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leisabailey_gw

Used Coffee Grounds in soil

leisabailey
12 years ago

Is it okay to incorporate used coffee grounds in a vegetable garden? Large amounts tilled in, not just a few handfuls. I have acess to some but wanted to make sure first. And if so, what properties do they offer into soil?

Thanks much!

Comments (16)

  • tracydr
    12 years ago

    The best, especially with our alkaline calich. Really loosens up the soil, adds lots of nutrients. Add as much as you can.

  • hellbound
    12 years ago

    yep and it acidifies our terrible alchaline soil to i add about 30 pounds a week to my garden. another side affect is it repels some insects

  • ra
    12 years ago

    where do you all get that much coffee grounds?

    I need some for my garden :D

  • MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
    12 years ago

    Starbucks! They leave large bags of the stuff by the back door for all us gardeners!

  • az.Lemon
    12 years ago

    YES! It is SO very good for your garden. My husband is a manager at paradise bakery...and when he opens he brings home a big ol' box of them...amazing for the compost. My father-in-law is an avid gardener as well and he swears by coffee grounds.

  • ra
    12 years ago

    I need to start looking at starbucks now lol

    do you guys compost it first or just add it straight to your garden beds?

  • hellbound
    12 years ago

    i pass by at least 4 starbucks every day so i stop at each one once a week and do a pickup so i have a constant free supply i use it like mulch all year long no need to compost it just dump it out there and spread it around btw my garden has never smelt better...and when it's time to do my seasonal replanting i just turn it into the soil....

  • ra
    12 years ago

    do you ask them for the grounds or are they just in the back area of starbucks and you just pick them up?

  • hellbound
    12 years ago

    should be right out front in a basket if not ask them they'll be happy to bag up what ever the have in back for you.

  • sherizona
    12 years ago

    Back when I had grass I'd just toss it out right onto the grass. I had the best grass in the neighborhood. I have artificial grass now and use the coffee grounds in the herb garden. I've noticed a big reduction in bugs around some of the herbs.

  • AZSandman
    12 years ago

    So it's one of you folks that's been beating me to all of the coffee grounds, huh? ;-) The Starbucks near me are always out of them since the weather's gotten nice...

    That's good to know - they sound even more beneficial than I thought. I've always heard that earthworms and other friendly organisms thrive on them. Maybe the caffeine speeds up their metabolism, lol.

  • az_pamperedchef
    12 years ago

    Would the coffee grounds be okay to use in my potted tomatoes? I'm thinking of using them at the base of all my citrus & fruit trees.

  • Alyssa DeRonne
    12 years ago

    Woohoo! I wish I could backtrack and use all the grounds I have been throwing away.

  • hellbound
    12 years ago

    i use them in my tomatoes and chiles and roses and everything else

  • az_pamperedchef
    12 years ago

    Great! I've gone to Starbucks two days in a row now for coffee grounds. Have gotten some, but not much, enough for the base of a Persian Lime tree & Asian Pear tree. Have a ways to go yet, but someone keeps beating me to the grounds!

  • Boid
    12 years ago

    i knew coffee ground were good for the soil but never thought you could use so much. Guess i'll be hitting the local convience stores and Starbucks.