King Charles III's former gardener reveals coffee grounds secret for rhododendrons

Jack Stooks, the former gardener of King Charles III's Highgrove estate, has shared his secret tip for getting rhododendrons to bloom magnificently. His weapon of choice is simple coffee grounds, which he used in the royal garden.

Jack Stooks, the man who once tended the gardens at King Charles III's Highgrove estate, has revealed a surprisingly simple trick for making rhododendrons burst into spectacular bloom — coffee grounds.

Stooks, who worked at the famous royal residence in Gloucestershire, England, says the secret lies in the acidity that spent coffee grounds add to the soil. Rhododendrons are acid-loving plants, and coffee grounds help create the ideal growing conditions for these large-flowered shrubs.

Late spring and early summer are considered the prime season for enjoying flowering plants, and rhododendrons are among the showiest of all garden plants during this period. With blooms that can range from delicate white to vivid purple and crimson, they can transform any garden into a spectacular display.

The gardening tip is remarkably easy to follow: simply sprinkle used coffee grounds around the base of rhododendron plants. This not only adjusts the soil pH but also adds nutrients as the grounds break down, giving the plants everything they need to produce an extraordinary flowering display.

For home gardeners looking to replicate the splendour seen at Highgrove, Stooks' advice offers an inexpensive and eco-friendly solution — one that puts kitchen waste to good use while turning an ordinary garden into something fit for a king.