Did you hear that coffee grounds are good for plants, and you decided to try them for your Monstera? If yes, then you should read this article.
Monstera is one of the many flowering plants that like coffee grounds, especially when the soil becomes neutral or alkaline. Adding coffee grounds to Monstera’s soil will increase its nitrogen content. As a result, you will help the plant grow strong and healthy leaves.
In this article, we will answer all your questions regarding using coffee grounds for Monstera.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Does Monstera like Coffee Grounds?
Monstera will like coffee grounds when the soil’s pH goes above 7. Generally, this plant grows best in slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5 and 7. However, if the soil is alkaline, monstera may not grow healthy green leaves. In this case, you can add coffee grounds to the soil to make it more acidic.
In fact, coffee grounds have a decent concentration of nitrogen. Every 100 grams of coffee grounds contains 2 grams of nitrogen.
Nitrogen is an element that is necessary for many different processes that occur inside your plant. Nitrogen is needed for photosynthesis, the process by which plants use the energy of sunlight to make food, and is essential to the production of carbohydrates.
Nitrogen is also one of the primary building blocks of proteins, a necessary component for all living things. Plants need to grow and maintain healthy leaves.
In addition to nitrogen, coffee grounds will provide nutrients such as phosphorous and Potassium but in an insignificant amount.
Even if coffee grounds are not highly concentrated with phosphorous and Potassium, a monstera with leaf issues can still benefit from low concentrations of these two elements. Phosphorous will help the plant grow and maintain healthy tissues, while Potassium will improve its ability to fight off bacteria and viruses.
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How to Use Coffee Grounds for Monstera?
To use coffee grounds for monstera, mix them with the potting soil, use them in the compost, or make a liquid compost.
Let’s see how to perform each method.
How to Use Coffee Grounds As a Compost for Monstera?
Coffee grounds can be a helpful ingredient in monstera compost. To prepare a monstera compost using coffee grounds, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 coffee cup of coffee grounds.
- 1/2 coffee cup of vegetable scraps (i.e., carrot tops, onion peels, broccoli stems, potato skins, eggshells).
- 1/2 coffee cup of wood ash (can be obtained at hardware stores).
- A bucket.
Place all ingredients in the bucket, mix well, and wait three to four weeks for the compost to be ready.
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How to Use Coffee Grounds As Liquid Compost for Monstera?
Start by adding coffee grounds to a bucket or large tub. Then, add a cup of water for each pound of coffee grounds used. Mix well and cover the bucket or tub with a lid. Make sure the lid fits tightly, so there are no air pockets.
Allow the coffee grounds to sit for 3-4 weeks, then separate them from the liquid in the bucket or tub.
The liquid left in the bucket or tub should be used as a fertilizer. It will also have a pleasant earthy smell to it.
The best time to apply coffee grounds liquid compost to your plants is about two weeks before they are set to bloom.
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How to Add Coffee Grounds to Monstera’s Potting Soil?
If you want to add coffee grounds to your monstera soil, try placing a layer of fresh coffee grounds near the base of your plant’s container before adding soil. The coffee grounds will break down as the roots grow and release their nutrients.
Alternatively, you can add the coffee grounds directly to your potting soil, sprinkling them around the bottom of the plant’s pot and about six inches up from the bottom.
Coffee grounds have a tremendous fertilizing effect, but they can also help eliminate pests from your plants.
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What Are the Advantages of Using Coffee Grounds for Monstera?
Coffee grounds have many benefits for monstera, including their ability to provide an acidic environment around your houseplants. They contain minerals that will help prevent and even eliminate the growth of fungi, so it is a good idea to use this product as an alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Another advantage of using coffee grounds for monstera is that they are non-toxic and safe for children and pests.
Here are 7 benefits that coffee grounds can provide for monstera:
1) They make an excellent fertilizer: they provide a source of organic matter, nitrogen, and trace minerals.
2) They Smell Amazing: if your monstera smells bad because of bacteria or root rot, then coffee grounds can help you eliminate this odor. Not only this, but if you are growing a non-aromatic plant, coffee grounds can help you improve the smell around it.
3) They make a great natural pesticide: Coffee grounds are rich in caffeine and many other chemicals that can deter pests, and they work very well when sprinkled around the base of your houseplants. Caffeine also helps plants to ward off insect infestations. It kills the pests before they can breed.
4) They help to increase drainage: By making the soil softer, coffee grounds help to improve drainage. They are acidic, so they add beneficial nutrients to the soil that the plant can use while simultaneously increasing the soil’s water retention capacity.
5) They help save money: by using coffee grounds, you can keep the money others spend on fertilizers and pesticides. Additionally, coffee grounds can be FREE. In fact, If you are a caffeine addict, you can use the leftovers of your morning coffee to feed your plant. If not, you can still get coffee grounds for FREE by going to your local coffee shops and asking for the leftovers.
6) They make a great alternative to commercial and chemical fertilizers: If you are against using chemical fertilizers for plants, then coffee grounds may be your best alternative. They are natural, and they don’t contain any harmful or chemical elements.
7) They Are good for the environment: coffee grounds are biodegradable, which means that they will decompose within a short time in the soil, which will not cause any harm to the environment.
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What Are the Drawbacks of Using Coffee Grounds for Monstera?
Coffee grounds are not suitable for all plants. In fact, they are recommended only for acid-loving plants or plants whose soil became alkaline because of overuse. In the case of monstera, adding coffee grounds when the soil’s pH is between 5 and 7 may harm the plant.
Additionally, adding coffee grounds in large quantities will make the roots unable to absorb water and nutrients.
Here are some drawbacks associated with using coffee grounds for monstera:
1) Can Attract Fungus Gnats.
2) They Make The Soil Highly Acidic.
3) Can Kill Good Bacteria.
4)Can Inhibit Roots Growth for Unestablished Monsteras.
5) Can Form a Solid Barrier When They Dry.
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What’s the Best Fertilizer for Monstera?
The best fertilizer for monstera is a 3:1:2 NPK ratio liquid fertilizer which means three parts Nitrogen, one part Phosphorus, and two parts Potassium. This kind of fertilizer is high in nitrogen which is tremendously advantageous for monstera plants.
High-nitrogen fertilizers are essential for the growth and development of monsteras. They provide this plant with a great deal of energy and help make it bushy and robust.
This kind of fertilizer can only be used for monstera once every two weeks during spring and summer. In fact, this plant should not be fertilized during fall and winter because it goes through dormancy.
Dormancy is the natural period of rest for plants after they have completed their growing cycle. During this time, the plants do not grow or consume food (fertilizer). As a result, they do not require additional fertilizer.
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