Coffee as a fertilizer: benefits and harms for indoor flowers and plants in the garden

Coffee grounds, the leftovers from making coffee, can be used as a fertilizer for the soil in the garden and in pots at home.

Benefits of coffee for the soil

1. Improving Soil Structure: Coffee grounds are an organic material that can improve soil structure, says Anastasia Kovrizhnykh .

They contain a lot of organic matter such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as various microelements. When coffee grounds are added to the soil, they help increase the amount of organic matter in the soil and contribute to improving its structure.

2. Moisture Retention: Coffee grounds have the ability to retain moisture in the soil. They form a layer on the soil surface that prevents moisture from evaporating and retains it in the soil. This is especially useful during dry periods when the soil needs additional moisture.

3. Increased soil fertility: Due to the organic matter and microelements in coffee grounds, using them as fertilizer increases the level of soil fertility. They help plants obtain all the necessary nutrients for their normal growth and development.

4. Weed suppression: Coffee grounds also have weed suppression properties. They contain some substances that can hinder the growth and development of weeds, allowing the plants in your garden to compete with them more effectively.

Harmful effects of coffee on the soil

1. Fertilizer Dependency: Using coffee as a fertilizer can make plants dependent on this source of nutrients. If coffee use is stopped or stopped almost completely, it can seriously affect the growth and development of plants.

2. Lowering the pH of the soil: Coffee has an acidic effect on the soil and its regular addition can lower the pH of the soil. This may be undesirable for some plants that prefer alkaline or neutral soil.

3. Harm to some houseplants: Some houseplants do not tolerate the presence of coffee in the soil or its effect on the soil pH. Before adding coffee to a potted houseplant, it is recommended to conduct preliminary research and find out the compatibility of the plant with coffee.

Conclusion

Coffee can be a useful fertilizer for indoor flowers and garden plants due to its content of organic matter and nutrients.

However, its use should be limited and done with caution to avoid plant dependence on fertilizers and negative impact on soil pH.

Earlier we wrote about how the flower in each purchased orchid pot is slowly being killed.