Allotments 4 All

Apparently it is claimed  you can use coffee grounds as  a slow release fertiliser and Costa Coffee are offering them free. http://www.costa.co.uk/responsibility/environment/

Anyone any experience of using them?

Mine do go in the compost but it is quite small in comparison to all the other stuff in there - I guess it would all rot down as it is just organic material.

Did come across this though which suggests all is good!

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/lane/sites/default/files/documents/cffee07.pdf

Glad costa are offering them now.  I had a flat 'no' from costa only last year, but starbucks always give their coffee grounds to gardeners.

It is just low fertiliser (little bit of nitrogen) organic matter.  And it has the property of discouraging slugs when sprinkled around plants as it is a bit gritty.  Makes the soil look nice and black and the greenhouse smell delightful for a few days.   

I put them around raspberry plants to try and make the soil more acid,   They seem to be happy.  Might be a good idea to get some extra I never seem to have enough.

I have also put them round carrots supposed to deter slugs, not sure about the slugs, but the carrots seemed ok about it.

Not sure about the nice smell it goes mouldy quite quickly.