The Unexpected Kitchen Scrap That'll Help Your Spider Plant Thrive

Spider plants are considered to be among the easiest plants to grow. They can be grown in a variety of conditions, both indoors and outdoors. As a result, they are a common sight in homes, apartments, dorm rooms, and office spaces. Just as common in those indoor areas are used coffee grounds, the unexpected kitchen scrap that'll help your spider plant thrive.

While they are considered low maintenance, spider plants require some care in order to remain healthy and vibrant -– especially when being grown indoors. In addition to maintaining the proper temperature and occasionally watering, properly utilizing coffee grounds in the soil of your spider plant's pot can have several benefits. Coffee grounds can boost the amount of organic matter in the soil and aid with the aeration of the soil. This is because the organic matter is attractive to various microorganisms. It can also infuse the soil with nitrogen, which is an important mineral for plant growth, and raise the acidity of the soil ever so slightly, which is ideal for spider plants. These benefits can not only lead to a healthier plant, but can also increase the number of its sprouts.

However, it is important to utilize coffee grounds properly and not overdo it. That's because as beneficial as they can be, when used in the wrong way, coffee grounds can also cause some issues, such as compacted roots, soil imbalance, fungus, and poor water absorption due to striated, compact layers of soil.

There are a few different ways in which you can use coffee grounds to keep your spider plant happy and thriving. The best method is to utilize coffee grounds in your compost, which can then be added to the soil around your spider plant. It is important to note that no more than a fifth of your compost should be coffee grounds. Otherwise, you run the risk of introducing too much nitrogen into the soil. Coffee-enriched compost can be added to your plant's soil every couple of months.

Another method is to create a liquid fertilizer which can be used when you water your spider plant. This can be done by either generously diluting brewed coffee. This is at a ratio of around 2.5 gallons of water per cup of coffee, so you will only need a slight bit of coffee to create enough liquid fertilizer for one plant. Alternatively, you can steep used coffee grounds in hot water. Regardless of the method you choose to create the liquid fertilizer, allowing it to sit for a week or so before applying it can add to the benefit, as helpful bacteria will form within the brew.

Finally, you can mix a slight bit of coffee grounds into the soil or use as part of a mulching mix. When doing this, the grounds should be allowed to dry first so as to not clump together, clog the soil, or invite fungal growth.