Gardens will be healthy and free of pests with common item sprinkled in compost

Summer is here and many gardeners are likely looking for ways to keep their plants healthy. Warmer weather can be a challenge for gardens as it often leads to droughts and stress on roots. If your garden is struggling to cope in the heat, there is one ingredient that could help and as an added bonus, it can keep pests away too.

Speaking on behalf of Coffee Friend, former royal gardener Jack Stook has shared one of his favourite kitchen staples that can be reused to protect your garden in the summer. Coffee grounds can be reused in multiple ways around your garden – and Jack said one of these is to deter pests.

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He said: “Coffee grounds can be sprinkled around the base of bird feeders. The idea is that the smell might deter squirrels. People say that this method can help.”

However, use it lightly – if you sprinkle too much, it will just turn into a sludgy mess as soon as it rains.

Coffee grounds are also great for compost. Jack added: “They [coffee grounds] are great to use in compost, they break down well and add to the mix, so that’s definitely something worth doing. You can also add them directly to garden beds. If you’re producing a lot of grounds, they can even act a bit like a mulch and get worked into the soil.”

However it’s not one size fits all when it comes to adding coffee grounds to the garden. Because coffee is acidic, not all of your plants will appreciate it.

“You don’t really want to go overboard using coffee grounds on plants that don’t like acidic conditions. Most garden soil can handle small amounts just fine, but if you’re applying large quantities, definitely stick to acid-loving plants. Otherwise, you’re better off disposing of the grounds in the compost.”

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Gardens will be healthy and free of pests with common item sprinkled in compost