Some fiddle leaf fig owners add coffee grounds to their fiddle leaf fig plant to help it grow.
But is coffee good for fiddle leaf fig plants? What happens to the soil when you add coffee grounds to it?
Coffee grounds seem like an easy and eco-friendly way to add nutrients to your garden soil. But is it really beneficial to use coffee grounds around fig trees?
As a gardener and coffee drinker, you may be wondering if you can use spent coffee grounds on your fig trees. The grounds are rich in nitrogen and offer some acidity. However, they also contain caffeine, which acts as a natural pesticide.
So can used coffee grounds help or harm your fig trees? Let’s take a detailed look at the pros and cons.
The Potential Benefits of Coffee Grounds for Fig Trees
The grounds leftover after brewing coffee contain beneficial nutrients and compounds like
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Nitrogen – Fig trees need nitrogen to grow lush foliage in spring Coffee grounds contain about 2% nitrogen by volume This can give young trees a growth boost,
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Acidity – Figs prefer slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.0-6.5. Used coffee grounds are mildly acidic, with a pH around 6.8. This acidity can help lower pH in alkaline soils.
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Organic matter – As grounds break down in soil they add organic material. This improves moisture retention, aeration, and microbial activity.
When used properly, these characteristics of coffee grounds offer some potential upsides for fig trees. Let’s look at the advantages in more detail.
Nitrogen for Growth
The nitrogen content of coffee grounds makes them useful for fertilizing plants that need a lot of nitrogen. This includes heavy feeders like corn, tomatoes, brassicas, and leafy greens.
Fig trees can also benefit from a nitrogen boost in early spring when they are rapidly growing new leaves and branches. The nitrogen nourishes the plant and spurs vigorous growth after winter dormancy.
But too much nitrogen later in summer can lead to excessive foliage growth at the expense of the fruit crop. And tender new growth caused by excess nitrogen is prone to breaking.
So coffee grounds should only be used to fertilize figs in early seasons. Application should be discontinued by mid-summer.
Acidity for Soil Amendment
Most fig varieties grow best in slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.0-6.5. The grounds leftover from brewed coffee are mildly acidic, with a pH around 4.5-5.0 when fresh.
After they are used and begin decomposing, the pH rises to roughly 6.8. This is slightly acidic, but still within the preferred range for fig trees.
Sprinkling used coffee grounds in soil can help increase acidity in alkaline soils with high pH. But take care not to overwhelm fig tree roots with excessive acidity.
Only use grounds to alter pH if a soil test shows it’s necessary. And remember that any acidity changes are temporary as the grounds break down. They don’t provide lasting pH modification.
Improving Soil Structure
Coffee grounds are approximately 20% lignin, a compound found in woody plants. As the grounds decay, this lignin adds organic material to the soil.
Increasing soil organic matter improves moisture retention, drainage, and aeration. It also boosts populations of beneficial microbes and worms.
Over time, regularly adding small amounts of coffee grounds can enhance soil structure and fertility. This helps create optimal growing conditions for fig trees.
Potential Drawbacks of Coffee Grounds for Figs
While used coffee grounds offer some benefits, they also have potential downsides. Here are some risks to be aware of when using grounds around fig trees:
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Excess acidity – Too much acidity from grounds can impair nutrient uptake. It may also cause foliage yellowing and reduced microbial activity.
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Accumulation of caffeine – The caffeine in grounds acts as a natural pesticide. But it can also harm beneficial soil life.
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Unbalanced nitrogen levels – Too much nitrogen leads to weak growth prone to breaking. And it reduces fruiting.
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Attracting pests – Decomposing grounds can lure snails, slugs, and other pests.
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Compacting soil – Coffee grounds form a dense mat when wet. This prevents water and air penetration.
These detrimental effects are most likely if coffee grounds are over-applied, especially in pots. The constrained environment of containers makes it easier to overload soil with acids, caffeine, or nitrogen.
Always use coffee grounds in moderation around fig trees. And take particular care with potted figs.
When and How to Use Coffee Grounds on Fig Trees
Follow these tips to take advantage of the benefits of used coffee grounds while avoiding problems:
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Compost the grounds first before using in soil. Composting reduces acidity, caffeine levels, and the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.
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Only use grounds to fertilize fig trees in early spring when they need a nitrogen boost.
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Test soil pH before using grounds to alter acidity. Only apply if pH is too high.
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Water young trees with very diluted leftover coffee. But avoid this practice with container figs.
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Sprinkle just a thin 1/2 inch layer as mulch. Don’t allow grounds to accumulate in thick mats.
