Question on coffee grounds

oldcoot · Post by **oldcoot** » Dec 21, 2004 7:10 pm

Now that winter is among us, we run through two drip pots of coffee a day. I can't stand to throw any thing away, so Where can I use tyhe used grounds in my gardens.....

That Funny & Friendly Old Coot named John saying "MERRY CHRISTMAS"

thy · Post by **thy** » Dec 21, 2004 8:09 pm

Roses and hostas love it... and I think a lot of other plants too

Pia

oldcoot · Post by **oldcoot** » Dec 22, 2004 9:48 am

Right now I can SEE my Rose Bed, but my Hosta are all leaved over. So,I'll put the grounds on my Roses untill I can see where the Hosta are,and then I'll switch over.....

Thanks

That Funny & Friendly Old Coot named John saying "MERRY CHRISTMAS"

caliloo · Post by **caliloo** » Dec 22, 2004 12:10 pm

Hey OC!

I add coffee grounds year round to my beds. I get 20# or so twice weekly from the local Staryucks and sprinkle them all over the general area where the beds are. I figure between the coffee grounds and the chopped leaf top dress I should have much healthier beds come spring.

Alexa

oldcoot · Post by **oldcoot** » Dec 22, 2004 6:33 pm

Wed just got a new starbucks here, I'll see what I can beg.........

That Funny & Friendly Old Coot named John saying "MERRY CHRISTMAS"

Walnut grove · Post by **Walnut grove** » Dec 23, 2004 10:48 am

Great !! I am a big time coffee drinker( more than I want to admit) but at least now I can put those grounds to good use.
Thanks

Hapygdnr · Post by **Hapygdnr** » Dec 23, 2004 4:30 pm

What about acidity? Do you think that would be a problem or has most of it been washed out in the brewing process? Maybe someone can tell us...
Jeanne

caliloo · Post by **caliloo** » Dec 24, 2004 9:12 am

OC - you definitely should NOT have to beg. It is part of the Starbucks mission statement that they are a "green" company and state that they provide coffee grounds for gardeners in the statement.

The best method I have found is to call them first thing in the morning when I know I will be stopping by top pick up grounds around 10 AM. They will save everything for me for that 3 hour window.

Also - if they ask if they can leave the filters in the mix - YES! The filters break down very rapidly and it makes for happier coffee peddlars if they don't have to fish them out of the grounds.

For anyone who is into vermi-composting or just wants to increase the earthworms in the beds - worms LOVE coffee grounds! They will come right to the surface to grab them and head back down underground which does a great job aerating too.

Coffee grounds are also a "green" in your compost bin. Very handy to add a bunch of them when you rake/chop all those autumn leaves. I layer leaves/grounds into a lasagna type mounds for use in the spring.

Coffee is a very very good thing in the garden.

Alexa

Mary Ann · Post by **Mary Ann** » Dec 24, 2004 12:32 pm

And the acidity is gone with the brewing process.

I'm a Starbucks bag lady.

I use a flower pot to fling them widely across the beds and lawn. It's impossible to have too many coffee grounds. they're that good.

Hapygdnr · Post by **Hapygdnr** » Dec 25, 2004 12:30 am

Great! Good to know that Mary Ann. Thanks for the info!
Jeanne

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Feb 24, 2005 7:22 am

We toss our coffee grounds on the compost pile all the time....filters and all.

doublemom2 · Post by **doublemom2** » Mar 09, 2005 11:36 pm

I've just started going to Starbucks to get their coffee grounds. Love them! I spread them out around all my perennial beds, hoping it'll deter the neighborhood cats from using my beds as a litter box.

I also got a bunch of rabbit doo from a friend and added it to my compost, but it stunk like crazy, so I put a bunch of coffee grounds in also and it took the rabbit smell away.

My Starbucks has a bin they set by the front door and as they fill up the bags with used grounds, they put them in the bin free for the taking. It's amazing how quickly those things disappear!

Andi

impatience · Post by **impatience** » Mar 10, 2005 12:15 am

The couple of Starbucks we have in town told me that they save theirs for a local landscaper who leaves a 33 gal trashcan and picks it up each day!!!

Maybe I need to start asking all my friends to save theirs for me!

macoptions · Post by **macoptions** » Apr 05, 2005 12:06 am

Unfortunately there are no Starbucks here in the NH seacoast. Is there some reason why one should not use Dunkin Dounuts coffee grounds?

Old earth dog · Post by **Old earth dog** » Apr 05, 2005 12:29 am

I prefer Krispy Kreme dounuts myself, but grounds is grounds.

Homer_Zn5 · Post by **Homer_Zn5** » Apr 06, 2005 9:53 pm

Mary Ann wrote:And the acidity is gone with the brewing process.

I'm a Starbucks bag lady. I use a flower pot to fling them widely across the beds and lawn. It's impossible to have too many coffee grounds. they're that good.

Nah, the acidity doesn't get washed out. It may be slightly more neutral, but the grounds will still be acidic. That's actually a good thing for hostas and shade plants, though! Further, the pH isn't going to be so low that it will hurt the plants, regardless of whether it has gone through the brewing process or not. However, I wouldn't put them on alkaline loving plants.

Mary Ann · Post by **Mary Ann** » Apr 07, 2005 1:34 am

Counselor, I object.

Used coffee grounds are pH neutral.

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/soil ... 19975.html

oldcoot · Post by **oldcoot** » Apr 07, 2005 10:26 am

For that information. Leave it to the EXPERTS on Hallsons. My something new learned for today..

That FUNNY and VERY Friendly Old Coot named John, Saying he sure is enjoying this Spring weather, and all of everybody's pretty Spring Flowers

Homer_Zn5 · Post by **Homer_Zn5** » Apr 07, 2005 4:44 pm

Mary Ann wrote:Counselor, I object. Used coffee grounds are pH neutral.

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/soil ... 19975.html

That info was interesting. Maybe it does have to do with the water used, but I can brew coffee twice and still get acidic grounds (around 5.8-6.5, depending upon the beans ground--I raise fish and was a chemsitry minor, so I keep litmus paper on hand), but I do use Reverse Osmosis water rather than hard water which is more likely to neutralize the grounds.

Nonetheless, I still do find it odd that brewed grounds are pH neutral, when I can brew another pot from used grounds and the coffee, although weak, is still coffee (i.e. dark with tanic acid). However, as I said, different water will make different results. Once they've composted a bit, anyway, and the rain and sun hits it as well, I'd agree that it should be pretty near 7.0 (but probably a bit on the acidic side due to carbonic acid from breakdown).

Just some thoughts and experiences.

Mary Ann · Post by **Mary Ann** » Apr 07, 2005 10:10 pm

As you know, Homer, the composting process itself neutralizes both high and low pH bringing the end product into a neutral range. Even if used CG were slightly acidic, the PH effect would be neutral by the time these elements are broken down in the soil into a compound useable to plants.

And, ah yes, I'd put them on both rhodys and clematis.

Hallson Gardens

Question on coffee grounds

Question on coffee grounds

My Roses first and then the Hosta

Soundss good to me.

O.C. thanks you IMMENSLEY