Coffee is one of the most heavily consumed beverages in the world today. People use it as a stimulant; they drink it to stay awake and keep themselves energized at work. More than the energizing effects of coffee, some people also use it to effect plant growth. Why does coffee effect the growth of plants? The reason may be found in the coffee grinds.
Coffee grinds are used instead of the mixed drink because processed coffee has other chemical properties that may be harmful to plants. Added to that, the sugar in some coffee mixes can stunt plant growth. Using coffee grinds as fertilizer is effective because they have nitrogen, which is one of the soil nutrients needed for plant growth. Coffee also has insect killing properties, which keeps harmful insects away from the plant.
Some plants may also need a higher pH level in their soil. The acid in coffee can do this job for you. However, keeping the soil too acidic can also hurt the plant’s health. To balance the amount of acid, you can mix in alkaline materials, such as crushed eggshells or dead leaves, into the soil.
There are gardeners who prefer not to use potting soil with their plants. It can be expensive for some, although that type of soil is far healthier than the one commonly found in our surroundings. Unlike silt or clay, potting soil is loose and moist enough for plants to thrive in.
However, to save on soil expenses, some gardeners use what they can find in their surroundings, and the type of soil may not be as good as the commercial potting soil. To compensate for the unhealthiness of ordinary soil, gardeners will need something mixed in with the soil so it will be loose for good aeration and nutrient-rich.
Luckily, coffee grinds can also be used to loosen the silty or clay soil. It’s best to use a small spade or rake to aerate the soil and to mix the coffee grinds in it. This keeps the soil from sticking together and also creates spaces in between for air to enter and be absorbed by the roots.
It is also known among gardeners that earthworms like a well-aerated soil with a mix of dead leaves and nitrogen-enhancing fertilizer. Since coffee grinds have nitrogen, mixing them into the soil encourages earthworms to thrive in the soil round the roots. Earthworms are good for your plants because they help in enriching the soil further with their mineral-rich excretions.
It is not true, however, that caffeine promotes cytokinesis, the cellular division that happens when a living object grows. In fact, scientific studies have proven that when caffeine was applied to cells, their growth rate remained stable at first, and then, the caffeine started inhibiting cellular growth at one point. Later, the cells have begun dying, or if they do survived, their growth was stunted.
Also, not all types of ground coffee beans work the same way on plants. Espresso coffee grinds can clog up the soil and make drainage difficult. This type of coffee fertilizer may be good for plants that like muddy or moist soil. Otherwise, if your soil is too loose, then it’s time to stiffen it up with coffee grinds.
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