Winter is only going to last a few more weeks so gardeners need to begin planning for spring time, and there is a simple way to get the most out of your hydrangeas.
Hydrangeas will begin to emerge again in early spring, and it is important they are fertilised properly to ensure they grow bigger and more abundant flowers.
Andrew Foster, a gardening expert from the Big Blog of Gardening, has shared that coffee grounds are a “magical addition” to the soil as it adds more nutrients to help them grow.
He said: “Coffee grounds are a powerhouse for the garden because they contain iron, phosphorus, and manganese – nutrients that plants love. They’re efficient against pests since caffeine is a natural repellent for bugs and slugs.”
High amounts of caffeine can be fatal to slugs, but small amounts can also make them disoriented as it can disrupt their ability to make slime and make it more difficult to move about the garden.
Coffee grounds also help plant roots absorb more water so they will grow stronger and become less stressed once the warm weather arrives.
Having coffee grounds will also acidify the soil, which hydrangeas will love, and can encourage earthworms to create much more fertilise soil.
One more benefit of coffee grounds is that they are a natural way to change the colour of flowers, and your hydrangeas are more likely to become a striking deep blue if you add it to the soil.
Andrew said: “The plants will do more than change colours when you add coffee grounds to the soil or mix them in compost.
“They’ll also benefit from the nitrogen contained in this organic matter, which encourages root, stem, and leaf development. In short, your plants will thrive.”
How to add coffee grounds to hydrangeas
All you need to do is sprinkle leftover coffee grounds onto the top of the hydrangea soil. You only need one or two teaspoons per hydrangea plant.
You can also mix the coffee grounds with compost or make a simple homemade fertiliser with other kitchen leftovers such as bananas peels and eggshells before adding it to your soil.
Add the coffee grounds once winter is fully over as the ground is too cold to fertilise beforehand, so look for signs that hydrangeas are growing again in spring and are ready for nutrients.
Make sure to test the pH of your soil before using the coffee grounds to see how acidic it is to make it within a range that will benefit hydrangeas so that they flower.
Just remember that moderation is key when it comes to adding anything new to your garden, and coffee grounds are slightly acidic which can harm plants if too much is poured into the soil.
To use coffee grounds wisely make sure to only add a small amount to hydrangea flowerbeds two to three times a year, ideally in early spring, midsummer and early autumn.
If you use coffee grounds carefully then your hydrangeas will be bigger, healthier and have a more bountiful bloom.
