Topic: coffee grounds

[debster]

Im under the impression that coffee grunds are good for the garden, i use a cafetiere so there wont be millions but should i put them straight on the ground or into the compost bin please?
thank you

[asbean]

We put them in the compost along with everything else.  :) :) :)

[debster]

thank you, gonna have to seriously consider buying a new compost bn other one is constantly full lol?

[asbean]

We have four, in varying stages of decomposition.  We have a shredder, so add stuff from that, and a large separate leaf container.

[alienwithaview]

We are coffee-holics and have lots of grinds which we use to fend off slugs and snails: we put the grinds (from the Moka and the percolator) around the veg beds and it does seem to act as a deterrent to the slime-bags. Mind you, we are virtually surrounding the beds (with the young plants) with the spent coffee. Some of our neighbours also report that their slugs are turned off by the coffee. Not much else seems to work.
I am not sure how the coffee affects the composition of the soil. As it has an acidic effect on the body (from a nutritional point of view) it might turn the soil acidic, too, but that's just a vague guess. Using it in compost (which we also do) I would make sure it is well mixed with other things to balance the pH. Anyone got any suggestions?

[Suzanne]

I have used grounds around the slugs favourite plants including hostas -excellent at keeping them away. I also crop rotate and check pH every year and haven't seen any reduction in the beds I have used grounds on (since 2004). I think the quantities in fairness are relatively small and therefore soil can buffer the lower pH of the grounds well.

If you were adding them in bulk (i.e. same volumes as manure) it may be a different story.

[markfield rover]

I use the grounds too they seem to work as an anti-slug thingy and as a mini mulch smells great first thing in the morning
I have used       Starbucks  spent grounds  and they did have info on their web site  ,seems they do not change the ph of ones soil.

 









 

[alienwithaview]

Thanks for the re-assuring comments on the pH! - I already get stick for drinking coffee (that's another story) but the fact that it turns off the slugs was a real revelation!

[Davidberry]

Leeds City Council have done a large scale study on the effects of coffee grounds, everything from using it as a mouse deterrent to a liquid fertiliser and mixing it with compost.  They have suggested that if you mix it on a ratio of 6-1 (6 parts compost 1 part coffee grinds) it produces the best effects. 
They have available a large amount of coffee grinds (they are supplying me with 2x 80 litre bales) available for people in the Leeds area.  I'm going to mix it with my compost to give it a bit more bulk and to apply it directly to the ground around some blueberry bushes. 
PM me if you would like to see the results of the research, it makes interesting reading.

[Nigel B]

Mrs B works at a 24-hour express-way garage and has access to the coffee machine's grounds when she's working a shift, so I have been using it for a few years now.
It makes an excellent starter when added to the compost heap, becoming covered in fungal mycellium very quickly and producing heat soon after.
I wish I could say it deters slugs, I don't honestly know but I suppose it may have an effect. There are just so many slugs, and so few coffee addicts....


Still, its free, helps, and smells fantastic! What's not to like? :-)

[chriscross1966]

Hmm... I wonder if I could persuade work to let me put a compost bin in the kitchen used by our programmers specifically for them to put coffee grinds in (the bin not the kitchen).......hmm... pluses, would save it going down the sink, minuses would be getting it home.... perhaps if I put a small one in the kitchen and a bigger one round the back of the building that I take home once a week.... and make it a double layer drainer so they dry out..........

[goodlife]

Hmm... I wonder if I could persuade work to let me put a compost bin in the kitchen

I'm sure you can.. You could really do with something like bokashi bucket =small lidded container with tap at the bottom to drain liquids away..but without any actual bokashi in it. (sorry if my spelling of bokashi is not right...I'm just too tired and lazy to check it out to correct) Or same set up as wormeries have but in smaller scale...
It would be fairly easy 'DIY' it...lidded bucket..attached with water butt tap for draining...layer of some sort of plastic 'thingies' in the bottom with some sort of 'sieve' resting on top to create liquid compartment underneath and keep the grounds separate from drained liquid. You could use plastic bottle tops or...hmm...old golf balls as the 'layer'..perharps a old plastic plate with some small holes poked through as the 'sieve'.. plastic bag with few drainage holes at the bottom inside would make emptying easy and less messy, you would only need to pick the bag up and take it away . 

[BarriedaleNick]

Coffee isnt really acidic.  Acidity in coffee refers to flavour notes not to the PH.  Fuit juice and beer are more acidic in PH terms.
I just got a bucket of grounds from our Costa Coffee at work (not even a days worth!)...

I am going to test the slug/snail theory in a couple of beds but last year I surounded a few of the buggers with dry grounds and they sailed right over it so I am not that hopeful...

[galina]

Question for you. When i go to a town with a coffeeshop which is not often, starbucks give grounds, costa refuses. Which chains give you their grounds?

[Pescador]

I use a local independent cafe, who are very happy to help. I'd try one of you local ones