- Green Lifestyle
Garden. Water. Coffee grounds.
When I check my tomato pots in the morning or when I hypnotize my strawberries into ripening faster, it reminds me of my mother back in the days. Am I getting old? No, no, never. It’s just a very sensual morning ritual. Period. And coffee in the green is simply great – in every respect.
Kristin Oldenburg
What coffee can do.
Or, to be more specific: what coffee grounds can do. It is an incredibly versatile home remedy for plants, best if it is a 100% organic coffee like Mount Hagen (of course). You can work it into the soil as a fertilizer. But it is also a great help in irrigation water if the soil is very alkaline and the water is calcareous. Simply add 2 tablespoons to the watering can and the slightly acidic coffee grounds dissolved in the water will neutralize the pH value of the soil.
By the way, you can also fertilize your tomatoes this way: Once a month, either work the coffee grounds (2 tablespoons) into the soil or sprinkle them into the irrigation water, stir and you’re done. And only ever water from below, tomatoes don’t like water on their leaves.
Speaking of joy…
Did you know that you can actually “train” plants to use less water?
If you give them a small dose of cool water every day, they will get used to it and will not develop deep roots. However, if you allow the soil to dry out from time to time and only water every 2-3 days, but then generously so that the water also reaches the deeper layers, you will reduce the plants’ water requirements.
It is best to water in the evening, as the water is available to the plants the longest in the cool of the night. Unless you have trouble with slugs. These slimy creatures are nocturnal and like it moist. Then you should water in the morning, as early as possible, and (be careful!) sprinkle a ring of coffee grounds around your tomato and strawberry plants. The voracious beasts don’t like them at all.
Find out what else coffee grounds are good for and why they are actually far too good for the organic waste garbage can in these life hacks here on the blog:
You do not need a green thumb if you have used coffee grounds!
Can, may, should coffee grounds go in the compost bin?
Bye bye bugs
How good is this…?
