Which plants don't like coffee grounds?

Hobby gardeners always try to use as little chemicals as possible in their own garden. Therefore, when it comes to fertilizers, care is taken to mainly use home remedies. Coffee grounds are also a popular fertilizer for plants in the garden. However, not all plants tolerate the ingredients in the coffee grounds, so alternatives to fertilization should be used. The following article has compiled a list of garden plants that do not do so well with coffee grounds as fertilizer.

Coffee grounds as fertilizer

The set from the coffee filter used is very popular as a fertilizer among many hobby gardeners. In this way, the plants are supplied with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur. Above all, the nitrogen content of coffee grounds is very high, which in turn means that many plants cannot cope with that well. Some plants need nitrogen as the basis for lush and intensive growth. Other plants do not tolerate coffee and then only grow upwards, but do not develop flowers or fruits. And the slightly acidic character of coffee with a pH value between 6.5 and 6.8 is not at all suitable for many plants. In the following, the plants with an intolerance to coffee grounds were divided into the following categories:

• Fruit plants
• Vegetables
• flowering plants
• evergreen growth

tip: Sometimes it can also be a question of dosage, whether a plant can tolerate coffee grounds or not. Above all, this includes the relationship between the nature of the soil and the amount of coffee grounds added.

Fruit plants

For many types of fruit that can be found in the local gardens, fertilizing with coffee grounds should be avoided in order to ensure a rich harvest. So the incompatible plants include none Coffee grounds fertilizer wish the following fruit plants:

Apple (Malus domestica)

• Genus of the rose family (Rosaceae)
• can be up to four meters high
• deciduous
• many different varieties
• nutrient-rich soil preferred
• Sunny to partially shaded location
• Fertilization with compost is recommended
• regular annual cut
• Flowering in May
• Fruits in autumn

Blackberries (Rubus fruticosus)

• Rose family (Rosaceae)
• one of the oldest types of fruit
• originally native to forests
• Upright or lying growing tendrils
• need climbing support
• Sunny location
• lime poor soil neutral to basic pH value
• keep slightly moist
• Compost fertilization is recommended
• regular pruning required

Strawberries (Fragaria)

• Rose family (Rosaceae)
• Harvest from May to autumn
• many different varieties
• repeatedly fruit-bearing and once-bearing
• give only a little fertilizer
• too many nutrients only stimulate foliage growth
• Flowers and fruits are diminished
• Protect plants from too much moisture from above
• Water regularly on hot days
• only from below to the roots

Currants (Ribes)

• Gooseberry family
• many different varieties
• in cottage gardens for centuries
• Can be cultivated as a shrub or high trunk
• Flowering in spring
• Fruits in July
• partially shaded to sunny location
• Compost and mulch as fertilizer
• cut after harvest

Peach (Prunus persica)

• original home of central and northern China
• since the Middle Ages in the Orient and the Mediterranean
• Nectarines a subspecies
• sheltered, sunny location
• Soil rich in nutrients and profound
• fertilize with compost and mulch
• water regularly
• Flowering in May
• Fruits in July and August

Plum (Prunus domestica)

• Rose family (Rosaceae)
• Subspecies plum, mirabelle plum and reindeer clod
• Origin also in Europe
• sunny location
• nutrient-rich, well-drained soil
• Flowering time in spring
• Fruit ripeness depending on the variety
• fertilize with compost
• water regularly while the fruit is ripe

Gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa)

• Gooseberry family (Grossulariaceae)
• Original form common in Asia, North Africa and Europe
• preferred clear location
• slightly moist soil
• humic and nutrient-rich
• water frequently for a good harvest
• fertilize with compost and horn shavings instead of coffee grounds
• alternatively use organic berry fertilizer
• Harvest in August
• Can be cultivated as a shrub, trellis or high trunk

Vegetables

Vegetable beds are often created in the garden, because freshly harvested from your own garden directly on the table is the trend. The vegetables must of course not come into contact with chemical agents so that they remain purely organic. Coffee grounds are often used here as fertilizer, but not all vegetables tolerate the ingredients equally well. Therefore, it is better to avoid using coffee grounds as fertilizer for the following vegetable plants and to use other alternatives:

Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris)

• also known as the cabbage stalk
• botanically related to beetroot
• biennial plant
• evenly moist soil
• humus, nutrient-rich soil
• sunny to partially shaded location
• use horn shavings and compost as fertilizer
• Moderate fertilization is sufficient because it consumes the medium
• Ready for harvest two months after sowing
• conditionally hardy

Carrot (Daucus carota ssp. sativus)

• Umbelliferae family (Apiaceae)
• Cultivated carrots in local latitudes
• descends from wild carrot
• native to North Africa, Asia and Europe
• different colors depending on the variety
• early and late varieties
• loamy-sandy, loose soil
• Spread a layer of compost on top of the seeds
• provide sufficient water
• Ripening after about 70 days

Black salsify (Scorzonera hispanica)

• Compositae family
• also "asparagus of the little man"
• originally from southern Europe
• sandy-humic loose soil
• must not be too damp
• pour little
• sunny to partially shaded location
• supply with organic vegetable fertilizer instead of coffee grounds
• Harvest time is October
• Carefully dig up fragile roots

Celery (Apium graveolens)

• Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. dulce)
• Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum)
• Medicinal plant in the Mediterranean since ancient times
• Location sunny to light shade
• Heavy Eater
• therefore nutrient-rich soil
• chalky and moist
• Enrich the soil with compost and algae lime
• Add horn flour several times a year
• can be fertilized with stale potato water

Note: There are some organic fertilizers as home remedies that are well tolerated by plants that should not receive coffee grounds as fertilizer. These include horn meal or shavings, banana peels or wood ash.

