In the past few years, there has been a lot of talk about whether or not roses like coffee grounds. Some people say that it is good to add these grounds to your roses to make them grow better. Others claim that they are toxic and should never come in contact with your bed of roses. Let’s find out…
Do Roses like Coffee Grounds?
Yes, roses like coffee grounds, but they must be used sparingly. Coffee grounds will add some much-needed nitrogen to the soil of your rose bed. The issue is when too much coffee is used, which can cause the roots of your roses to burn.
Do Coffee Grounds Benefit Roses?
As we just mentioned, coffee grounds can help your roses grow by providing it with nitrogen, which is an important nutrient for plants. However, coffee grounds don’t provide your plant with any other nutrients that aren’t already present in the soil of your garden bed.
If you want to make sure that your roses get all the nutrition they need, use a balanced fertilizer or compost as opposed to just adding more coffee grounds on top of what’s already there.
The main benefit to using coffee grounds over traditional fertilizers is that they are free and can be picked up anywhere. For example, once you have finished your morning cup while reading the newspaper (or this blog).
If you have soil that is rich in organic material, such as compost or mulch on top of it, then coffee grounds will be more likely to give too much nitrogen for your roses to handle.
When to Apply Coffee Grounds to Roses?
It’s important to apply coffee grounds at the correct time of year. For example, if you’ve just planted your roses and have not yet fertilized them with coffee grounds, wait until the first spring before doing so.
Coffee grounds shouldn’t be applied in the winter. This is important because too much nitrogen during cold weather can cause leaves on plants to turn yellow and fall off prematurely.
The best time to apply coffee grounds to roses is in the spring, as this will give the news leaves the nitrogen they need to reach their maximum potential.
How to Use Coffee as Fertilizer for Roses?
Coffee grounds should be used in moderation when it comes to fertilizing your rose plants. Although nitrogen is necessary for healthy soil and plants, too much can damage the roots.
Here’s how to use coffee grounds as plant fertilizer:
1) Add a handful of coffee grounds to your compost for a boost in nitrogen
This is my favorite way to fertilize roses with coffee grounds. Essentially, it stops you from adding too much coffee to your rose bed. The compost mixture will also increase the drainage and minimize the growth of weeds.
This coffee ground compost should be used during spring when the weeds start attacking your rose bed. The compost will ensure your rose has enough nitrogen needed to grow new leaves and bloom.
I like to sprinkle the compost over the top layer of soil. The nutrients will slowly sink deeper into the rose bed, where the roots can feed on the slow release of nutrients. It can also be a good idea to avoid placing the coffee ground compost around the stem, as you don’t want to cause rot.
2) Sprinkle coffee grounds around your rose bed, and then pour water over the top
The recommended amount to sprinkle over your rose bed is 500g of coffee grounds. Doing this will increase the nitrogen content of your soil. It’s best to pour water over the top instead of burying the coffee deep down, which is to not harm the roots.
In fact, worms will feed on the surface lying coffee, which will naturally give your rose bed a dose of worm castings. This is one of the best types of soil for roses to thrive in.
This fertilization should be done in early spring to encourage new leaf growth at the correct time. Fertilizing too late will result in the leaves getting destroyed in the first winter, as well as increasing the risk of nitrogen overload.
3) Mix coffee grounds with water – then pour over roses
Alternatively, you can mix the coffee grounds with water before pouring it over your roses. Simply pour the coffee into a large watering can, and then fill to the top with water.
This method is the quickest way of getting the coffee grounds deep into the soil, where they will be fed to the roots. It’s also great to even the distribution of coffee grounds.
I wouldn’t recommend using any more than 500g of coffee grounds on each rose bed, regardless of the time of year. Too much coffee can give the roses an overload of nitrogen, which the roses will not be able to cope with.
Tips & Tricks
*In the spring, add coffee grounds to your soil. This will give new leaves a nitrogen boost as they grow and bloom in the warmer months.
*If you want to fertilize roses throughout the year, apply them sparingly every few weeks during desired seasons.
*The best time for applications is when flowers are starting to die back or just before their first blooming period each season.
Conclusion
In conclusion, coffee grounds should be used in moderation when it comes to fertilizing your rose plants. Although nitrogen is necessary for healthy soil and plants, too much of it can damage the roots.
I hope you have enjoyed reading this post on coffee grounds. I actually wrote a similar piece that covers coffee grounds for all houseplants, so be sure to check that out too.
