My friend in Portland swore by using coffee grounds for my hydrangeas, and now the soil pH is way off.

She said to mix in a cup of grounds every week to boost blooms, but after a month the leaves turned yellow and a soil test showed the acidity had spiked, so has anyone else fixed a pH mess from a well-meaning tip?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliotadams27d ago

My buddy Dave out in Eugene tried the same thing last spring after he read some blog about it. He was dumping a whole coffee can of grounds under his hydrangeas every week for like two months. By July his leaves were all yellow and curling up, and when he finally tested the soil it was like battery acid or something. He ended up having to mix in a bunch of lime and basically start over with new plants. He still won't drink anything stronger than herbal tea now, says coffee ruined his gardening.

kim7271mo ago

Portland friend still swear by that method?

park.robin1mo ago

Portland friend? More like my last remaining contact who hasn't blocked my texts. The method works, but only if you enjoy turning a simple task into a three-day craft project involving artisanal tools. It's the kind of thing you do once, take pictures of for your blog, and then never speak of again. Honestly, I think he just likes having a reason to buy more weird little jars.