A guy at the nursery told me to use old coffee grounds for my hydrangeas

I was picking up some mulch in Springfield last spring, and my blue hydrangeas were looking pretty sad. I mentioned it to the older guy working the garden center. He just nodded and said, 'You drink coffee? Save the grounds. Sprinkle them around the base, not too thick. It'll help with the soil.' I was skeptical, but I started saving my morning coffee filter for about two weeks. Raked the old grounds into the soil around the plants. Honestly, I didn't expect much. But by mid-summer, the color was way more vibrant. Not a miracle fix, but a solid free boost. Anyone else have a cheap soil trick like that for specific plants?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabeth2201d ago

Totally get your bad experience, but mine was the opposite. I've been doing the coffee grounds trick for three seasons now with no issues. The key is to mix them into the soil really well and not just dump a pile. My soil is pretty compacted clay, so the grounds help break it up and add some organic stuff. Maybe it depends on what your dirt is like to start with.

thompson.tyler1d ago

My hydrangeas in Decatur got root burn from coffee grounds last year. That acid boost can really backfire on some soil types.

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