Peperomia is a tropical plant that is widely kept by beginner house plant enthusiasts due to its minimal needs of maintenance. However, many suggest that coffee grounds can be added to ensure that your peperomia is strong and healthy. So, do peperomia like coffee grounds?
Do peperomia like coffee grounds?
Yes, peperomia does like coffee grounds. Coffee grounds have several advantages for your peperomia. It is a natural fertilizer that can be added to your peperomia to improve its health and growth. It is composed of several organic compounds, which may prove to be beneficial for the well-being of your peperomia plant. However, like all other fertilizers, caution must be maintained while applying it to your peperomia.
Advantages of applying coffee grounds
So, let us learn about some of the advantages of applying coffee grounds to your peperomia.
Balances the pH level of the soil
Coffee is usually acidic. If the soil is overused, the environmental factors cause the soil to turn basic. However, peperomia prefers soil that is acidic to some extent. So, if your soil has started turning basic, adding coffee grounds would help regulate the pH level of the soil and keep it ideal for the peperomia to thrive. However, if too much coffee ground is applied, the soil would become excessively acidic and could be fatal to your peperomia. So, an adequate amount of coffee is important to ensure that it is beneficial for the plant.
Improves soil quality
Coffee grounds help improve soil quality by improving the aeration and draining capabilities of the soil. A well-drained soil reduces the chance of overwatering. Overwatering is a serious problem that can cause issues like root rot which can be fatal for your peperomia. Coffee grounds also help improve soil structure and ensure that the soil can be used for longer periods without much degradation.
Acts as a fertilizer
Coffee grounds also help add the required nutrition to the soil. It is rich in nitrogen which is an essential nutrient for your peperomia. Further, it also contains calcium, potassium, and magnesium. These nutrients help in strengthening the cell walls, improve protein synthesis and facilitate germination of seeds respectively.
Adding coffee grounds
While coffee grounds may have several benefits for your peperomia, adding them directly to the soil can have severe detrimental effects. Adding the grounds directly to the soil would result in the retaining of moisture in the soil. Thus, the soil would remain soggy and make it an ideal breeding ground for pests, bacteria, and fungi. Soggy soil may also lead to issues like root rot.
So, it is best to add the coffee grounds as mulch, compost, or liquid fertilizer to ensure that maximum benefits are derived. Further, adding coffee grounds too frequently may also lead to acid burn of your peperomia. Thus, it must be applied once in a while in limited quantities for the best results.
Thus, peperomia indeed like coffee grounds, but it must be applied cautiously to ensure that there are no detrimental effects to the plant.
