Tomato plants thrive in free-draining soil that is rich in moisture.

Coffee grounds release nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are vital for healthy tomato growth (Image: Getty)

There’s something enormously satisfying about growing your own food at home but if you’re not sure where to begin, tomato plants are a good place to start.

They are relatively easy to grow either from seed indoors or bought as young plants, and they produce a large quantity of fruit so your growing efforts are highly rewarded. According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), tomatoes need free-draining, moisture rich soil to grow, and plenty of sunlight and water for a healthy crop. It’s recommended that the plants are fed with a high potassium liquid fertiliser to help boost fruiting, particularly if the plants are in containers, but if you want to get a bigger and juicier crop you should make use of one common kitchen ingredient

Gardening experts say coffee grounds can be used as a fertiliser to help tomatoes grow bigger, juicier and sweeter, as they provide a slow release of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are vital for healthy tomato growth.

Tomatoes thrive in soil that is slightly acidic and as coffee grounds are naturally acidic, placing these around the base of your plants helps to create the perfect growing environment.

LeAnne Samuelson, gardening expert from Prestige Botanicals, says tomatoes “absolutely love coffee grounds” so if you already brew your coffee at home, you have a natural fertiliser already on hand to give your plants a nutrient boost.

She says: “Tomatoes will grow bigger and sweeter when you use coffee grounds, and the best part is it won’t cost you a penny. You can even use the grounds from coffee pods, recycling them to fertilise your plants, so everyone benefits.

“To use coffee grounds effectively, simply take about a cup of used grounds and sprinkle them around the base of your tomato plant.

“Then, work the grounds into the top two to three inches of the soil. This method helps the grounds break down and release their nutrients, enriching the soil over time.”

Coffee grounds can also be added to your compost bin to later be used as a fertiliser, although be sure that the grounds make up no more than 20% of the compost material otherwise it can make it too acidic, and end up harming your plants.

You can also use coffee grounds to make a ‘tea’ by adding it to water and allowing it to brew overnight, before using it to water your plants.

But gardeners should be aware that coffee grounds are not a quick-fix solution and will take some time before they actually affect the soil to boost plant growth.

Carta Coffee Merchants says: “Coffee grounds contain around 2% nitrogen as well as varying amounts of phosphorus and potassium which are all very important for the growth of tomato plants. By mixing some coffee grounds into the soil below your tomato plants you’re introducing these nutrients that the plants need to thrive.

“However, coffee grounds do not act like traditional fertilizer and will take some time to affect the soil enough to help the plants. In fact, it may have the opposite effect on the soil for a couple weeks before releasing enough of the nutrients in the soil to help.”