Hydrangeas are in bloom across the country in gorgeous shades of blue, pink and white. While they are low-maintenance, feeding them can help them thrive year after year. If you have pink hydrangeas and you would like to turn them into a gorgeous shade of blue, there’s one kitchen scrap which can be used as a fertiliser.
Hydrangeas change colour based on the soil pH, and adjusting the pH can encourage them to turn blue. This includes using coffee grounds, which makes the soil more acidic.
Whether using grounds leftover from your coffee machine or from a jar, either will work, according to one gardener on Facebook.
Taking to the Gardening Hints and Tips UK Facebook page, John Baxter wrote: “You can use eggshells to try or add aluminium sulfate to the soil, but I tend to sprinkle coffee scraps.
“This doesn’t just change the colour of my hydrangeas, but it also provides them with key nutrients. It took a while, but I swear by it now. They are a stunning shade.”
You can add coffee grounds to the soil whenever you like, but a couple of times throughout the flowering season is ideal.
Let the grounds dry out before adding them to the soil if they are wet, as this could create mould. Then simply spread the grounds evenly around the base or mix them into the soil.
Not only will the coffee grounds change the colour of the flowers, but they will also provide the plant with beneficial nutrients.
Using large amounts of coffee grounds in the soil can be harmful, so use them in moderation.
Citrus peels, such as orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime, can also be beneficial for hydrangeas and help turn them blue.
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