Lavender is bigger and healthier if kitchen scrap is sprinkled in soil
Lavender doesn't just look stunning and emit a gorgeous scent – it's also easy to maintain, making it a green-thumbed favourite for both its beauty and practical uses in the kitchen or for crafty sachet-making.
While these fragrant shrubs thrive in poor soil, a small sprinkle of coffee grounds can give the plant a nudge towards a spectacular flowering season.
That's according to the green-finger experts at World Day, who said: "The slight acidity and nitrogen content in coffee grounds, when used sparingly, can stimulate them to bloom bigger and healthier."
Coffee grounds act like a slow-feed snack, spreading out nitrogen and other nutrients bit by bit.
It's ideal for lavender, which doesn't do well with overfeeding, providing just enough power for its growth without going overboard, reports the Express.
The gardening experts noted: "I've seen lavender plants produce up to 30% more blooms when treated with coffee grounds compared to untreated plants. The difference is remarkable."
Stephanie from the home-grown blog Celebrated Herb is also championing the use of leftover coffee grinds on your lavender. She described coffee leftovers as an "excellent" supplier of nitrogen – a key nutrient needed for overall plant life.
But it's not just lavender that can benefit from this handy hack; your hydrangeas and roses will thank you with brighter, more colourful displays too.
Simply scatter a bit of coffee grounds around the base of your plants and mix them into the soil.
Or you can add a layer of well-decomposed compost around the plant's base, allowing the nutrients to seep into the soil post-watering.
After sprinkling coffee grounds, you should see improved blooms within four to six weeks. The plants will sprout stronger stems, and larger flower heads that are more vibrant.
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