Hydrangeas will 'grow like crazy' and be 'gorgeously blue' with 1 kitchen scrap
Hydrangeas, with their riot of hues ranging from pure whites, lush greens, deep purples, rosy pinks, and striking blues to variegated wonders, are sure to have a shade that complements your garden's vibe. Blue hydrangeas, in particular, are the pride of many a green thumb, with their vibrant spherical blooms standing out amongst other blue-flowered plants.
Garden enthusiasts who covet the unique charm of pink hydrangeas often yearn to transform them into the coveted blue variety. Remarkably, these colour-shifting marvels—especially the Hydrangea macrophylla or "Bigleaf Hydrangea"—depict nature's own alchemy.
The Bigleaf variant is known for its spectrum of colours: pink, blue, and even resplendent white blooms that remain steadfastly unaffected by any attempts at colour alteration. However, it's not a paintbrush but the soil's pH level that determines whether you'll get pink or blue flowers from this plant.
A big reveal on the Creative Gardening Facebook group showed Janet Scott exalting the astonishing impact coffee grounds had on her hydrangeas, transforming them into a vibrant blue and promoting lush growth, reports the Express.
She enthused: "My hydrangeas have turned gorgeously blue and have been growing like crazy since using coffee grounds."
Fellow gardening expert Lori Jagon shared: "I do the same at the beginning of spring through till autumn and have beautiful blue blooms."
Kat Niman advised: "Coffee will act as a fertiliser and help produce blue blooms due to the acidity. You can go ahead and add it now.
"Depending on the bloom colour you'd like, you can adjust the pH by using other additives."
So, what's behind this trick? In a nutshell, the more alkaline the soil, the pinker the blooms.
At a neutral pH, some varieties will remain pink, while others will start to display hints of blue, along with lovely shades of lavender.
For blue hydrangeas to truly thrive, they require acidic soils, typically with a pH of 5.5 or lower.
To give it a try, incorporate the coffee grounds into the soil before watering. Be patient, as the colour change will occur gradually - it may take a full year of consistent effort for the soil to reach the desired acidity.
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