Do snake plants like coffee grounds is a matter that one would worry about to use it as a natural fertilizer. Plants that like to grow in acidic potting soil grow well when coffee is added as a fertilizer, either as a dry powder or mixed in compost.
This article will discuss why coffee is an effective feed for these plants, so continue reading and discover several ways of using coffee grounds for dracaena trifasciata.
Contents
Do Snake Plants Like Coffee Grounds in The Pot?
Yes, snake plants like coffee grounds in the pot. Coffee grounds provide the soil with nitrogen, which helps this plant grow. It also decreases the pH of the soil, deters snails and slugs, acts as a slow releasing fertilizer, and also you can use it as ground mulch.
– Improves Aeration
Ground coffee helps plants grow by adding nutrients and improving the soil’s drainage and aeration. As you would use coffee as a common household product, you can then mix a cup or two into the soil occasionally should not be a problem.
Ground coffee is an excellent soil amendment because it elevates the organic content within the soil. It also loosens compact soil up when added with the help of a rake and makes it breathable. Mix the powder within the topsoil properly and not just lay it over the surface to get accurate results.
– Helps in Drainage
If an acidic soil-loving plant like the snake, devil’s ivy, or jade plant is not getting adequate water, add coffee grounds to its topsoil. It would be a great choice that you would start mixing coffee with compost before adding it to the soil, and this will let the soil change the texture and drain the water.
This creates a lot of channels within the soil that allows water to drain out and collect around the roots. Similarly, water can also reach the roots quickly and easily when needed. You will see quite a sudden improvement in the snake plant’s health once its aeration and drainage are improved and this way the roots will not stay in too much water.
– Adds Nitrogen to the Soil
Snake plants like coffee grounds for their high levels of nitrogen content. Leftover coffee is rich in nitrogen and other micronutrients that plants need for growth and survival. Nitrogen is the element plants need most, and it helps grow new leaves and this way they will be vibrant and green.
When it comes to composting, coffee is considered as part of the greens component. Instead of using smelly food scraps as a nitrogen source. However, you must be very keen on the matter and try only to add a little coffee; otherwise, your pile will start rotting, and its pH levels will decrease too much.
– Deters Snails and Slugs
Slugs and snails, being common bugs, are any gardener’s worst nightmare. This problem is more irritating when snake plants are kept outdoors instead of as indoor plants. They chew on the plant’s gorgeous and slender leaves, destroying them, and you will see how they would be leaving a slime trail behind them that many gardeners find intolerable.
Coffee in any form can deter these large pests off quite effectively. Even powdered instant coffee, when spread all around the pot, will protect the plant from unwanted visits by snails and slugs.
Not only are these pests irritated by the texture of ground coffee, but they also find caffeine a bit toxic. Adding coffee grounds to the plant’s soil would automatically protect it from unwanted attention from snails and slugs.
– Acts as a Slow Release Feed
Unlike commercial liquid fertilizer, coffee grounds break down slowly over time within the soil. Once mixed in with the soil, they may not provide instant results but a steady nitrogen supply over several weeks.
As a general rule of thumb, coffee ground compost as a fertilizer can be applied once every two weeks. The slow release of nutrients also means that the roots and stems will not suffer from potential chemical burns.
– Using as Ground Mulch
You may also get out of limiting and using coffee grounds only as a fertilizer for your snake plant. This is because they can also be added to a pile of mulch and just as effectively. Mix significant ground coffee with other organic substances, such as shredded leaves and pine needles. Then use this dry mixture as a two inches-thick layer over the soil’s surface, especially during the hot summer.
The cause of mulch is to act as a protective layer over the soil, preventing excessive water evaporation. During summer, this keeps the soil moistened and cool, just like how the roots like it. Mulch can also be applied during winter when it assists in keeping the soil warm and keep it from frosting.
Coffee as mulch has another additional benefit that snakes plants like. A thick enough mulch prevents weeds from growing by blocking their access to sunlight and air, and now this is compounded by the presence of caffeine in coffee which is allelopathic. This means that it seeps into the soil and prevents the growth of new roots and shoots.
