Fresh and delicious strawberries are a summer staple and are becoming increasingly popular among hobby gardeners. No wonder - after all, fresh home-grown fruit and vegetables taste much better. In addition to sun, water and air, most fruit and vegetable plants need enough nutrients for optimal growth. Fertilizers are essential to ensure a generous and productive harvest. And no, it doesn't always have to be the overpriced commercial fertilizers. Next time you make your morning coffee, think twice before throwing away the coffee grounds. Why? Because we're about to show you how to fertilize strawberries with coffee grounds!
Fertilizing strawberries with coffee grounds: That's why it's worth it
For most of us, coffee grounds usually end up in the trash straight away. It can be used wonderfully as fertilizer from kitchen waste in the garden and offers numerous benefits for the plants. Coffee grounds are used to increase the acidity of the soil and provide it with important nutrients. In fact, coffee grounds are an excellent source of various valuable ingredients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, antioxidants and tannic acid.
Why fertilize strawberries with coffee grounds? The small berries prefer acidic soil with a pH between 5.4 and 6.5 and this is where coffee grounds come into play because they increase the acidity of the soil and give the plants what they need. In addition, coffee grounds as a fertilizer act as an effective insect repellent, protecting plants from snails and other pests.
Like herPlace straw under strawberries, we have already explained to you. But so that you can enjoy a large harvest, you should know exactly when you should fertilize strawberries with coffee grounds. Unlike other types of fruit, there are three times a year that are ideal for fertilizing strawberries.
- Fertilize strawberries in spring before they produce flowers.
- Shortly before the strawberries ripen, you can fertilize them a second time if necessary.
- If you planted the fruits in autumn, you can fertilize the strawberries again with coffee grounds.
- However, things are a little different with everbearing varieties and you should supply them with fertilizer every two weeks throughout the season.
Using coffee grounds as fertilizer for strawberries: How to do it right
Fertilizing strawberries with coffee grounds is actually much easier than you think.To avoid mold, you should first collect it and let it dry completely. You can then sprinkle the dried coffee grounds directly under the plants or, if necessary, mix them with some potting soil and then work them in with a hoe. To make your own liquid fertilizer, mix coffee grounds with water and spray the plants.
Fertilize strawberries with coffee grounds and horn meal
Coffee grounds do contain nitrogen, but not always in large quantities. For optimal growth, use a fertilizer made from coffee grounds and horn meal. To fertilize strawberries, a mixture in a 1:1 ratio is considered ideal. Here is a brief overview of how much coffee grounds as fertilizer you need per plant:
- 35 grams when planting
- 40 grams after harvest
- 15 grams in spring
Even with perfect care, strawberries begin to bear less after the third year. In this case, we would recommend that you fertilize the plants in spring and remove them after harvest. You can then plant the new plants in another bed and fertilize the strawberries with coffee grounds as described above.
Also read:Caring for strawberries in March: cutting & fertilizing depending on the variety
