We’ve had family staying recently, and that’s been lovely. Our four-year-old niece enjoys watering the terrace (and causing merry-hell with the watering can), and my sister-in-law and her boyfriend have made significant contributions to the garden too. How? Well, with their caffeine addiction…
Coffee grounds are great in the garden. They can be used in a few different ways, but here are my favorites. Feel free to contact me if you think I’ve missed any out.
Changing the Acidity of the Soil –
Fresh coffee grounds are acidic, so you can use them to bump up the acidity of your soil. That’s great for plants like Alpine Strawberries, Corn or even Carrots.
Adding Nitrogen to Your Compost –
If you rinse your coffee grounds they will lose their acidity, and then if you add them to your compost you can help boost nitrogen levels.
Keeping Slugs and Snails Away –
A little circle of coffee grounds around the base of a plant will work in the same way as a ring of broken eggshells; it stops slimy critters like slugs and snails getting too close to the plants. Be sure to keep topping the amount up, however, as it will wash away easily after watering or rain.
Keep Kitties Away –
I don’t have experience of this myself, but some gardening friends swear by it. If you liberally sprinkle coffee grounds across flower beds, containers and anything else the local cats want to use as a litter tray, this should keep them at bay.
For the Worms –
If like me, you have worm compost bin, the coffee ground can be used as excellent food for the little guys. Be sure to rinse them to neutralize their pH levels before adding them liberally to your compost.
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