Can Excessive Added Coffee Grounds Harm Snake Plants?
Yes, excessively added coffee grounds can harm snake plants if added over the soil without raking it in. These grounds then solidify, making it difficult for the roots to breathe and absorb water. It also suppresses the growth of seedlings and might cause root burns.
– Might Form a Barrier Over the Soil
Pouring coffee grounds over the surface of the soil mix is not healthy. When coffee particles are poured over the ground without mixing them in, they soon dry out after exposure to the air. This is when you can use some dry coffee to form a rather solid layer, drastically decreasing the soil’s permeability.
This is not good because the root’s access to air and water is restricted, and its growth decreases. Eventually, you might have to take an aerator to improve the soil’s condition and stop the plant from dying.
– Not Good for Seedlings
Studies have shown caffeine inhibits young seedlings’ growth and the formation of seeds. In early spring, snake plant seeds begin germinating, and adding coffee will hamper the process. The good thing is that brewed and used coffee has a much lower caffeine content. Still, coffee grounds should not be used as fertilizer for seedling trays or when growing young plants.
– Excess Can Burn Roots
Adding fresh liquid coffee or coffee grounds to the snake plants often leads to root burns. Not only is the high caffeine content detrimental to plant growth, but it might cause proper burns.
In addition, if you check, you may see that the soil pH is already acidic; this is when you must notice that pouring coffee will make it even more acidic. Although snake plants like acidic soil, it only needs slightly acidic to neutral soil conditions.
– Kills Earthworms
Adding coffee grounds to the soil will decrease the natural earthworm population. This happens especially when too much coffee is added, or the coffee brewed needs to be stronger.
A decrease in the soil’s earthworm population is not good for the plant in the long term. These worms are essential for the soil’s microflora and play a significant role in aeration and drainage.
What Are The Best Ways To Use Coffee Grounds for Snake Plants?
The best ways to use coffee grounds for snake plants is through dry, powdered fertilizer. This powder stays in the soil for a long time, slowly releasing nutrients. Alternatively, coffee can be mixed with compost or commercial fertilizer before adding it to the soil.
– Use Brewed Coffee
There are two ways of adding coffee to the soil after brewing, and one of the ways is to dry the ground coffee and sprinkle the powder over the soil. Take a rake and lightly mix coffee with the top two inches of soil.
Sometimes, leftover brewed coffee can be added to acidic growing plants like African violets, snake, and spider plants. It must first be diluted by adding two cups of coffee in about five gallons of water. Let the coffee dilute overnight, and then add it to the plant the next day instead of water.
– Mix Coffee Grounds With Compost
Ground coffee is a great addition if you use compost as a regular fertilizer. The green component of compost is organic wet items such as used coffee, fruits and vegetables, and other scraps.
A compost pile needs to have browner in it than green. Otherwise, it starts to smell bad, and this is why you must try to take care of the issue and try only to add a controlled amount of coffee in a pile and keep it turning regularly.
– Mix Ground Coffee With Commercial Fertilizer
You may also try to consider ways and wonder how to add coffee to a snake plant while using a commercial feed, but a clever answer to this is to add coffee to a slow-release liquid fertilizer. Ground coffee is diluted in nature, so adding it will not lead to an abundance of nutrients to the plant root.
Both coffee and fertilizer will release their nutrients slowly over several weeks. Instead of getting instant results, your plant will get healthier and stronger over time.
Conclusion
Using coffee grounds as fertilizer for snake plant soil is a great yet natural option, so remember these important points as you incorporate coffee into your regular plant care routine:
- Snake plants like coffee grounds as a fertilizer because it is a rich source of nutrition and makes the soil slightly acidic.
- Never use fresh coffee grounds or freshly brewed undiluted coffee on the plant; otherwise, you will burn its roots.
- Homemade compost is the best way to add coffee to the plant’s soil. The second-best way is to take ground coffee and rake it deeply within the topsoil.
Instead of throwing ground coffee out, you can recycle it in your compost and decrease your carbon footprint.
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