Most of us have access to coffee grounds as a common household waste. As a coffee lover myself, I have wondered if we could use coffee grounds to fertilize snake plants. Does snake plant like coffee grounds? Could it be right for them? We’ll find out!
As compost, mulch, or liquid fertilizer, coffee grounds are excellent for snake plants. As a result, the soil becomes acidic, which is perfect for snake plants. We should avoid adding coffee grounds directly to the plant, as such an approach could cause fungus, pests, or stunted growth.
The coffee grounds are like a double-edged sword. Snake plants can grow faster if it is used properly. When used incorrectly, it can also decimate the growth of your plant.
Therefore, we shall learn all about the benefits and hazards of using coffee grounds in a snake plant in this article. Let’s get started.
Do Coffee Grounds Benefit Snake Plants?
Nitrogen, a major macronutrient needed by plants for growth, is found in coffee grounds in high levels.
Compost can be made from coffee grounds and other organic matter. By adding organic matter to the soil, microorganisms and earthworms can be attracted, which is beneficial for the soil.
Our snake plant thrives in acidic soil, which is perfect for it.You should be careful about the amount of compost you use on your snake plant.
Snake plants prefer dry soil over compost, which holds moisture for a longer period. So, adding too much compost can be a bad idea, especially for snake plants.
How Often Should I Put Coffee Grounds?
However, you can’t use coffee grounds on a regular basis with your snake plant. Once or twice a month, you can apply coffee ground fertilizer, mulch, or compost.
The use of coffee ground-based fertilizer is recommended alternately with other fertilizers because it is rich in nitrogen but lacks other nutrients. If used in conjunction with a balanced fertilizer, it will ensure healthy growth.
pH levels in soil should be carefully monitored. Acidic soil will burn your plant’s roots and leaves, causing other problems. Beware of gnats and fungal infections that can also be attracted to coffee grounds. Before we discuss these issues in more detail, let’s see how coffee grounds can be used in houseplants.
How to Use Coffee Grounds on Snake Plants
After finding out that you can use coffee grounds to fertilize your snake plant, you may be wondering how to use them. The tricky part is here. Hobbyists often make the mistake of adding coffee grounds directly to their plants. Pests and fungal growth can result from this. Therefore, we must never do so. However, how can we make use of it if we can’t add it directly? We can fertilize our snake plants in three different ways using coffee ground.
Among them are:
- Compost
- Liquid fertilizer
- Mulch
Hazards to Keep in Mind While Using Coffee Grounds
After knowing all the benefits of coffee ground and how we can use it, let’s take a look at some hazards.
Note, however, that most of these problems result from direct addition of coffee grounds to the plant or too little decomposition before they are added.
It can help you avoid most of these problems if you use it in an appropriate quantity and prepare it correctly.
Fungal Diseases
When added directly to the soil, coffee ground can encourage fungal growth. It is likely that the ground will break down slowly, but in the meantime, it will attract fungi, which can cause fungal infection in your snake plant.
By using coffee grounds as compost, mulch, or liquid fertilizer, you can eliminate this problem.
Various issues can arise as a result of the fungal growth on your snake plant. As such, it is best to avoid using coffee grounds directly and instead use them as compost or mulch.
Excess Moisture
There can be long periods of moisture retention in coffee grounds. Because of its porous and spongy surface, it can hold a lot of water, which is bad for snake plants.
Snake plants prefer dry, well-drained soil. A plant suffering from too much moisture can develop root disease and suffer from poor growth.
You will end up with soggy soil if you add coffee ground compost to the soil and overwater your plants.
As a result, you need to keep that in mind when using coffee ground compost in the soil.
Attract Pests
You may have read that coffee grounds keep pests away. Slugs and ants, for instance, are pests that require a bit of maintenance, but gnats and bugs may not be the same.
Plants can suffer from problems caused by pests if coffee is added directly to the soil.
So, it is best mixed with compost or used as a liquid fertilizer. Direct application to plants must be avoided.
Can Inhibit Growth of Plants
There is some evidence that adding coffee grounds directly to the soil can affect the growth rate of snake plants. This is especially true for young plants.
If you are repotting or starting a new plant, you should never use coffee grounds. I haven’t tried it myself, so there is no proof.
Various studies claim the opposite. Keeping snake plants safe means avoiding its use.