Flowering plants

The lush flowerbeds should not be missing in any garden or front yard. So that the plants can develop their beautiful blooms here and transform the garden into a colorful sea, they need fertilizer. The set from the coffee filter is hardly suitable for the following flowering plants:

Asters (aster)

• Asteraceae family
• originally from Africa and America
• over 180 varieties
• many different flower colors
• The flowering time is autumn
• Soil with low nutrient content
• can be enriched with compost
• calcareous soil often preferred
• some varieties suitable for rock gardens
• sunny location

Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum)

• Asteraceae family
• originally from East Asia
• many different varieties
• autumn flowering perennials
• multicolored or monochrome, double or unfilled flowers
• Use high-quality potting soil from the trade
• then further fertilization can be omitted
• dry soil preferred
• Soil rich in nutrients, well drained and calcareous
• sunny location

Clematis (clematis)

• also under Clematis known
• Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)
• native to Asia, North America and Europe
• vigorous climbing plant
• Location prefers roots in the shade
• the upper part of the plant also likes to be in the sun
• consistently moist, humus-rich and well-drained soil
• mulch to retain moisture
• offers fertilizer at the same time
• fertilize with compost and horn shavings

Gladiolus (gladiolus)

• also swordflower or Siegwurz
• Iris family (Iridceae)
• native to Africa, the Middle East and southern Europe
• up to 1.50 meters in height
• Flowering from June to September
• deep and well drained soil
• very nutritious and fresh
• sunny and sheltered location
• fertilize with compost and horn meal
• Hibernate tubers outside of the earth

Globe thistle (Echinops)

• Asteraceae family
• eye-catching, spherical flower balls
• with many small individual flowers
• on long stalks
• Growth height up to two meters
• Flowering period between July and September
• Sunny location
• nutrient-rich and well-drained soil
• preferably fertilize with compost
• Plant is very adaptable

Carnation (Dianthus)

• originally from Greece and Italy
• Hybrids are used for the gardens
• many different varieties in different flower colors
• Flowering from June to September
• sunny and warm location
• Soil evenly moist but rather poor in nutrients
• Water more during long dry periods
• Compost when planting
• annual plants no further fertilization

Peony (Paeonia)

• own plant family peony plants (Paeoniaceae)
• as subshrubs, perennials and shrubs
• used to be of great importance as a medicinal plant
• slightly poisonous in all parts
• Flowers of many different colors and shapes
• Flowering time between April and May
• mineral and humus-poor soil
• loamy, moist and permeable
• sunny to partially shaded location
• fertilize with a high concentration of potassium and phosphate

Roses (pink)

• eponymous for the rose family (Rosaceae)
• many different varieties
• Differentiation between cultivated roses and wild roses
• for everyone, the location is sunny and airy
• Well-drained, humus and sandy-loamy soil
• fertilize twice a year
• once in spring with compost and horn meal
• second time in June
• Cutting back is important

Sun rose (Helianthemum hybrids)

• Rockrose family (Cistaceae)
• native to Asia Minor and the Mediterranean
• Dwarf shrubs
• Flowering time in early summer
• Flowers on panicles
• many different colors
• location in full sun
• open flowers only in the sun
• dry, well drained, calcareous soil
• Regularly fertilize with compost instead of coffee grounds

Vetch (Lathyrus odoratus)

• original home in southern Italy
• Butterfly flower family (Faboidae)
• annual climbing plant
• up to 1.50 meters high
• Flowering period between June and September
• many different flower colors
• sunny to partially shaded, sheltered location
• no blazing midday sun
• moderately moist and nutrient-rich soil
• calcareous with high pH

Evergreen plants

Evergreen plants are usually shrubs or small trees that are often created as hedges in the garden. These should of course grow quickly so that they offer good privacy. Therefore, many hobby gardeners fertilize here with the sentence from the coffee filter in order to provide the bushes with enough nitrogen. However, the following evergreen plants only tolerate the fertilizer from coffee to a limited extent:

Boxwood (Buxus)

• eponymous for the boxwood family (Buxaceae)
• native to the entire northern hemisphere
• Common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) in local latitudes
• sunny to partially shaded location
• avoid hot locations in front of the south wall
• calcareous, slightly moist soil
• use mature compost as fertilizer
• Lay on a layer of mulch all year round
• well tolerated by cutting
• can be cut into many different shapes

Wig bush (cotinus coggygria)

• Sumac family (Anacardiaceae)
• related to the vinegar tree
• gladly planted as a solitary
• as a shrub as tall as it is wide
• Branches hang down in tows
• Fruits cover the shrub in autumn
• looks like a wig-like veil
• preferred sunny location
• calcareous, poorly nutrient-rich, dry soil
• needs little fertilization

Note: Evergreen plants, which are usually cultivated as a hedge, should of course grow quickly. The nitrogen in the coffee helps to do this. However, you should not use coffee if the bushes do not react well to acidic soil. Because coffee makes the soil a little more acidic with each fertilization process, which is then not tolerated.