As the warmer months roll in, gardeners everywhere are eagerly anticipating their blooms of roses and hydrangeas. However, achieving larger and more luxurious flowers can be challenging. Flowers require specific nutrients during growth, but rather than splashing out on store-bought feeds, you might consider a more resourceful approach - reusing your morning coffee grounds or tea bags to encourage plant vitality.
Michael Perry, a green-fingered expert and the brains behind Mr Plant Geek, suggests that the acidic nature and rich nitrogen content of coffee and tea make them excellent nutrient sources for your cherished roses and hydrangeas.
He explained: "Did you know that it's not just us that can benefit from a hearty beverage? Our plants can get a kick from tea, coffee and even milk! So, if you thought that your hot drink habits were starting to err on the side of obsession, here's your reason to drink more."
Favouring slightly acidic soil, both roses and hydrangeas thrive when fed with nitrogen, which promotes larger and more bountiful blossoms - offering a swift and fruitful tonic for your blooms. You can incorporate coffee grounds into your compost or distribute them over the soil—they will naturally break down and enrich the earth.
Michael said: "You can add coffee grounds directly to the soil around your plants to provide nutrient. If you're worried about your plants being attacked by snails and slugs, spread coffee grounds around the base of the plant to act as a deterrent."
Tea bags can also serve as an effective repellent for snails, in addition to deterring other pests such as ants or aphids. After brewing a cup of tea, open the teabag and empty the loose tea into a container. Ensure it has fully cooled down before applying it to your flowers.
Similar to coffee, you can sprinkle loose tea directly onto the soil of your flowers to benefit them. However, when it comes to roses, it's recommended to mix the tea into their water.
Michael explained: "Like any container plant, roses can lose nutrients quicker than plants in the ground. However, roses love the acidity and nitrogen that tea contains. Water them regularly with cooled tea (no milk), or compost tea (made by steeping tea and other kitchen waste in water)."
