Coffee Grounds Are An Essential Addition To Your Vase Of Flowers
A vase of fresh-cut flowers is one of the most appealing and uplifting elements you can add to a home. From guest-centric spaces like the living room to private areas like the bedroom, these rooms are spruced up when seasonal buds are part of the décor. Whether you purchase a bouquet at the grocery store or bring in stems from your own garden, you want to keep them looking crisp and colorful for as long as possible. And you can do that with coffee.
We've described how adding coffee to your lawn will improve its appearance. What's good for your lawn is also good for stems and leaves. The same scientific property is at work; adding a spoonful of coffee grounds to your vase of cut flowers adds nitrogen to the water. This essential nutrient will keep your cut flowers looking lush and vibrant for days, but also discourages the growth of microbes that will foul the water and create an unpleasant odor. For maximum maintenance, you'll want to refresh the water every few days since the grounds eventually dissolve.
How to do it
If you want to keep your cut flowers fresh longer, here's how to utilize the coffee ground method. Start with a clean vase and check for mold or any residue. Snip stem ends to fit the height of your vase. Use very sharp scissors or a knife. A dull blade will crush the stems and shorten bloom time. Remove any foliage below the water line since immersed leaves will quickly rot. Mix coffee grounds into water that's room temperature or cooler. Fill the vase, then pop the stems into the water. Keep an eye on the water quality, and plan on changing the water every other day. Hint: cloudy water is a disaster, so start all over. Trimming stems about a half-inch at a time when you change the water will keep the arrangement fresh and attractive.
The commercial packets that come with cut flowers from the grocery store contain sugar and citric acid. However, you can make your own flower food with coffee grounds, sugar, and lemon juice. Coffee grounds nurture and help preserve the flowers while keeping microbes and bacteria at bay. This will ensure your flowers stay as fresh as possible.
Why it works
It turns out that coffee is a sort of wake-up call (sorry) for a lot of organic matter. Plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create the sugars and proteins needed to remain healthy. This conversion process is called photosynthesis, and nitrogen is absolutely vital to producing chlorophyll, a compound needed for photosynthesis. Plants obtain their nitrogen from the soil and fertilizer. Potted plants lacking nitrogen often have weak stems and drooping yellow leaves. But what can you do for flowers suspended in water? Water-soluble plant food, available at nurseries and garden centers, boosts weak plants because they provide additional nitrogen and other compounds.
However, if you want to use something you already have at home, coffee grounds and diluted brewed coffee are packed with nitrogen. They can be added to a vase of flowers as a way to feed them and give them the nutrients they need. You can add coffee grounds to vegetable and flower beds and hanging baskets as well. Think of them as a kind of fertilizer, since they help stimulate healthy plant growth and preserve the flowers' beauty.