I'm collecting a big bag of grinds today thinking to add to my compost,are there any veg/fruit that would like these as a mulch direct? :)
I haven't done this myself, but you can add them as an anti-slug barrier around crops they like. eg - put a circle of them around your lettuces. I'm not sure about uses them as a mulch, more as a ground-level wall (if you see what I mean!)
Hi, We tried the anti slug thing and in our experience, it didn't work. Even with coffee addicted German colleagues, we never had enough to go around and in damp conditions the grounds go mouldy too. And yes, the slugs just crawled all over it.
Cheers
They don't work as a slug barrier or to acidify soil but can be used to improve soil structure, for up to 25% of a compost heap or anywhere you would normally use manure.
http://www.physorg.com/news134321442.html
Acid-loving plants will appreciate coffee grounds: blueberries in particular, but also flowers such as roses, heathers and azaleas. If you use the grounds as a direct mulch, though, its good to mix them first with a bit of compost or grass clippings. This stops them forming a solid crust on the soil surface which will then stop water permeating through.
You can also drop coffee grounds in the planting holes for acid-lovers.
Coffee also composts beautifully - and the composting process breaks down its acidity, so it's then suitable for anywhere. Despite looking like compost colour-wise, you should treat it as 'green' compost material - so it's good with stuff like shredded cardboard or twigs.
Sittin' in the mornin' sun (and wishing I could get to the lottie rather than working!)
Thanks for the replies,I'll lash em in the compostheap :)
Would the same advice be followed for tea granules. Can I mix them up directly with soil on the allotment?
Hello Buckeye.
If by 'granules' you mean tea leaves, then yes, absolutely they're compostable.
Best of all is loose tea (no extra packaging, just chuck the leaves and any remaining tea straight into the compost heap).
If - like most UK tea-drinkers - you buy teabags, have a little look at what the bags are made of. Some are real paper, but others are synthetic (nylon?) fibres that won't compost well if at all. So if you have those but still want to compost the tea leaves, you're best off splitting the bags and emptying the tea out.
And of course the very posh hotel-style teabags with (highly unbiodegradable) staples are just a pain. ::)
I would like to add that in India, coffee grounds are used to soak up puddles of elephant wee, as they also neutralise the smell
8) ;D