You probably don't think of coffee and tomatoes going together. Though you may like a little java with your salsa. Either way, the question we want to answer is, “Do tomatoes like coffee ground?”
It turns out tomatoes do like coffee grounds. There are many ways that tomatoes can benefit from coffee grounds. Coffee grounds can add much needed nutrients to tomatoes. They can also help support the root system of tomato plants.
When to use coffee grounds with tomatoes
You can always add coffee grounds to your tomato plants' soil. It boils down to which type of coffee grounds to add to your tomatoes.
Tomatoes like slightly acidic soil; usually in the range of 6.2 to 6.8 pH. Coffee grounds can make your tomatoes soil either acidic or neutral.
If your tomatoes' soil is alkaline or neutral and you would like to make it more acidic so your tomato plants will love you, then add fresh coffee grounds. Fresh coffee grounds are acidic and will lower the pH of your tomatoes' soil. If you want a more concentrated form to feed to your tomatoes, you can add brewed coffee to your soil. Liquid coffee will generally be more acidic then the fresh coffee grounds.
If the soil is too acidic for your tomatoes, then you can add used coffee grounds to raise the pH. Since used coffee grounds are neutral, adding them to acidic soil will move the pH up toward neutral.
If your tomatoes' soil is alkaline, then adding used coffee grounds will lower the pH. This will bring it down to neutral. You can also add fresh coffee grounds to your tomato plants' soil if it is alkaline.
How much coffee grounds to use on your tomatoes
Before you add any coffee grounds to your tomatoes' soil you need to test the soil to see what the pH level is now. Once you have determined the current pH level of your tomatoes' soil, you can then figure out what type of coffee grounds to add and how much.
A bigger consideration when deciding how much coffee grounds to add to your tomatoes is how well will it drain. Coffee grounds will help water drain from the roots of your tomato plants. But, if you add too many coffee grounds to the soil under your tomatoes, you could hinder the flow of water. When adding the coffee grounds to your tomatoes, keep the coffee grounds from clumping up by mixing it into the soil.
The benefits of adding coffee grounds to your tomatoes
As we talked about earlier, you an control the pH of your tomatoes' soil with coffee grounds.
Coffee grounds are a good source of nitrogen for your tomatoes. They do not contain a lot of nitrogen, but it will add a little for your tomatoes to use.
Coffee grounds also help with the movement of water in your tomatoes soil. This can be especially good if you don't have a lot of organic material in your soil.
Your tomatoes need nitrogen and other nutrients to grow. Worms like to each coffee grounds. Worm castings contain nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, and more. By adding coffee grounds to your tomatoes soil, you will attract worms that will add vital nutrient for your tomatoes to feed on.
Are there any potential problems with adding coffee grounds to tomatoes?
The only potential problem with adding coffee ground to your tomatoes' soil is you could burn the plants if you put it directly on the plants or their roots. You only have to worry about this problem if you are adding fresh coffee grounds to your tomatoes' soil. The best way to prevent to add the coffee grounds around your tomato plants; keeping a distance of 4 to 6 inches.
Do tomatoes need coffee grounds?
No, tomatoes don't need coffee grounds. But coffee grounds can be beneficial to tomatoes. Tomatoes do need correctly balance soil. Coffee grounds can help you achieve balanced soil for you tomatoes.
How often should I put coffee grounds on my tomato plants?
You should add coffee grounds to your tomatoes soil before you plant them in the spring. You can also add them to your tomatoes throughout the growing season. Just be sure to test your tomatoes' soil pH before adding them.
You can also add coffee grounds to your compost pile. This way they will get added to your tomatoes when you add compost.
Are coffee grounds bad for tomato plants?
Coffee grounds are not bad for tomato plants. As we have discussed in this article, there are several benefits tomatoes can get from coffee grounds.
Can you put too much coffee grounds in your tomatoes' soil?
You can put too much coffee ground in your tomatoes' soil. Too much coffee grounds can affect your tomatoes in two ways.
First, by adding too much coffee grounds you could mess the pH of the soil up for your tomatoes. You can fix this by testing your tomatoes' soil before and after adding coffee grounds.
Second, too much coffee grounds can cause clumping issues around your tomato plants. This can easily be fixed by combine the coffee grounds with your tomatoes soil and then mixing to make sure they are spread out.
Conclusion
Tomatoes do like coffee grounds. You just need to determine which type, fresh or brewed, to add to your tomatoes by completing a soil pH test. Coffee grounds are also a good organic additive to your tomatoes' soil that will help it drain properly. They also provide some much need nitrogen to your tomatoes. Finally, worms love to eat coffee grounds and will provide nitrogen to your tomatoes with there castings. Read our post about plants that like coffee grounds to find more plants that like this amazing fertilizer.
