What every serious gardener needs to know about coffee grounds

Last Updated on July 23, 2020 by Michelle

This post is all about composting with coffee grounds. Why? Because my momma taught me to never waste something that still has “some life in it.” And because using old coffee grounds as compost brings amazing results.

Why compost with coffee?

Coffee increases the acidity of soil, so it’s a great fertilizer for plants that thrive in more acidic soil, like blueberries, strawberries and peppers. (And if you want your hydrangeas to be a gorgeous blue, be sure to add coffee grounds into the soil around your bushes.) But keep reading for the full scoop.

How does coffee do triple duty?

It turns out coffee grounds are a fantastic treasure in the kitchen that can do triple duty! Not only do they provide a wonderful morning drink, they then offer you lots of other uses that I bet you’ve never thought of. (Just a few repurposing options are listed below.) Once you’ve repurposed your grounds, then make sure to toss them into your compost bin, and your plants will thank you.

Air freshener—just leave grounds out on your kitchen counter, in a pretty little bowl, and they will do double duty as an all-natural room deodorizer. They actually absorb odors!

Refrigerator deodorizer—yep, just like baking soda. But free.

Watercolor paint—this one’s a little unusual, but when my girls were little they loved painting with water. Old coffee grounds tint it a lovely shade of brown.

Deodorizing hand cleanser—it may seem a little counter-intuitive to wash your hands with coffee grounds, but they really do the trick at removing foul orders, similar to the way I use lemon juice, except, again, grounds are free. Plus they give my hands a bonus exfoliation.

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You might like this post, where I compile the 5 things every gardener should do. (Or pin it here.)

Or maybe you’d like to learn some pretty amazing facts about dandelions here.

Catch some intriguing details about irises here.

And enjoy the fascinating history of lilacs and old farmhouses here.

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What is the right way to compost with coffee grounds?

It really couldn’t be easier to compost with coffee grounds.

The fastest, no-brainer way would be to simply toss the grounds on a compost pile. If you do so, keep in mind that they are considered green compost material and will need to be balanced with the addition of some brown compost material. Download my free ebook to read lots more about that topic.

But you can also sprinkle old grounds right onto your soil in your garden or around shrubs as fertilizer, then lightly work them in with your fingers or a small rake. Bonus, the grounds will improve drainage, water retention, and soil aeration. Go figure! Plus they attract earthworms; I guess even worms like a good cup ‘o Joe.

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Subscribe right here and download all my free resources today, including my ebook all about composting.

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Will composting with coffee grounds make my soil acidic?

Maybe you’ve heard that coffee grounds will raise the acid level of your soil, which is great for certain plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, irises, and hydrangea.  

While this is true, it’s only the case for UNUSED coffee grounds. You see, while fresh grounds are acidic, used grounds are completely neutral. Which is still great as a fertilizer. I just don’t want you sprinkling your old grinds on your hydrangea every day this summer and then wonder why you never get blue flowers.

This is the second in a Summer Series on composting. Catch the first one here. Or pin it here.

So there you have it… Composting with Coffee Grounds 101. My momma would be proud.

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I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. Jeremiah 2:7

 

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