Hydrangeas bloom better and turn 'deepest blue' when fed 1 kitchen scrap

Hydrangeas are among the most beloved garden plants in the UK, coming in a wide range of colours. With proper care, they can bloom for several months each year. According to one gardener, adding a common kitchen scrap to the soil can effortlessly make hydrangeas "bloom better" and even alter their colour. Sharing her gardening tip on TikTok, Brittany, known by her username allegedlybrittany, posted a video of her hydrangeas to her 28,000 followers. In the eye-opening clip, she showcased her flowers side by side — some treated with kitchen scraps, others not — and the difference was remarkable. The video's caption read: "This is the difference between using coffee grounds and not. The deepest blue I've ever seen." Brittany first showed the hydrangeas that hadn't received any coffee grounds. Despite being an attractive colour, they were notably smaller and produced fewer blooms. The camera then turned to reveal the hydrangeas treated with coffee grounds — a stunning shade of blue, ranging from lighter hues to deep, vivid tones. These plants were considerably larger and far more abundant with blooms throughout her front garden. Coffee grounds encourage hydrangeas to turn blue by boosting soil acidity, which in turn enables the plant to absorb aluminium more effectively. When the soil is sufficiently acidic and low in pH, the flowers can readily draw up aluminium from the ground, triggering the chemical process that transforms the petals into that distinctive blue hue. It's worth noting that this technique is only effective on certain varieties, including lacecap, bigleaf and mophead. Varieties such as oakleaf or smooth hydrangeas, like Annabelle, will never achieve a blue hue. The video, which garnered more than 145,000 likes, prompted a significant reaction from fellow gardening enthusiasts, who were taken by the outcome. User Strawberri95 asked: "I've not heard of this. How does it work? Do you sprinkle the grounds on the soil at the bottom of the plant? Or mix it with the soil?" Beth Dunn responded: "Sprinkle and water would work. You can also pour old coffee on the roots. "The acidity changes the bloom colour and makes them bloom better." Alice Benson added: "It adjusts the level of the soil's pH. Acidic soil promotes blue or lavender blue blooms, while alkaline soil encourages pink or red."