In summer, our garden is our little oasis of well-being where we can relax and unwind. Gardening is also really fun and calms the mind. Therefore, it is no surprise that more and more people want to grow their own fruits and vegetables in the garden. But in addition to all the delicious cucumbers, kohlrabi, strawberries and the like, numerous pests and diseases appear in spring and spread to our plants. Aphids in particular make life difficult for gardeners every year. Fortunately, these can be successfully combated without any chemicals. Coffee grounds in particular can work wonders against pests and are one of the best home remedies against unwanted guests. We'll tell you exactly how the method works as well as other helpful tips and home remedies for aphids below.
What are aphids and how can you recognize an aphid infestation?
Aphids (Aphidoidea) appear out of nowhere in spring and are one of the most common pests in the garden. In Central Europe there are now more than 800 different species, which differ in size, color and shape. In addition to the well-known green aphids, there are also brown, black, white, red and yellow aphids. The small insects can quickly become huge colonies and cause quite a lot of damage to the garden. WhetherCucumbers, tomatoes, strawberries or flowers - aphids are not particularly picky and can attack almost all types of plants in the garden.
Since the pests usually occur in larger groups, you can usually see an aphid infestation with the naked eye. However, these can multiply quite quickly and for this reason you should act on them very quickly. The aphids feed on the sap from soft plant parts and can therefore cause curled leaves and twisted shoot tips. In addition, many dangerous pathogens and viruses are transmitted when vacuuming and in this case you have to destroy the affected plants. Even if you notice a sticky coating on the leaves, you are most likely dealing with an aphid infestation. In addition, aphids weaken the plants and this results in a significantly smaller harvest, and in some cases even complete harvest failure.
Regardless of whether you treat yourself to an occasional cup or drink liters of coffee every day - coffee is one of the most popular drinks among Germans. However, when making coffee, a lot of coffee grounds fall out, which most of us immediately throw in the trash. It is full of valuable ingredients such as phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen and antioxidants - all important nutrients that hobby gardeners can only benefit from. For example, coffee grounds can help against aphids without causing any damage to your plants.
The caffeine in coffee acts like a stimulant for people and gets our cardiovascular system going. And it is precisely because of this effectCoffee grounds against aphidsused in the garden. Even very small amounts of it cause the pests' nervous system to become overexcited and act like a neurotoxin. The poison penetrates the aphids through breathing and skin and as a result their body functions are paralyzed. And after just a few minutes the insects die. Responsible for this are the bioactive substances contained in the coffee grounds, which are created during roasting. However, with espresso they end up in the boiling water and for this reason espresso does not help against aphids. Even decaffeinated coffee will have no effect against the pests.
Make coffee brew
To use coffee grounds against aphids, you have two options. You could either make a coffee brew and spray it on the plants or incorporate the coffee grounds into the soil. If you decide to use the brew, you should use it as quickly as possible as the caffeine evaporates. To achieve the best possible results, we recommend that you use the two methods alternately. And this is how you can make a coffee brew against aphids:
- After making the coffee, put the coffee grounds in a bowl and pour hot water over them again.
- Collect the liquid through a fine sieve, allow to cool slightly and pour into a spray bottle.
- Then spray the affected plants with it and you're done - it's that easy to use coffee grounds against aphids.
- Don't forget to spray the underside of the leaves.
Work coffee grounds into the soil
As an alternative to the decoction, you can use the coffee grounds against aphids by incorporating them into the potting soil. However, with this method the insects do not immediately come into direct contact with the caffeine and the effect is significantly less. To prevent mold from forming, you should let the leftover coffee cool down completely and never use it when it is damp or wet. The process is actually relatively simple and you simply have to work the coffee grounds into the soil around the affected plants. After 2 days you can bury it in the ground wherever it isacts as fertilizer.
Black tea as an alternative to coffee grounds against aphids
Are you more of a tea drinker? Then you can alternatively use black tea against aphids. To do this, simply pour boiling water over 2-3 tea bags and let the mixture steep for 20-30 minutes. Pour the tea into a spray bottle and spray the affected plants on all sides.
