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Most of us dispose of coffee grounds regularly as part of our household waste…
Being a person who enjoys coffee..
..I wonder if the coffee grounds can be used to fertilize snake plants…
What about coffee grounds? Can snake plants handle it? Let’s find out!
Hear it from Cameron!
I’ve known that coffee grounds work well as fertilizers for indoor plants…
They add nutrients such as nitrogen and also deter pests…
But I wonder whether my dearest snake plants will benefit from them too…
Since I know that snake plants are quite hardy…
I didn’t want to try it myself at first…
Because I love my snake plants so much that I am afraid they’ll be harmed…
But I assured myself and went for it…
Turns out, coffee grounds work just fine with my snake plants!
Exactly!
When used as compost, mulch, or liquid fertilizer, they are excellent for snake plants…
It helps make the soil acidic, which makes snake plants thrive…
However, we ought not to add them directly to plants…
… since they may suffer from various problems, including fungus, pests, and stunted growth.
There are two sides to a double-edged sword when it comes to coffee grounds…
If used correctly, it can boost the growth of your snake plant…
However, if used incorrectly, it can severely stunt its growth…
Therefore, in this article we will examine the benefits and drawbacks…
… of using coffee grounds in snake plants. Let’s get started.
Can Snake Plants Be Grown On Coffee Grounds?
IN THIS ARTICLE:
Nylon is a major macronutrient required by plants for their growth…
… which is available in significant quantities in coffee grounds.
Mixing them with other organic matter can produce an extremely rich compost…
Microorganisms and earthworms useful for the soil can be attracted by organic matter…
You can also use it to make the soil acidic, which is perfect for snake plants…
Nevertheless, you need to be careful about the amount of compost you use on your snake plant…
While composted soil can store moisture for a long period, snake plant prefers a dry soil…
Therefore, adding too much compost to your snake plant is not a good idea…
What Is The Best Way To Fertilize Snake Plants?
Although they are suitable for your snake plant, you should not use them regularly…
Once a month or so, you can apply them in the form of mulch, liquid, or compost…
It is recommended to alternate coffee ground-based fertilizer with other fertilizers…
… since it is high in nitrogen but lacks other nutrients.
Thus, it will be beneficial to use it in conjunction with a balanced fertilizer…
Your soil should be pH-balanced to prevent the roots of your plant from being burned…
…or your leaves turning yellow.
In addition to attracting pests like gnats and fungal infections,
…coffee grounds can attract the same.
In this discussion, we will address these problems briefly…
First, let’s explain how they can be used in our houseplants…
The Best Way To Use Ground Coffee On A Snake Plant
You must be wondering how to use coffee grounds…
…to fertilize your snake plant now that you know it works.
The tricky part is that many hobbyists simply add a handful of them to their plants…
So, we must never do so, as it could result in severe issues such as pests and fungal growth…
But how can we use it if we cannot add it directly?
There are three ways of using them to fertilize our snake plant. These include:
- Compost
- Liquid fertilizer
- Mulch
Let us get into the details of each one…
As a Compost
Compost is one of the most effective ways to fertilize our houseplants organically…
You can compost them if you are among those who do their own composting at home…
You can make nutrient-rich organic compost that has a high nitrogen content…
…by adding coffee grounds.
Add 20% coffee grounds to your other kitchen or garden waste…
… and make a nutrient-rich compost out of it.
You want to make sure that they don’t ruin the balance of your compost…
… but please don’t go overboard.
The mix can be used to fertilize your snake plant once every 6-8 weeks once it has been prepared…
It should not be added often, as overfertilizing could be a problem that causes more harm than good.
As a Liquid Fertilizer
One of the best ways to utilize them is to make a liquid fertilizer. Here are the steps you can follow:
- Fill a small container with water and let it simmer.
- Turn off the gas once the water has begun simmering and let it sit.
- Add coffee grounds after 5 minutes.
- For a few days, let the mixture sit.
- Now you can strain the liquid mixture and fill a spray bottle with it for spraying on your houseplants.
