to the soil, it must be thoroughly mixed, since after some time the grounds can be compressed and form an airtight crust, blocking the access of air to the soil. Another common mistake gardeners make is feeding all indoor plants with coffee cake. Like other types of fertilizers, this also has contraindications: for example, succulents and cacti do not tolerate coffee well. For these plants grown at home, you should choose a different food.
Nowadays, coffee is not a scarce drink, so fertilizer from coffee grounds is always at hand. Beneficial features, which coffee beans are endowed with, is a good source nutrients and reliable protection of plants from certain pests.
For lovers of indoor plants or owners of a luxurious flower bed, personal plots I can give you a simple piece of advice: when drinking a cup of aromatic coffee, do not throw away the remains.
Many lovers of natural coffee throw it away with the trash. However, it is known that coffee grounds are very often used as fertilizer: for which plants it will be written below. It is for this reason that it is worth drying it on the windowsill after use, so that you can then fertilize some indoor plants with it. That is why modern experts recommend using it. Please note that only dried grounds are suitable for flowers. Regular ground coffee is not suitable for this purpose, as it has high acidity. Here's how to properly use coffee grounds to fertilize your garden and indoor plants.
What does it contain
, which has already been drunk, contains potassium, nitrogen and many useful substances. They are the ones who contribute proper feeding plants that go well with various types soil. They do not contain excess chemicals, and when mixed with the soil, coffee begins to reduce its own acidity, which is beneficial for plants. 
The aroma of coffee repels pests and can be an excellent replacement for expensive fertilizers. Therefore, lovers of natural ground coffee should not throw away the grounds and use them for plants. That's why experts advise using this inexpensive and pleasant fertilizer for indoor plants: 
— coffee adapts perfectly to any soil; — contains potassium, magnesium and vitamins for plants in sufficient quantities; - repels pests; - does not have an unpleasant odor, unlike other fertilizers. The only problem may be that cats are often attracted to the aroma of coffee. To make a toilet there, they can sniff it for hours. To prevent this from happening, you need to use small and tall plant pots or add some orange zest. It will not harm plants, but cats do not like the scent of orange, like other citrus fruits. How to prepare it for fertilizing
The spent grounds are collected in a jar. When it is filled, it is laid out on paper or tracing paper and dried. You can also, to avoid mold, dry it in the oven and then transfer it to regular bags. Which plants can you add coffee fertilizer to and how to use it
First of all, the grounds are added in small quantities to the soil when replanting the plant. Then it becomes more loose and airy, allowing the plant to receive a uniform amount of oxygen.
You can also water plants in which various pests have appeared with the leftover coffee. Coffee can be a worthy and inexpensive replacement for modern and expensive fertilizers. It is for this reason that cold and fresh grounds do not need to be dried immediately. Simply water the plant with the leftover coffee. The grounds can be added not only to flowers, but also to various vegetables. For example, carrots. If its seeds are watered with coffee or a small amount of grounds, the fruits will ripen faster and will soon delight you with a sweetish, pleasant taste. The same fertilizer should be used to fertilize tomatoes. However, there are certain features in using grounds that those who use coffee as fertilizer need to know: 
1. You need to water not with fresh grounds. Coffee that you just drank has high acidity. If you fertilize plants with it without drying it, you can burn the roots. Therefore, the grounds are first dried and then added to the plant. 2. If there is too much grounds in the pots, a crust may appear, which impedes the flow of air to the roots of the plant. Therefore, you should not use it too often. It is best to use other types of fertilizers from time to time. 3. If you spread fresh grounds, mold may form in them. When dried, the grounds repel pests and slugs. 4. Not all plants love it. 5. The grounds can also change the color of the inflorescences. :For example, pink flowers may turn turquoise or blue. It all depends on the characteristics of the plants. What flowers “love” coffee grounds:
- cacti. However, you need to not overdo it, so as not to burn the roots of the plant. In moderation, coffee grounds allow the cactus to develop well; - hydrangeas. The second plant that loves coffee very much. However, the color of the inflorescences may change in some situations; - azaleas; - fuchsia; - ferns; - anthuriums; - roses; - mock orange; — spray roses, especially yellow ones. Experts write that coffee grounds are suitable for any plant. However, here you need to follow the correct dosage and not overuse coffee. Some plants like to have a lot of grounds. Others, on the contrary, do not really need it. A small amount is enough for the plant to receive sufficient nutrition. It is better to underfeed than to overfeed, as there is a danger of burning the roots. Therefore, coffee grounds are used in doses and very carefully when feeding indoor and garden plants. Would you like to know Experienced summer residents and gardeners often use coffee grounds as fertilizer. It's cheap and convenient, especially if you're a lover of a tasty strong drink. A certain amount of used powder is collected daily and can be used to improve the growth of your house plants. which saves money and provides good nutrition for green pets, and also helps maintain water and breathability of the soil.
