DON'T THROW THE GROUNDS AWAY PART IIEvery day across America, Asia and Europe, millions of pots of coffee and tea are brewed, and the millions of pounds of wet grounds, filters and bags thrown in the trash. This is both wasteful and foolish.
Coffee by-products can be used in the garden and farm as follows:
1. Sprinkle used grounds around plants before rain or watering, for a slow-release nitrogen.
2. Add to compost piles to increase nitrogen balance. Coffee filters and tea bags break down rapidly during composting.
3. Dilute with water for a gentle, fast-acting liquid fertilizer. Use about a half-pound can of wet grounds in a five-gallon bucket of water; let sit outdoors to achieve ambient temperature.
4. Mix into soil for houseplants or new vegetable beds.
5. Encircle the base of the plant with a coffee and eggshell barrier to repel pests.
6. If you are into vermi-posting, feed a little bit to your worms
7. Toss coffee grounds in with vegetable peelings, add water, grind them in theblender, then feed it to plants that are "slow". It's like a giant vitamin. They start shooting up very soon.
My basil loves coffee grounds! So does the Vitex, lilac, and a couple of other plants. The tomatoes don't like it at all.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chile, that is good to know...esp about the tomato plants, which I plant a lot of and would have most likely put it around, only to find out the hard way...any other veggies that you are aware of that are not into coffee?
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm not the gardener so I couldn't tell you. I just know that my tomatoes always looked awful after I dumped the grounds on them. I do recall something about tomatoes liking baking soda, which might indicate they like a less acidic soil? Coffee is pretty acidic. So, I'd say check for soil guidelines and don't put coffee on anything that likes less acidity. (Whew, I almost sound like I know what I'm talking about.)
ReplyDeleteCould have fooled me, you sound so official...
ReplyDeleteHave to tell you I was at you site last nite and after reading Nip Clutter in the Bud, I moved from paralysis to semi-mobile and was able to clean up around the desk in my office. So thanks for the inspiration. Love your site!
Susan I love this post. I drink lots of green tea, I mean lots!!! I always just tossed the bags in the trash, not anymore.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, My dogs got some coffee grinds from the trash a few days ago (long story as to how and why) they didn't eat them, thankfully but it did make a mess on my floor. Beware of coffee and pets, but I'm sure most famly pets are much more behaved than mine!
Robin
Hi Robin--good point about the pets, although as much as I love our Cat Moe, he can not be described as well behaved, but I do love his mischievous ways:)
ReplyDeleteHI. I realize that these posts were added a few months ago, but I thought I'd add my 2 cents...According to what I've read, tomatoes actually prefer a slightly acidic soil. I've also read posts by people who swear by adding coffee grounds to their tomatoes, they say the tomatoes thrive. Perhaps the issues involved are 1. how acidic the soil is to begin with and 2. how the coffee was prepared. Ex: Cold press/toddy coffee vs french press. From what I know about the coffee made by these two methods, it would make sense to me that the cold press coffee grounds would contain more acid than the french press as the coffee itself has less. Just something to consider...
ReplyDeleteYou're not serious man.You're saying coffee products can make great fertilizers for plants ? wow i didn't have the slightest clue man.Nice post i appreciate the addition info, seriously.
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