After a few days, it will become colonized with beneficial bacteria…
As a result, the coffee grounds will be broken down, releasing nutrients in the water…
Your snake plant can be fertilized once a month using this water…
In addition, microorganisms and bacteria are present in the water…
… which will enhance the quality of the soil.
As a Mulch
Outdoor gardening typically practices mulching…
Mulch is a mixture of organic matter used to cover the soil…
It can be used on your houseplants as well…
The fungus helps prevent soil degradation…
… provides a balanced environment for the growth of micro-organisms…
… and fertilizes the soil at the same time.
Coffee grounds are finely textured and easily compacted. Compacted coffee grounds create a barrier to moisture and air movement, especially when applied in thick layers. Therefore, I recommend against using pure coffee grounds as a mulch; instead, try using a thin layer (no more than half an inch) of coffee grounds and cover with a thicker (four inches) layer of coarse organic mulch like wood chips.
Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D. MasterGardener WSU editor Extension Urban Horticulturist and Associate Professor, Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University
You can make mulch by mixing organic matter such as straw…
… leaves, branches, wood chips, along with coffee grounds.
The only thing to keep in mind while using this product is that…
… it may alter the pH of the soil and impair the growth of your snake plant.
Be Aware Of Potential Hazards
Here we will look at some of the hazards and benefits of coffee grounds and how we can use them…
However, most of these problems occur when they are added directly…
… to the plant or do not break down enough before addition.
You can avoid most of these problems by using the right amount and preparing it properly…
Fungal Diseases
If the it is added directly to the topsoil, it can attract fungi…
Your snake plant is likely to develop a fungal infection while the grounds break down…
… which could lead to slow degradation.
By using coffee grounds for composting, mulching, or making liquid fertilizer with them…
… you can prevent this problem.
Inhibiting the growth of your snake plant with fungal growth can lead to various other issues…
Thus, they should be used in the form of compost or mulch rather than straight as compost…
Excess Moisture
Despite its porous and spongy surface, they can retain moisture for a long time…
… which can be bad for your snake plant.
Snake plant prefer dry, well-draining soil…
Therefore…
Too much moisture can lead to root diseases that will hinder the growth of the plant…
Overwatering your plants leads to soggy soil…
… which can be prevented by adding them to the compost.
We need to be sure to remind you of this fact when you use coffee ground composted in the soil…
Attract Pests
You might have read that coffee ground keeps pests away…
That may be true for some pests, like slugs and ants…
… but the same may not apply to gnats and flies.
Coffee grounds can introduce pest problems that can negatively affect your plant’s growth…
… if they are added directly to the ground.
Therefore, the best option would be to mix it with compost or use it as a liquid fertilizer…
Do not use it directly on your plants…
To prevent this from happening you can always use neem oil to protect your plants from getting attacked by pests!
- INSECT KILLER: Controls Aphids, Whiteflies, Spider Mites, Fruit Flies and other listed pests
Stunted Growth
Research claims that adding ground coffee directly to the soil…
… can affect the growth rate of your snake plant. Particularly with young plants, this is true…
When you are repotting or when you have a new plant, you should avoid using them…
However, there is no practical proof to it since I have not tried it myself…
However, it is claimed in various studies. Therefore, it is best to avoid using it in your snake plants…
Watering With Leftover Coffee
I don’t recommend using leftover coffee to water your plants…
I strongly recommend avoiding the same for several reasons:
- There is a significant amount of caffeine, which can inhibit the growth of plants.
- Starting out by watering with it will likely lead to overwatering your plant.
You should avoid overwatering your snake plant or changing its pH level frequently…
Since it prefers dry soil, it can get damaged by doing so…
To sum it up…
Can snake plants be grown on coffee grounds?
Yes, if used properly and in the proper quantity…
… coffee grounds are beneficial to snake plants.
It is also imperative you avoid adding it directly into the soil…
… since it can cause various problems.
To enrich your soil with nutrients…
… you can use it as compost or liquid fertilizer.
Conclusion
There are still many recent and interesting articles about Snake Plants..
..as well as other unique information from All Things Gardener..
Check out more posts on our website like this one here!
Have an awesome gardening journey!
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