If you’re like most people, you’ll probably enjoy a fresh cup of coffee every day.
But what do you do with the used land? If you throw them in the trash can after making your coffee, you’re wasting your money. There are many ways you can reuse your coffee grounds around the house and in your garden.
Here are some of the best tips for using your favorite Java mug’s terrain, as well as getting started.
Using coffee grounds in the garden: 9 different ways to be inspired!
1. Composting
Composting coffee grounds is a simple and effective way to reuse their nutrients later in your garden. By composting coffee grounds, you can add nitrogen to your soil without suddenly delivering too much. In addition, you will not add unnecessary material to the landfill.
You can throw the entire contents of your coffee pot, the bottom, the filter and everything into your compost bin. As a “green” compost material, they decompose quickly and supply your stack with nitrogen and other useful nutrients.
You can compost coffee grounds both in a traditional outdoor compost bin and in a vermicomposting system (worm composting) for indoor use. Read what you can and cannot compost and our collection of DIY compost bins.
2. Fertilizer
Coffee grounds can also be used directly as fertilizer. All you have to do is put them straight into the ground.
If coffee grounds are unwashed, they can increase the acidity of your soil (or lower its pH). While this is good for acid-loving plants, you need to be aware of this when using unwashed soil. When your soil is used up, you don’t need to worry – the soil’s pH is almost neutral.
Otherwise, coffee grounds are ideal as a fertilizer because they contain both nitrogen and organic substances. Adding organic material can help improve the structure of your floor. It runs better, keeps the water better and is better aerated. Coffee grounds can even attract useful microorganisms and earthworms, both of which are essential for good soil health!
To use coffee grounds as a fertilizer, simply put them in your soil before planting. You can also edit them right around the base of your plants. You can also see our list of organic DIY fertilizers.
3. Mulch
You may not think of coffee grounds when you think of mulch, but the reality is that the rest of your morning cup of JOe can really work wonders when used as mulch. Mulch is beneficial in that it helps your plants stay moist while preventing weeds. Coffee is also very nice to look at and offers a strong contrast to the green background of your plants. Read our ultimate mulching guide to master this simple gardening skill.
4. Keep cats outside
If neighborhood cats have used your yard as a litter box, sprinkle coffee grounds nearby to keep them outside. For some reason, cats do not like to do business around the corner and no longer use their vegetable and flower beds as bathrooms.
5. Suppress weeds
Fresh coffee grounds are believed to have some allelopathic properties (this means that they prevent plants from growing). Therefore, you may also be able to use it to suppress weeds and various fungal pathogens.
6. Change the pH of the soil
If you’re struggling with excessively alkaline soil, you can add coffee grounds. Of course, you should always do a soil test first, but if you know your soil is overly alkaline and needs to be acidified, just grab the coffee grounds. You can dig them into the ground 7 to 8 inches deep and you will find that the acidity of your soil starts to increase naturally.
7. Grow mushrooms
If you’ve always wanted to grow your own mushrooms but aren’t sure where to start, the best place may be your own kitchen – in your coffee pot!
Mushrooms do not grow in ordinary garden soils. You need a substrate. Coffee grounds are a phenomenal substrate because they are nutrient-rich and have already been sterilized while brewing. You can easily use them as a substrate for growing your own oyster or shiitake mushrooms!
8. Lawn fertilizer
You don’t have to create a large vegetable garden to use coffee grounds. You can even use them to make your grass greener, healthier and stronger! All you have to do is mix about half a pound of coffee grounds with five gallons of water. You can spray the fertilizer all over your lawn (without clumping).
Alternatively, you can use a rake to evenly distribute the coffee pieces.
Fight off snails and snails
Snails are common garden pests that often infest plants such as broccoli, lettuce and kale on their voracious journeys. You can keep them away from your plants by sprinkling coffee grounds around them or around the perimeter of your garden. You avoid areas in which the coffee grounds are located.
There is evidence that using coffee grounds in the garden can also help keep pests such as rabbits at bay. Gardeners aren’t sure why this trick works, but some people suspect it is related to the high caffeine content of the additive.
Tips for using coffee grounds in the garden
Some people are nervous about using coffee grounds in their gardens because they fear that the coffee will burn their plants or cause other undesirable effects.
In most cases, it is absolutely safe to sprinkle coffee grounds around your plants. Fresh coffee grounds are best used for plants that love acidic soil, such as azaleas, lilies, blueberries and hydrangeas. Be careful with fresh soil around certain types of vegetables, such as tomatoes, that do not respond well to the soil.
On the other hand, most root crops, including carrots and radishes, work well for coffee grounds. If you are concerned about the effects of soil caffeine on your plant, you should know that using decaffeinated coffee has many of these benefits – but without the potentially harmful effects.
You must also be careful when using coffee grounds around dogs. Large amounts of caffeine can seriously harm a dog. So be aware of the risk if you have a dog who likes to taste everything he comes into contact with!
The best plants for using coffee grounds in your garden are those that love nitrogen, including corn, spinach, and other leafy greens. Roses also love the occasional caffeine shot from coffee grounds!
Why you should use coffee grounds in the garden
Coffee grounds and gardening go together like peas and carrots – and your peas and carrots will certainly benefit from a few coffee grounds too! The next time you prepare your cup of coffee in the morning, don’t throw the floor away and filter it in the trash. Instead, save them for one of these nine ways to use coffee grounds in the garden.
Your plants will thank you!
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