If you drink tea, it’s good to know that you can use tea grounds on your houseplants. Tea contains a lot of nutrients that are good for many houseplants. Under certain conditions it’s good to add tea and tea grounds to your houseplant soil.
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Today, we have another viewer-inspired video. I really enjoy these videos because the ideas that come up are really great. Sometimes it’s something I may have thought about in passing and forgot about, and that was the case with this one. Jasmine Carr asked on my video about coffee grounds, “Are coffee grounds good to use on houseplants?” She then asked if tea could be used instead of coffee. Jasmine doesn’t drink coffee but drinks tea, and she wondered if tea grounds could be a good substitute.
As a matter of fact, I don’t drink coffee either. I do know people who do, and they give me their coffee grounds sometimes, but I drink a lot of tea. So, the answer is yes, you can use tea grounds for your houseplants. I’ve looked into it and found out that tea and tea grounds are a good addition to your houseplant soil, especially if you don’t drink coffee.
Tea contains amino acids and tannic acids that can enrich the soil by lowering its pH, which increases its acidity. Some plants thrive on slightly acidic soil. Although tea won’t drastically acidify the soil like soil sulfur would, it will provide a low amount of acidity, which is perfect for certain plants. Some indoor plants that like this kind of soil include ferns, croton, schefflera, begonia, orchids, spider plants, rubber plants, African violets, and philodendrons.
Tea also increases soil fertility and acts as a fertilizer, though with a lower amount of nutrients. Brewed tea has been shown to provide similar nutrients to many popular fertilizers, containing 4.4% nitrogen, 0.25% potassium, and 0.24% phosphorus. While it’s not a substitute for fertilizing due to its lower potassium and phosphorus content, it does well with nitrogen, which greens up plants and helps them grow.
Other benefits of tea include polyphenols, tannic acid, theanine, and antioxidants. These can offer various benefits to the soil and plants, such as protection from cell damage and the addition of micronutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. However, not all of this is absorbed by the plants, as it depends on the soil pH, the plants themselves, and the type of tea.
There are various ways to use tea for your houseplants. You can brew a pot of tea and let it cool to room temperature before watering your plants with it. Alternatively, you can use the tea bags directly. After drinking your tea, you can open the tea bags and sprinkle the tea leaves onto the soil as a mulch or mix them into the soil.
If you want to be sustainable and don’t have a composter, this is a great way to recycle your tea bags and provide some benefits to your houseplants. Just be sure to experiment with small amounts at first and observe how your plants respond. If they look happy and healthy, you can continue using tea grounds.
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A: Absolutely! Tea grounds are a great addition to your houseplant soil, especially if you don’t use coffee grounds.
Q: What are the benefits of using tea grounds for plants?
A: Tea grounds enrich the soil, lower pH, increase fertility, and provide nutrients like nitrogen. They also contain beneficial compounds like polyphenols and antioxidants.
Q: Which houseplants like tea grounds?
A: Plants that enjoy slightly acidic soil benefit from tea grounds, including ferns, croton, schefflera, begonia, orchids, spider plants, rubber plants, African violets, and philodendrons.
Q: How do I apply tea grounds to my plants?
A: You can water plants with cooled brewed tea, sprinkle tea leaves onto the soil as mulch, or mix them into the soil directly.
Q: Are tea grounds better than coffee grounds for plants?
A: Both can be beneficial. Tea grounds are a great alternative if you don’t drink coffee, providing similar benefits with some unique advantages.
Q: Can tea grounds replace regular fertilizer?
A: While tea grounds provide nutrients, they shouldn’t completely replace regular fertilizer due to lower potassium and phosphorus content. They work well as a supplement.
Q: How often should I use tea grounds on my plants?
A: Start with small amounts and observe your plants’ response. If they react positively, you can gradually increase usage.
Q: Do tea grounds change soil pH?
A: Yes, tea grounds can slightly lower soil pH, making it more acidic. This is beneficial for many houseplants but won’t drastically change the pH like other amendments.
Q: What nutrients do tea grounds provide to plants?
A: Tea grounds provide nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and micronutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
Q: Is it safe to use tea bags directly in plant soil?
A: Yes, you can use tea bags directly. Open them and sprinkle the leaves onto the soil as mulch or mix them into the soil.
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