Hydrangeas and roses, two of the UK’s most beloved garden flowers, may struggle to flourish without a little help.
While many turn to store-bought fertilisers, green-fingered enthusiasts have revealed a natural alternative that can be found in your kitchen – coffee grounds.
Katherine Hill, unsure of the benefits of coffee grounds for her hydrangeas and roses, sought advice on the Gardening Hints and Tips Facebook page.
She wrote: “I’ve heard great things about using coffee grounds in the garden, but will they boost the blooms of my roses and hydrangeas?”
She also queried whether it was possible to use too much and how best to apply them to the soil. However, fellow group members were quick to share their positive experiences.
Lana Lane said: “I sprinkle a handful of them around my blueberries, hydrangeas, azaleas and roses and they’ve never looked better.”
Sarah Williams advised moderation, writing: “Yes in theory. If there’s too much caffeine in them it is a growth inhibitor, but a little will do wonders for the plants.”
Pat Ward shared her method: “I throw them all over the yard in shrub and flower beds all year.”
Lyndall Heyer added: “I just spread around my rose bushes and hydrangeas all summer and they flourish nicely.”
Green-fingered Sam Bullock has shared his experience of using this kitchen scrap ingredient for a few plants: “My hydrangeas, azaleas and roses are thriving right now.
“They have bigger and better blooms than last year and all I’ve done differently is added some coffee grounds to the soil.”
Sharing the best way to harness this garden hack, Millie Durbak from Prestige Flowers explained that gardeners should “mix used coffee grounds with garden soil or sprinkle them around the base of plants”.
She highlighted the wonders it can do: “The organic matter in coffee grounds improves soil structure and helps with water retention, as well as keeping microbes happy.”
Going into the geeky gardening details, she explained: “The caffeine content in coffee grounds acts as a natural stimulant, promoting microbial activity in the soil and boosting nutrient absorption, resulting in healthier and more robust plants.”
There’s with a love of gardening have even suggested that a sprinkling of coffee grinds could turn your hydrangeas a stunning shade of blue. However, patience is key, as this trick tweaks soil acidity over time for those show-stopping hues.
