I think every any gardener enjoys relaxing in the garden with a good cup of coffee. Sipping my cup of java while inspecting the latest buds and blooms is my idea of the perfect way to start the day. Did you know that plants also enjoy a good cup of coffee, or rather, coffee grounds? Utilizing used coffee, as well as tea, can have wonderful benefits for your garden, not to mention for the environment by diverting material away from landfills. Not a coffee drinker? Don’t worry local coffee shops give away used grounds; all you have to do is ask. Here are some suggestions on how to make good use of coffee and tea:
- Mix into a compost bin. The filters will break down fast so toss them in as well. Coffee grounds have a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 20:1 and should be treated as green material. Keep the coffee grounds to no more than 25% of the pile to keep the carbon to nitrogen ratio in balance. Do not worry about making the compost to acid because the microbes that do the composting will neutralize the pH.
- Use in a worm-composting bin. Worms love the grounds and all that caffeine will make them work faster. (Not scientifically proven but caffeine makes me work faster, so why not?)
- Till grounds directly into top 6-8 inches of soil when preparing new planting beds to add organic matter to the soil. This will improve the soil texture while acting as a slow release fertilizer.
- Throw grounds on the surface of the garden to discourage slugs. The caffeine is toxic to them. The concentration may not be strong enough to kill them, but it will sure slow them down.
- Use coffee grounds anywhere you have ant problems. Ants hate coffee and will avoid any area treated with it.
- Even though the brewing process removes most of the acidity, spread grounds around the roots of acid loving plants like azaleas, blueberries and hydrangeas for a little boost.
- Dilute coffee grounds with water at a rate of ½ lb coffee to 5 gallons of water to make a fast acting fertilizer.
- Use grounds to mulch planting beds
- I have not tried this, but I am told that coffee will discourage mites if spread around the base of a plant. Try it and let me know if it works.
Be aware that the finely ground espresso grounds can be a problem if they cake on the surface and block water and light from the plant roots. Make sure the grounds are broken up or mixed into the soil. After reading this, you will never throw away your grounds again. On that note, I think I need another cup of coffee. My plants are hungry!
If you're ready to get started, check out our great selections of affordable composters and stylish planters and give your plants a boost!