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Keep grounds at least 3 inches away from fig tree trunks to prevent moisture buildup.
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Stop applying grounds by mid-summer so nitrogen doesn’t hinder fruiting or cause weak growth.
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Alternate coffee grounds with other organic amendments like compost, manure, and grass clippings.
With some care and common sense, the nutrients and organic matter in used coffee grounds can benefit fig trees. Follow these tips to avoid potential problems.
And consider even better alternatives for fertilizing and building soil for figs like:
- High-quality compost and compost tea
- well-rotted manure
- fish emulsion
- worm castings
- wood ash for potassium and pH amendment
Better Organic Options for Feeding Fig Trees
While used coffee grounds offer some benefits, they aren’t the best organic fertilizer choice for nurturing fig trees. Consider these superior alternatives:
Compost and Compost Tea
Mature compost provides balanced nutrition to plants without risk of chemical burn. It releases nutrients slowly as it continues to break down.
Compost and compost tea also contain high levels of beneficial microbes. These boost soil and plant health.
Compost improves moisture retention and drainage too. Apply 1-2 inches layered on soil under the fig tree’s drip line. Keep it a few inches from the trunk.
Manure and Fish Emulsion
Like compost, well-rotted manure offers a complete nutritional package and enhances soil structure. Chicken, cow, horse, rabbit, and sheep manures are all good choices.
Fish emulsion is a concentrated organic fertilizer made from fish waste products. It’s especially high in nitrogen and phosphorus to promote flowering and fruiting.
Manure and fish emulsions are safe organic ways to give fig trees an extra nutritional boost.
Wood Ash
Wood ash raises pH, so it helps counteract acidic soil. It also provides potassium, another key nutrient for fig trees.
Sprinkle a light dusting around plants. Use no more than 1 cup per mature tree per year.
Worm Castings and Kelp Meal
Worm castings are the nutrient-rich waste produced by earthworms. They contain macronutrients, micronutrients, enzymes, and beneficial microbes.
Kelp meal is made by drying and grinding seaweed. It offers a wide array of minerals and growth promoters that enhance plant and soil health.
These amendments encourage microbial activity to improve nutrient availability for fig trees.
Fig trees can gain some benefits from the nitrogen, organic matter, and acidity in spent coffee grounds. But grounds pose risks if improperly applied, especially around container figs.
Follow the tips in this article to safely take advantage of the nutrients in used coffee grounds. And consider better organic amendments like compost, worm castings, and wood ash to provide balanced nutrition.
With the right growing conditions, including intelligent fertilizing, your fig trees will produce an abundant harvest of sweet, flavorful fruit.
Signs of Too Much Acid in Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants
Plants will sicken or die if the soil becomes too acidic for their needs. Yellowing leaves is the most common sign of too much acid in the soil.
Too much acidity in a fiddle leaf fig can be confusing, because your plant will show all the same symptoms of being under-fertilized, even if you are fertilizer properly.
What happens is a pH of under 6 causes your plant’s roots to be unable to absorb the nutrients in the soil. Yellow leaves, stunted growth, and unhappy plant are the general symptoms.
Coffee Good for Fiddle Leaf Fig Plants? Acidity and Plants
To know more about how coffee can affect your fiddle leaf fig plant, it is important to understand acidity and your plant.
As soil breaks down, it results in excess acidity. There is always the tendency for potted soil to become more acidic over time, so you have to work to keep yours alkaline.
This is one reason it’s easier to grow great hydrangeas in pots, especially if you live in an area where the soil is more alkaline.
I use an alkalinity filter as the final stage of my water purification system. This is after a whole-house water filter, softener (only necessary if you have very hard water), then an under-sink reverse osmosis filter to add alkalinity to all of my plants for this reason.
5 Simple Truths About Adding Coffee Ground & Egg Shells To The Garden
FAQ
What is the best fertilizer for fig trees?
Fig Tree Fertilizer There is no specific fertilizer suited just for figs. Just use general-purpose fertilizer — NPK general fertilizer (see one on the photo below), preferably granular and slow-release. Ask in your local nursery which one is recommended for fruit trees in your local area.
Do fig trees like eggshells?
Soil Preference – Most fig trees flourish in all types of well-drained soil with a 6 to 7.5 pH. Adding eggshells to the soil provides calcium carbonate, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, and sodium, all of which will help your fig tree grow better.
What fruit trees benefit from coffee grounds?
Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen which is an essential nutrient for apple trees. When apple trees experience nitrogen deficiency, it stunts the overall growth of your tree, leads to smaller leaves, and decreases the size of fruits.