Interestingly, coffee grounds are used as fertilizer not only for house plants; many summer residents collect the remains of coffee and tea throughout the entire autumn-winter season in order to use them in their summer cottage in the spring. To do this, the product remaining after the siesta is thoroughly dried and placed in plastic bags, where he waits in the wings. With the onset of spring, the collected material is used to mulch the soil and fertilize.
What are the benefits of coffee?
For a long time it was believed that coffee grounds were used as a fertilizer only on alkaline soils or for plants that need increased acidity of the soil. This is due to the increased acidity of the coffee itself. However, later researchers found out that coffee grounds have Despite the fact that even by taste one can determine some sourness inherent in the coffee bean, this acid is completely washed out during the preparation of the drink. Therefore, the residue that is used to fertilize the beds is absolutely neutral.
as fertilizer
Reviews from gardeners indicate that soil fertilized in this way attracts earthworms. It is this property that makes coffee residue a universal fertilizer, since worms help loosen the soil and improve its properties. So it will come in handy in any garden bed. In addition to the listed properties, coffee grounds as a fertilizer for plants are valuable for their nitrogen and microelements content. Therefore, it becomes an excellent fertilizer for garden plants. True, the nitrogen content in it is low. However, this is precisely what allows the coffee residue to be used for composting and fertilizing. Additionally, plants receive magnesium and potassium, which are very beneficial for them. But the amount of minerals is such that without additional fertilizer it is impossible to talk about adequate nutrition.
Ways to use coffee grounds
Many summer residents, who have already heard about this use of a product that they are used to throwing away, are interested in how to use coffee grounds as fertilizer. There are a lot of methods, and every gardener can choose the one that he likes best. You can apply coffee grounds by simply scattering them around the plants or in the garden bed. This is most often done in the spring, although it doesn’t hurt to pour out the coffee residue throughout the summer season. Reviews note that after spreading the grounds around the plants, you need to water the soil generously, but do not put it directly under the stem. When sintered, it forms a crust through which water does not penetrate to the roots.
Coffee grounds are used as fertilizer for tomatoes. To do this, it is dug in at a shallow depth around the plants. It is very good to add herbal mulch at the same time, so the coffee grounds will not cake. According to reviews, it is best to apply this simple fertilizer when preparing holes for planting flowers. At the same time, it doesn’t make much sense to apply it under the roots. It is much better to prepare fertilizer from soil, grass mulch and prepared, dried grounds. This allows you to simultaneously fertilize the soil well and prevent the formation of a crust on its surface, which means you will have to loosen it less often.
Preparing compost
All the methods we listed above are great for summer cottage, but are practically not justified for home flowers. The tasks here are somewhat different; home conditions do not contribute to the formation of a dense crust on the surface of the earth, but they place high demands on the introduction of nutrients. Coffee grounds are certainly useful as a fertilizer for indoor plants, but they contain too little nitrogen, magnesium and potassium. Therefore, flower growers prepare compost, which is then used for feeding. The composition can be varied, but the optimal combination is 50% coffee grounds, 30% straw and 20% leaves. You can also use cardboard and grass.
The main difficulty is that the compost must mature in a special pit. You can simply use a large tank, but you just need to place it in the most protected place from rain and wind. The rest is a matter of technique. We put coffee grounds, straw and leaves, and dried grass in one pile. After this, add a little bone meal, mix well and cover with a layer of fertile soil. After that, the compost should be watered (it should be slightly damp) and holes should be made with a stick. Air access is needed to create a microclimate. In just 3-4 weeks the compost will be ready. Now you can use it in the form of nutritional supplements, adding it to pots, or mulch the surface when planting.
Quick drainage
Coffee grounds are also used as fertilizer for flowers directly during planting. If you don’t have shards and expanded clay on hand, which are usually used to line the bottom of the pot for better water and air permeability, then try using proven means. To do this, take a few bags of ordinary tea and line the bottom of the pot with them. On top you need to pour a layer of coffee grounds, and then a soil mixture suitable for the plant. The tea along with the grounds will gradually rot and provide additional fertilizer, as well as provide good drainage.
There is another option. Place expanded clay on the bottom of the pot and a layer of used coffee grounds on top. Then everything is as always: a layer of soil - and plant the plant in the usual way.
Organic Pest Control
Coffee grounds have long been used as fertilizer for flowers. This is very convenient because it does not require any costs; after breakfast, it is enough to collect the coffee residue, put it in a pot and lightly sprinkle with fresh soil. But in fact, this product is more functional than just a natural fertilizer. Ants, snails, slugs and many other insects really do not like coffee grounds, which means they will avoid your plantings. If you decide to plant valuable plants in the garden for the summer, then this will be good protection for them, and absolutely safe.
How else can you use coffee grounds?
Not everyone knows, but the seeds of many root vegetables are recommended to be mixed with boiled coffee before sowing. This ensures excellent germination, and the fruits are sweeter and more nutritious. But coffee grounds are especially good as
