Do snake plants like coffee grounds? [Pros And Cons] –ISBUZZLE

If you thought randomly, do snake plants like coffee grounds?

The answer is yes, but in moderation.

Adding coffee grounds to snake plant soil can be beneficial by providing a nitrogen boost, making the soil more acidic, and can generally be used as a fertilizer when thinned.

That said, if done incorrectly or not used sparingly, it can do more harm than good, so it’s up to you whether you want to add coffee grounds to your snake floor (sansevieria).

Benefits of adding ground coffee

If you’re wondering why I should add coffee grounds to my Snake plant, consider some of the benefits below and decide if the effort is worth it for you.

Increases soil acidity.

Snake plants are not very picky about soil pH, but prefer to grow in slightly acidic soil for optimal growth and nutrient uptake.

A good range will be between 5.5 ph and 7.5 ph, with somewhere in between the sweet spot.

If your soil is too alkaline your snake plant will struggle to grow and coffee grounds can be added to increase the acidity where desired.

This only applies to fresh coffee grounds that have not been used, washed or otherwise diluted, as used coffee grounds have a more neutral pH.

So if you plan to lower the pH of your snake plants, you can spray them as a compost additive.

Increases nitrogen content

Coffee grounds can actually provide a good supply of nitrogen to your snake plant, which can provide additional growth support since coffee grounds are high in nitrogen.

We all love robust growth and nitrogen is a very important nutrient for snake plants that you should not overlook when providing it.

That being said, if you only feed your snake plant nitrogen and neglect all other nutrients, it will result in weak, leggy growth that you don’t want.

This is especially true when too much nitrogen is supplied, as it can cause rapid growth, making the plant stiff, weak or stretched.

Fortunately, coffee grounds also contain other nutrients, not just nitrogen.

They can be used as fertilizer.

Coffee grounds not only contain nitrogen, but also phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron, all of which contribute to your snake plant’s ability to thrive.

Since all of these nutrients are found in coffee grounds, it can actually be used as a fertilizer or at least in rotation with a standard liquid fertilizer.

At worst, it can be a great fertilizer replacement if you run out of regular fertilizer or want to save money and fertilize every 2-3 months instead of once a month.

Disadvantages of adding ground coffee

Although snake plants love coffee grounds, adding too much can lead to some problems, such as the following.

The soil becomes too acidic.

If you go overboard and add too many coffee grounds to your snake plant’s soil, you risk making the soil’s pH more acidic than it should be.

This can cause root burn and generally hamper the ability of snake plants to grow new roots, absorb water, and absorb nutrients.

Coffee grounds can attract insects

Pests like fungus gnats are attracted to decaying organic matter like used coffee grounds, so keep that in mind before adding anything.

This is not unique to coffee grounds, but to decaying organic matter in general, so it may not affect your snake plant as much depending on what you are already using.

If you are concerned or are currently dealing with insects, check out my article on how to get rid of insects on snake plants.

How to Add Coffee Grounds to a Snake Plant

There are actually 2 main purposes for adding coffee grounds to a snake plant: to use it as a compost additive or to use it as a liquid fertilizer.

Here’s how to use it for any purpose.

adding compost

If you already use compost when growing your snake, coffee grounds can be a good addition to compost, but not a complete replacement.

Simply sprinkle fresh coffee grounds into the compost if you want to lower the pH, or sprinkle over washed coffee grounds if you want to maintain nutrient value without changing soil pH too much.

As a general rule, you shouldn’t exceed the amount of coffee grounds that would cover the top of the soil if you’re growing in a small container.

Essentially, less is more, because you don’t want to overdo it.

You can even sprinkle it on after transplanting a snake plant if you like.

Generally, I would say limit coffee grounds to about 10-15% of the organic matter in the compost to give yourself a head start and play it safe.

as liquid fertilizer

If you want to use coffee grounds as a liquid fertilizer for your snake plant, here’s what you can do.

[1] Fill a container with water.

[2] Add a small handful of ground coffee to the water.

[3] Let the water sit for a few days.

[4] After a few days, strain the coffee residue from the water and save the water.

[5] Add the remaining water to a spray bottle.

From there, you can use the solution as a liquid fertilizer and spray the soil for your Snake plant once a month in the spring and summer.

You can also alternate between coffee ground fertilizer one month and regular liquid fertilizer the next month.

final thoughts

So, in general, as far as the question goes, are snake plants like coffee beans? The answer is yes, but certainly in moderation.

Now it’s up to you whether you want it or not, depending on your snake plant care goals or what you’re trying to do.

As always, thanks for reading and enjoying the process!