21 Plants That Love Coffee Almost as Much as You Do

Coffee grounds aren't just for brewing your favorite morning pick-me-up. They can also provide a nutrient-rich, eco-friendly addition to your garden, giving your plants a jolt of energy! 

In this guide, we'll explore plants that thrive when treated with coffee grounds. We'll also discuss planting zones to ensure your garden flourishes with friendly vibes and vibrant colors. So, grab a cup of coffee, and let's get started.

1. Azaleas (Rhododendron spp.), Zones 4-9

These gorgeous flowering shrubs adore the acidity that coffee grounds provide. Sprinkle used grounds around the base of your azaleas to help maintain the soil's pH and enrich it with nitrogen.

2. Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), Zones 3-10

Blueberries thrive in acidic soil, making coffee grounds a perfect match. Mix used grounds into the soil or create a mulch around the base of your blueberry bushes to boost nutrients.

3. Camellias (Camellia spp.), Zones 6-10

Camellias, with their stunning flowers, love a bit of acidity in their soil. Add coffee grounds to your camellia's planting hole or top-dress the soil to keep these beauties blooming.

4. Gardenias (Gardenia spp.), Zones 7-11

The sweet fragrance of gardenias will fill your garden when you treat them with coffee grounds. As acid-loving plants, they appreciate the extra acidity and nutrients coffee grounds provide.

5. Hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.), Zones 3-9

Hydrangeas can change color based on soil acidity. Add coffee grounds to the soil for blue blooms to lower the pH. Pink hydrangeas prefer alkaline soil, so skip the coffee for these.

6. Rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp.), Zones 4-9

Closely related to azaleas, rhododendrons also love the acidity coffee grounds bring to the soil. Sprinkle used grounds around these showstoppers to keep them thriving.

7. Roses (Rosa spp.), Zones 2-11

Roses and coffee grounds are a match made in garden heaven. Mix grounds into the soil or sprinkle them around your rosebushes to supply extra nutrients and help ward off pests.

8. Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), Zones 2-10

Tomatoes benefit from the nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in coffee grounds. Add used grounds to the planting hole or mix with compost to give your tomatoes a healthy boost.

9. Carrots (Daucus carota), Zones 3-10

Coffee grounds can help to deter carrot pests, like root maggots. Sprinkle used grounds around your carrot plants for a pest-free, nutrient-rich harvest.

10. Radishes (Raphanus sativus), Zones 2-10

Radishes, like carrots, benefit from coffee grounds' pest-deterring properties. Mix grounds into the soil or create a barrier around your radishes to keep them safe and healthy.

11. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), Zones 2-9

Spinach enjoys a little extra nitrogen in the soil. Sprinkle coffee grounds around your spinach plants for a nutrient boost that will promote lush, leafy growth.

12. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), Zones 2-11

Lettuce plants appreciate the nitrogen-rich addition of coffee grounds to their soil. Use coffee grounds as a side dressing or mix them into the soil to give your lettuce a vibrant, healthy growth spurt.

13. Cabbage (Brassica oleracea), Zones 1-9

Cabbage plants can also benefit from the added nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus that coffee grounds provide. Sprinkle used grounds around your cabbage plants to ensure a bountiful harvest.

14. Marigolds (Tagetes spp.), Zones 2-11

Marigolds are not only colorful and fragrant, they can also benefit from the nutrients in coffee grounds. Mix used grounds into the soil or sprinkle them around your marigold plants to encourage strong, healthy growth.

15. Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), Zones 3-9

Potatoes can benefit from the added nutrients that coffee grounds provide. Mix used grounds into the soil before planting or sprinkle them around your potato plants as they grow to improve their yield.

16. Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa), Zones 3-10

Strawberries love the acidity, and extra nutrients coffee grounds offer. Mix grounds into the soil before planting, or use them as a mulch around your strawberry plants to promote a more abundant harvest.

17. Eggplants (Solanum melongena), Zones 4-10

Eggplants, like their nightshade relatives, tomatoes, and potatoes, can benefit from the nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus found in coffee grounds.

Mix used grounds into the soil or sprinkle them around your eggplant plants for a nutrient boost.

18. Peppers (Capsicum spp.), Zones 1-11

Pepper plants enjoy the added nutrients from coffee grounds, particularly nitrogen. Sprinkle used grounds around your pepper plants or mix them into the soil to encourage healthy growth and a bountiful harvest.

19. Green Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), Zones 2-10

Green beans can benefit from the added nitrogen that coffee grounds provide. Mix used grounds into the soil before planting or sprinkle them around your bean plants to help them grow strong and healthy.

20. Sweet Corn (Zea mays), Zones 3-10

Sweet corn plants love the extra nitrogen boost coffee grounds offer. Sprinkle used grounds around the base of your corn plants or mix them into the soil to encourage tall, healthy stalks and delicious ears of corn.

21. Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo), Zones 2-10

Zucchini plants can benefit from the added nutrients in coffee grounds, particularly nitrogen. Sprinkle used grounds around your zucchini plants or mix them into the soil to promote a more abundant harvest.

Here are more fun reads:

Do Fruit Trees Like Coffee Grounds?

How To Use Coffee Grounds In The Garden [Quickly & Easily]

Do Coffee Grounds Help Avocado Trees? [And How To]

Why Epsom Salt Is Great For Palm Trees: Tips For Application And Dosage

Are You Ready to Energize Your Garden?

Armed with this list of 21 plants that enjoy coffee grounds, you can now perk up your garden and make the most of your daily coffee waste. Your garden will be brimming with life, color, and flavor as your plants thrive with the help of this sustainable, nutrient-rich addition. 

So, let's raise a cup of coffee to eco-friendly gardening and the joy of nurturing these coffee-loving plants!