Ever thought about how much coffee grounds you accumulate and ultimately dispose of? Especially if you brew coffee every day? Don’t let it go to waste! Here’s how to use coffee grounds in the garden.
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Plants need nitrogen to grow. Did you know that coffee grounds are an excellent source of nitrogen? This and more are reasons to think twice before tossing out your used coffee grounds.
We’ve covered some ideas for how to use leftover coffee, now here’s how you can also make sure your coffee grounds also don’t go to waste.
Consider the following uses for coffee grounds in the garden:
1. Coffee Grounds as Fertilizer
Using coffee grounds as a fertilizer is as simple as spreading out the coffee grounds onto the soil in your garden. A thin layer of coffee grounds on the soil will provide the plants with essential nutrients needed for growth. There are 16 nutrients that plants need. Of the 16, the primary ones include oxygen, phosphorus, hydrogen, nitrogen, and potassium. As mentioned previously, coffee grounds contain nitrogen, which is one of those nutrients that benefit plants when put in the soil.
2. Coffee Grounds as Mulch
Many gardeners like to use coffee grounds as mulch around their plants. Here’s why. Mulch can be either organic or inorganic material like compost and leaves (organic) or rocks and non-plant material (inorganic). Gardeners put this in their gardens to reduce moisture in the soil and control weed growth. These two factors help plants thrive—a great reason to use coffee grounds as mulch. Remember not to put too much or nearby seeds because it can adversely stop growth.
3. Composting with Coffee Grounds
Composting is recycling—by putting things like kitchen scraps and leaves together and allowing them to break down with the help of naturally occurring microorganisms. This process is excellent for the environment as it is a natural way to dispose of what you’d typically throw away in the garbage, ending up in landfills. Additionally, leaving compost in soil results in a better texture and adds nutrients. Your coffee grounds can be part of this compost.
4. Coffee Grounds to Increase Soil Acidity
We know that coffee grounds are good for soil. But how exactly is it good? This is where soil acidity comes in. pH measures acidity or alkalinity with a scale of zero to 14, with seven being neutral. Measuring the pH of soil can indicate whether the soil is healthy. You’ll need to research which plants require more or less acidity, but adding coffee grounds to the soil may increase acidity. So you’ll want to add it if you’ve checked the pH of the soil and your plant requires it.
5. Coffee Grounds as Garden Pest Deterrent
Some common pests you may have encountered in your garden are slugs, snails, rabbits, and ants. These pests can be damaging to the plants you’ve spent hours tending. Coffee grounds may be the deterrent you need in your garden to keep them from eating and destroying your plants. The powerful scent of coffee grounds may help create a barrier that harmful pests do not like to crawl over.
6. Coffee Grounds are Food for Worms
In contrast to garden pests, you’ll want to welcome earthworms into your garden. According to USDA, earthworms are beneficial for mixing and aggregating soil, increasing infiltration, and improving water-holding capacity. And if you see them in your soil, it’s an indicator that you have a healthy garden. Worms like the grittiness that coffee grounds provide as it helps them with digestion, so adding coffee grounds to your soil may attract them.
7. Weed Control with Coffee Grounds
Common garden weeds may keep coming back to your garden if you don’t take care of them properly. There are many types of weeds, including dandelion, pigweed, crabgrass, bindweed, wild violet, chickweed, and a lot more. You can use coffee grounds to suppress the growth of weeds or as a weed preventer. It’s best to use the coffee grounds on the soil’s surface if you’re using them for weed control.
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