Not only are they useful for making a compost heap, coffee grounds could also be your secret weapon for a strong and healthy cannabis crop. All it takes is a little knowledge to make your plants flourish – let us reveal everything you need to know about coffee grounds and cannabis!
It’s a fact, we all want the best for our cannabis plants. From germination to the first puff, the more you give them, the more they give back to you. We’re not saying you have to flood your plants with nutrients day and night, but there are tips and tricks you can use to get the best out of your cannabis plants.
If you’re enjoying a cup of coffee, there’s a lot more you can do with your coffee grounds than just extracting their juice. That’s right, read on to find out how coffee grounds can help your weed plants thrive.
You’ve just brewed yourself nice paper coffee filters, but what’s left in your coffee pot or coffee machine? Well, it’s coffee grounds, the ground coffee left over after you’ve used it. You could throw the grounds in the trash. After all, you have already prepared your drink with them, you won’t need them anymore, right? But wait! Those grounds in the garden are full of nutrients that your cannabis plants will love. We explain.
If you want to keep pests away, whether they’re slugs and snails or other critters, adding coffee grounds to your soil can help keep these nasty critters from taking up residence on your prized plants. Although unproven, some gardeners speculate that the anti-pest powers of coffee grounds are due to their caffeine content and the texture of the grounds.
In addition to repelling pests, add coffee grounds as they are also useful for enhancing soil biodiversity, which is the infrastructure of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that work together to help the soil, and in turn, plants, thrive.
Specifically, coffee grounds release nitrogen and other nutrients that serve to feed and support beneficial soil microbes. In addition, coffee grounds can help improve soil structure and water retention.
Maintaining an ideal pH level is crucial for cannabis cultivation. A pH level that is too high or too low will inevitably cause problems, including difficulties with nutrient absorption.
In soil, a pH range of 6-7 is necessary. The slight acidity helps your plants absorb everything they need to grow healthy. Although used coffee grounds are not a remedy for basic soils, they may have the ability to help maintain a balanced pH level.
Coffee grounds are a good source of organic matter and are considered a form of green waste.
Containing large amounts of nitrogen and other nutrients, coffee grounds are simply perfect for the compost pile. As they break down, they help form aggregates in the soil and improve aeration and water retention, among other benefits.
So, how do you harness the power of coffee grounds to support the health and development of your cannabis plantation?
As mentioned above, the main way to use coffee grounds in cannabis cultivation is to apply them to the soil. Containing key macro and micronutrients, the grounds will contribute to the nutritional profile of the soil.
Just be careful to administer the grounds at the right time. We recommend waiting until plants have developed at least three nodes before adding grounds to the soil. Don’t overload the substrate either: remember that it’s all about supporting biodiversity.
Although coffee grounds can be used to support vegetation in general, they can also be useful if you are dealing with nitrogen deficiencies or nitrogen-deficient soil. Coffee grounds contain approximately 2% nitrogen by volume.
The pomace alone may not be enough to solve the problem completely, but it can help increase nitrogen levels by maintaining a proper pH level.
If you want a more “hands-on” solution, a foliar spray with coffee can work well. Just add two cups of coffee grounds to about 5 liters of water, let sit overnight and filter the mixture. This mixture can be used to spray the leaves and stems of cannabis plants, providing them with the nutritional benefits they need to thrive.
Compared to pomace mixed with soil, this solution is extremely light and is unlikely to cause overfeeding problems. At the same time, foliar spraying is not a long-term nutritional solution, but it is a good way to provide acid loving plants with an almost immediate source of nutrients.
There is no consensus on which are the “best” coffee grounds for cannabis plants, but there are some types that are best avoided.
Although freshly ground coffee can be used, it is more acidic than used coffee grounds. So keep that in mind if you want to apply it directly to the soil. This could upset the pH balance and create an unsuitable environment for your cannabis plants.
Also, it can be tempting to use instant coffee as a substitute. However, it is usually produced using freeze-dried coffee extract and can sometimes contain additional chemicals that could have a negative impact on your plants.
Whether you want to save some money with your home growing projects or you fancy trying new ways to help your plants flourish, coffee grounds could be the answer you’ve been looking for.
So the next time you empty the coffee pot, think about the grounds and how they’re still full of life.
Save them, and you’ll have nutrient-packed compost at your disposal. And believe us, your plants will love it! 🪴
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