THE PROS AND CONS OF USING COFFEE GROUNDS AROUND PLANTS
I don’t know about you but when I decided to write this blog on coffee grounds nostalgia struck me. When I was growing up both sets of grandparents had large gardens. It was only natural for my grandparents to toss their coffee grounds into the garden and around the plants. And, they even would pour their cold coffee onto the plants. So, who taught them about coffee and coffee grounds being good for plants other than their parents? They certainly didn’t have the internet to learn from.
So, let’s look at some of the good reasons to use coffee products around our plants and add to the soil:
- Coffee adds nitrogen to the soil as well as some potassium and phosphorus, plus other micronutrients.
- By using coffee as a fertilizer instead of a synthetic fertilizer, such as Miracle-Gro, then you will be reducing the number of chemicals being put in the soil and be more Earth-friendly.
- Coffee grounds can be successfully used to improve soil quality. It helps to aerate the soil because we are adding organic matter to the soil and this helps with aeration. With better aeration, the plant’s roots can better absorb moisture and nutrients thus helping with the overall health of the plants.
- We all have learned the value of having earthworms in our soil. Coffee grounds are a popular choice of food for worms. Earthworms are great to have in our soil. You may have heard of worm castings. Worm castings are worm poop! The more worms we have in our soil then the more enriched our soil will be naturally. And, with worms, they serve as a great natural aerator of our soil.
- Coffee and can deter slugs and snails from doing damage to plants. It is thought that the taste and smell of coffee will deter these pests.
So there are five good reasons for using coffee and coffee grounds around plants. Now, it is only fair that we look at some of the cons to using coffee products around plants and in our landscape.
- Coffee and coffee grounds may be harmful to dogs. If ingested, they can be toxic to dogs. A fairly large quantity would need to be consumed. It may not be worth the risk of harming your pet.
- Large amounts of coffee could inhibit seedlings from growing.
- Used coffee grounds are not acidic as some people think. Fresh coffee grounds are acidic, used coffee grounds are not. Bottom line, coffee and coffee grounds are useless for amending soil pH.
So—are you a PRO gardener or a CON gardener when it comes to using coffee in the gardens? I am a PRO person. I want to believe that my grandparents knew what they were doing when tossing coffee and coffee grounds in their gardens.
Now, for some exciting news. We now carry a new product called CUP of GROW. Cup of Grow is 100% chemical free. It is an all purpose fertilizer. Its ingredients are coffee, bone meal, and blood meal. That’s it! Cup of Grow introduces a better and more efficient alternative to plant food and eliminates the use of synthetic fertilizers = protecting our planet.
GO GRANDPARENTS!!! You knew what you were doing all along. What goes around comes around!! Let’s all keep doing what we can that helps protect our planet.
Come on into the garden center and let one of us show you CUP of GROW.