Coffee is a great way to start your day, but its uses go beyond waking you up in the morning.
An expert highlighted five ways coffee can be repurposed to improve your garden as the warmer weather approaches.
It can be used as a fertiliser, to improve soil or used for mulch, according to former royal gardener Jack Stooks, on behalf of Coffee Friend.
The expert promised the hacks with “transform your garden this spring”.
An expert discusses the benefits of coffee
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Fertiliser
While chemical fertilisers can be easily purchased in supermarkets and garden centres, coffee grounds could be an affordable and environmentally-conscious alternative.
Jack said: “Coffee grounds can be used in the garden as a fertiliser. Like most fertilisers, it consists of the elements NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
“You can sprinkle it all over the borders for home use. As you don’t tend to have too much of it, you just find an area within the border, and be selective in small areas, until all of the borders have been covered.”
Soil
The grounds can improve soil by attracting worms. The expert explained: “Coffee grounds are also really good for bringing worms into the garden. They can be used to create air and in turn, helping the soil overall.”
Mulch
Those with coffee grounds to spare could consider using it for mulch. Mulching helps to regulate the temperature and retain moisture in soil.
“If you were buying coffee in bulk, it could also be used as a thick mulch to place over the soil and around plants,” the gardening pro continued.
“This can be used in the same way that you would use leaf mould or woodchip in the garden, so to suppress weeds, lock in moisture and act as a physical barrier to the wind and sun.”
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Coffee grounds can improve soil
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Insect repellent
It can also be a helpful way to deter insects that could wreak havoc on your plants. Jack explained: “Coffee grounds are also good at getting rid of insects, such as mosquitoes. They can be placed within pots in the outdoor seating areas of your garden.”
Acid-loving plants
The gardening expert concluded: “Coffee is also great for acid-loving plants, such as hydrangeas.
“If you want a really blue hydrangea in your garden, you would want to feed them these coffee grounds in the autumn months. The coffee will be used as feed within the pots.”
