Topic: Coffee Grounds

[lottie lou]

I think I read somewheere that used coffee grounds are good for slugs - is that true or not as we have a new coffe machine at work and I am collecting the used grounds.

[tonybloke]

they are good spread on the onion bed!! (dunno about whether slugs like 'em or not)

[Vinlander]

Caffeine is one of those things that seem to poison everything except us...

However it is quite efficiently removed by boiling water and the consensus is that used grounds are no good and unused ones are very expensive!

It can have quite a strong effect on some plants and many seedlings - can stop them dead.

I've only experienced this with chopsuey greens but it was enough to put me off for life (or until the grounds are properly composted).

However I've tried pounds of the stuff on tomatoes and they just shrug it off.

I wouldn't risk it on anything less vigorous - it might work as an anti-herbicide -  only encourage what you don't want to...

Cheers.

[1066]

I've read the same thing Lottie Lou - but actually haven't tried it. We put our coffee grounds in with the general compost along with all the usual peelings and teabags.

Hadn't heard about using them on garlic before Tony - I tend to use the ashes from our wood burner for garlic. can you explain a bit more as to why you use coffee grounds on garlic? And is there a noticeable effect?

Thanks  :)

[pigeonseed]

I thought the grounds were supposed to be a bit scratchy and deter slugs and snails that way. But I don't rate that idea highly - it's surely not much more scratchy than soil? Anyway, it's a bit of a soil improver, so it's surely not a waste of time.

I'm like 1066 I just put the grounds on the compost. Used ones of course!  :)

Apparently you can ask in coffee shops, some of them will give you a big bag of used grounds to use on compost. I only ever asked once and they were confused, so I never asked again!

[Ellen K]

I've read that a thin layer of coffee grounds over your carrots helps deter carrot root fly but I don't know if this is because it acts as a barrier or if it is something to do with the smell.  Or even: if it works at all.

[markfield rover]

Starbucks give them to you and   have info on their website ie not changing the ph etc I like the smell (and look) first thing in the morning also think I have noticed less slug activity.

[pigeonseed]

well maybe I should throw it round the kitchen, deter our house slugs from doing the rounds then!  :)

[Pescador]

I find that used coffee grounds are a superb slug/snail repellent, and do no harm at all to the plants.
I get a bucket full, or half full, from a local coffee shop, and it seems to remain effective for about 2 weeks.
After that, any remaining goes on the compost heap, and its back down the coffee shop for a refill,( me and the bucket!!)

[pigeonseed]

,( me and the bucket!!)

;D ;D

[1066]

well maybe I should throw it round the kitchen, deter our house slugs from doing the rounds then!  :)

eeeeewwwwwwwww!!!  ;)

[pigeonseed]

 ;D Yes it's not ideal, but somehow they're so slow, and they don't eat anything noticable, they don't really seem like animals. I've never heard of them spreading disease, so we tolerate them.

.. or do they tolerate us?

[rugbypost]

Knowing my luck the the little bliters the caffine   will have them doing a John travolta with the sprouts to be honest i have more trouble with ear wigs and things in the summer would really welcome some clues to this thanks  Rugbypost

[Robert_Brenchley]

well maybe I should throw it round the kitchen, deter our house slugs from doing the rounds then!  :)

If you've got house slugs, you've got damp. Deal with the damp and they'll vanish.

[terrier]

;D Yes it's not ideal, but somehow they're so slow, and they don't eat anything noticable, they don't really seem like animals. I've never heard of them spreading disease, so we tolerate them.

.. or do they tolerate us?

Slugs are known to carry parasitic lungworm, so don't let your dogs chew them. Yuk!

[GrannieAnnie]

Our coffee grounds have gone under one of the small leafed holly bushes at the front door for years. Can't say it has helped though it is bigger than the other two, but certainly hasn't hurt it.

[Old bird]

Hi!

I used 3 full bucketloads a week for a couple of years and I did, certainly, have less slug activity.

I collected coffee grounds from local coffee shop and spread them on top where they were quite deep.
Only downside of that was that they crusted a bit - preventing water in - but equally if they were preventing water in they were preventing water evaporation also.

They were useful tho and you should see the number of worms near to the surface after a couple of weeks or so - so someone was enjoying them.  I have not used grounds for 6 months or so now as I read somewhere that they can vary the Ph balance of the soil, can't remember which way, but I decided that it was less hassle in the end!

Old Bird.

[pigeonseed]

I haven't got any dogs and I certainly won't chewing them!  :-X

[Digeroo]

I have tried coffee grounds on carrots and they did no harm not convinced they did any good.

I use them on raspberries on the hope they will provide a little acid to the soil.

[pigeonseed]

Although I think the only time I ever read anyone testing that, they found they didn't help to make it acid. Which in most cases is a good thing. I suppose you mulch your raspberries with manure? Do you find you get a better crop of raspberies if you make the soil more acidic?