10 Plants That Thrive When You Add Coffee Grounds To Their Soil

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December 11, 2025

On December 11, 2025

Most of us have damp coffee grounds in the coffee maker at the end of the day. Rather than tossing them in the trash can, why not put them to good use in the garden? Coffee grounds contain carbon, nitrogen, and trace minerals that feed soil microbes that promote good soil structure and improve drainage. Added to a compost pile or worked into garden soil, coffee grounds are a good soil amendment.

Since coffee does contain acid, it’s reasonable to believe that coffee grounds can make soil more acidic. However, after brewing, the grounds are close to pH neutral, and the change to soil pH, if any, is short-lived. If acid soil-loving plants are not thriving, have the soil tested and amend the pH with elemental sulfur.

The good news is that researchers at Oregon State University have found that coffee is effective in getting rid of slugs. You can eliminate slugs by drenching the soil with 1 part water to 2 parts strong brewed coffee or a foliage spray of 9 parts water to 1 part brewed coffee.

Take a look at 10 plants that will benefit from coffee grounds-amended soil and avoid slug-riddled leaves.

African Violets

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Before you plant these violets in a container, work a small amount of coffee grounds into the potting soil to improve drainage and soil texture. With a range of sizes from micro-miniature to large and dozens of colors, you’re sure to find an African violet you love.

Botanical Name: Streptocarpus ionanthus
Sun Exposure: Bright, indirect light
Soil Type: Loam
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral

Strawberries

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While I prefer my coffee with a good strawberry shortcake, you’ll find it more beneficial to strawberry plants as a slug deterrent. The best part of a coffee and water spray is that it is non-toxic to the berries and those that consume them. Mixing coffee grounds in the planting soil is also beneficial in garden-planted and container-grown strawberries.

Botanical Name: Fragaria x ananassa
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Moist, well-draining, rich
Soil pH: Slightly acidic

Blueberries

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If you want to increase your fruit intake, add some blueberry bushes to your backyard. Best planted in late fall or winter, amend the soil with some coffee grounds to improve drainage. Try to be patient because it may be a couple of years before the early spring, bell-shaped flowers become juicy blueberries.

Botanical Name: Vaccinium
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Moist, well-draining, rich
Soil pH: Acidic

Cabbage

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Unless you like your cabbage leaves to look like Swiss cheese, a coffee/water spray will take care of the slugs that create the holes. Cabbages are cool-weather plants best planted in late fall or winter. Give them full sun and well-draining, moist garden soils.

Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Loam, sand
Soil pH: Neutral

Gardenias

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Gardenias are the perfect shrub to add a lovely fragrance and snow-white blooms to the garden. They love acidic, well-draining soil, so work some coffee grounds into the soil before you plant them.

Botanical Name: Gardenia jasminoides
Sun Exposure: Full to part-sun
Soil Type: Organically rich, well-drained, loamy, moist
Soil pH: Acidic

Azaleas

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You may not be a true Southerner if you don’t have an azalea in your yard. Beloved for their bloom color and ability to thrive under pine trees, azaleas thrive in acidic, well-draining soil. If you don’t have any pine trees, work some coffee grounds into the planting soil to give azaleas a little boost.

Botanical Name: Rhododendron spp.
Sun Exposure: Dappled sunlight
Soil Type: Light, well-drained
Soil pH: Acidic

Basil

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Basil and tomato slices are a perfect starter for a meal. They are also great companions in the garden because basil repels tomato hornworms. Unfortunately, it does not repel slugs that can mow down an entire plant in an evening. Use a non-toxic coffee/water spray to get rid of slugs.

Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum
Sun Exposure: Full
Soil Type: Moist, well-drained
Soil pH: Neutral

Roses

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While they don’t usually munch on the blooms, slugs can leave rose bush leaves in bad shape. They cut holes, saw off edges, and leave a slimy trail. Use a coffee/water spray to get rid of the slugs and add some coffee grounds to the planting soil to help improve drainage and soil texture.

Botanical Name: Rosa spp.
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Loamy, well-drained soil
Soil pH: Acidic

Rhododendrons

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Whether you have a native or hybrid rhododendron, it needs acidic, well-draining, organically rich soil to thrive. Working coffee grounds into the planting area will add micronutrients that improve the soil.

Botanical Name: Rhododendron spp.
Sun Exposure: Dappled sunlight
Soil Type: Loose, organically-rich
Soil pH: Acidic

Hostas

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Hostas are one of the most popular plants for shady gardens. While they produce flower stalks, the leaves of hostas are the main attraction…especially to slugs. The pests can ruin the look of those leaves in short order. Use a coffee/water soil drench or leaf spray to keep your hostas slug-free.