Although blueberries require some specific care, it is well worth the effort come harvest time. Grown for their delicious and sweet berries, there is a wide choice of blueberry varieties suitable for growing at home in UK gardens.
However, to get them to grow as well as possible, they will need to be fed. Blueberry plants, like most other soft fruits, require a balance of key nutrients to support their growth. Gardening enthusiasts claim that adding used coffee grounds to your blueberry bush soil helps improve their growth and overall health. Blueberry bushes love coffee grounds and can derive tons of essential nutrients from what’s left over after brewing your morning cup of heaven.
The pros at BackyardBoss explained: “Not only is it an easy way to recycle your coffee waste, but it’s also an effective natural fertiliser.
“Adding coffee grounds to your blueberry bushes is a great way to ensure they stay healthier and produce better fruit.”
Coffee grounds are full of essential nutrients, including potassium, carbon, and nitrogen, that help promote vigorous growth, more leaves, and “more delicious berries”.
As coffee grounds are acidic and blueberries love acidic soil, they make for the perfect pairing.
Coffee grounds also have the added benefit of being a natural pesticide to ward off rats, slugs, snails and more.
There are three ways to provide your blueberry plants with the benefits of coffee grounds: add them directly to the soil, compost them, or mix them with mulch.
If you’re not in the mood to compost and want a convenient way to use your coffee grounds, throw the grounds from one or two cups of coffee into the soil and give it a good mix.
Make sure not to put the grounds too close to the actual plant: aim for one to two inches away from the bush’s trunk.
Once every two to three months is the most that a healthy blueberry bush can tolerate the direct introduction of coffee grounds.