If you’re one of the millions of Americans who can’t get through their early morning routine without a coffee, have you ever wondered about the possibility of reusing all those grinds that you tip in the trash?

Coffee grinds are excellent fertilizer and perfect for a small balcony garden in a condo or apartment and can work wonders for a more traditional garden in a home.

You don’t need a green thumb to use grinds successfully. In fact, your use of coffee will likely increase your success rate with plants.

Here is our list of the top five ways to use coffee in your garden.

Brazilian Roast Compost

Ground beans and filters from your French press are ideal for compost. Make sure it’s only one element of your mixture or the compost may become too acidic. If that happens, a cup of ash or lime will resolve the issue.

It’s All Roses

Few plants love a sprinkling of coffee grinds at their base more than roses. The nitrogen in the grinds makes it an ideal fertilizer. If you put your grinds in a full watering can, you’ll also have an awesome liquid fertilizer.

Quick Action Spray

The fertilizer qualities of grinds also allow you to create a foliar spray, which works faster than many fertilizer applications. Put the grinds in water for a couple of hours, sift the grinds from the liquid and pour into a spray bottle. Spray the liquid directly on to the leaves for the best results.

Mushroom Magic

Did you know you can grow mushrooms in coffee grinds? You sterilize the beans when you make coffee by boiling the water and mushrooms love that. If you want to give it a go, put your used beans in the freezer until you have enough for a project.

Color Booster

Because coffee adds acid to your soil, it supercharges many plants to grow flowers of more vibrant colors. Hydrangeas thrive on coffee if you work the grinds through their soil, going around four inches deep.