Former Royal gardener Jack Stooks has revealed an unexpected cupboard ingredient hack that could change the way you garden — and it’s surprisingly simple and effective
Avid green-thumbers are constantly on the hunt for easy tricks to spruce up their gardens and uplift its appearance — especially tips and shortcuts that won’t break the bank or require back-breaking work.
It’s common knowledge that hydrangeas are absolute darlings among Britain’s gardening community, as their vibrant blue, purple, and pink hues can dramatically transform any outdoor space’s look. But how can you guarantee they’re always looking their absolute finest?
Worry not, because King Charles’ former gardener Jack Stooks has revealed his unique trick to make hydrangeas bluer than you’ve ever seen them.
Working alongside Coffee Friend to share his knowledge, Jack discloses that if you’re after truly stunning blue hydrangeas, you should add a spoonful of coffee during the autumn period.
He explains: “Coffee is great for acid-loving plants, such as hydrangeas. If you want a really blue hydrangea in your garden, you would want to feed them these coffee grounds in the Autumn months. The coffee will be used as feed within the pots.”
Jack — who worked at the King’s Highgrove for more than two decades — also revealed coffee has countless other uses throughout your home and garden, and can even work as a bug repellent. He suggests positioning the common kitchen staple in bowls near your outdoor seating spots to keep those pesky mosquitoes at bay.
While it’s effective at repelling insects, it can also attract worms to your garden — which he says is highly beneficial. The former Royal gardener shares: “Coffee grounds are also really good for bringing worms into the garden. They can be used to create air and in turn, helping the soil overall.”
Additionally, your old coffee grounds could potentially save you a few quid as well, as they can be used as an alternative to pricey fertilisers on sale. Jack advises: “Coffee grounds can be used in the garden as a fertiliser. Like most fertilisers, it consists of the elements NPK, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. You can sprinkle it all over the borders for home use. As you don’t tend to have too much of it, you just find an area within the border, and be selective in small areas, until all of the borders have been covered.”
The gardening guru adds: “Coffee grounds can also be used to make body scrubs, for use in the shower or the bath.”
In addition to this coffee-hack, autumn pruning is crucial for many plants, including hydrangeas, as it helps to maintain their size and shape. The goal is to remove dead, diseased, and damaged stems and enhance the plant or shrub’s appearance.
However, one expert warns that pruning at the ‘wrong’ time of year can result in a non-blooming plant. Paul Parker, gardening expert at plants and perennials specialists, J. Parker’s, says: “When to prune hydrangeas largely depends on the type of hydrangea you have in your garden. If you aren’t sure what type is growing in your garden, I advise you to wait for them to flower in summer and prune them the following year.”
The specialist recommends that shrubby hydrangeas should be trimmed in late winter or early spring. This is because the flower heads provide protection from frost for new buds, reports the Express.
Paul adds: “Popular shrubby hydrangea varieties include mophead hydrangea, like the Hydrangea arborescens Annabelle, and shrubby lacecap hydrangea (the serrata and aspera types). The popular Macrophylla Hydrangeas fall into both of these, so it’s important to do your research first. However, pruning advice may differ slightly between varieties, so it is always best to check.”
Furthermore, the gardening specialist cautions: “Try to avoid pruning too much off the top of the plant, as this is where most of the flowers will appear.”
Horticulture expert Ish has also shared his beginner’s guide to caring for hydrangeas during autumn. While hydrangeas are robust plants that naturally go dormant during winter, you’ll need to make sure they’re properly protected from severe weather conditions.
In a popular TikTok video, Ish recommends giving the plants a thick layer of mulch. This can be done using multipurpose compost, bark chippings or chopped-up leaves.
Ish explains: “Hydrangeas may be hardy but they still can benefit from a good bit of mulching, whether you’ve got some multipurpose comport, some bark or even some shredded leaves.”
He also advises applying the mulch directly onto the plant’s base. This will help create a barrier between the plant and the brutal conditions during winter.
