If one of the first things you do each morning is brew a fresh pot of coffee, then you likely have a lot of coffee waste. After the brewing is finished, you grab the filter and dump the grounds in the trash. But did you know you can use those spent grounds around the houseinstead?
You can use coffee grounds to make coffee-scented candles, as a body scrub and even to clean stubborn food residue off pots and pans. But they're particularly useful outdoors. From pest control to worm food, here are five ways coffee grounds can help your garden grow.
Read more: Check out CNET's guide to growing a healthy garden and keeping it that way.
Compost boost
Rather than tossing out your spent grounds every morning, save them and add them to your compost pile. Coffee makes a great natural fertilizer when composted. It can increase nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and copper levels in the soil.
Don't get too crazy, though. Adding too much coffee to the compost pile can raise the acidity, negating many of the benefits. Try to keep the grounds to roughly 25 percent of the pile or less.
Best of all, you don't even have to separate the grounds from the filter. Paper coffee filters are biodegradable and can go straight into the compost, too.
Lower pH levels
Of course, some plants like that extra acidity. Azaleas, gardenias, carrots, strawberries and many other plants thrive in acidic soil. For these plants, you can add a small amount of grounds to the soil while planting. The coffee can help the germination process and promote healthy growth.
Altering the pH level of the soil can also change the flower color in plants like hydrangeas.
Pest deterrent
Sprinkle a barrier of coffee grounds around your flower bed or garden to help keep unwanted pests out. Caffeine is a natural pesticide that can paralyze or kill many insects. It will help keep destructive slugs and snails at bay. But it can also help control mosquitoes, bees, wasps and you can even sprinkle it around ant hills.
Attract worms
Worms love to eat coffee grounds, and that's great news for your garden. Add coffee grounds to your compost pile to help attract worms, which help speed up the process of turning food scraps into compost.
You can also add coffee grounds directly to the soil, but you'll have to be careful not to overdo it. Sprinkle a light coating of coffee over the top of the soil or till a light mixture into the soil. This will help draw in earthworms, which increase the amount of air and water in the soil.
Flower pot liner
Your coffee filters can be put to good use too -- and not just in the compost pile. You can line the inside of flower pots with a coffee filter to prevent soil from escaping the bottom of the pot when you water the plant. Because filters are permeable, they'll still let water drain out.
Learn everything you need to create a beautiful, healthy garden with CNET's gardening guide.
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As a seasoned enthusiast in sustainable gardening and a proponent of utilizing household items for eco-friendly practices, my expertise stems from years of hands-on experience and in-depth research. I've actively explored various ways to repurpose common waste products, such as coffee grounds, to benefit both the environment and personal lifestyle. Let me delve into the concepts mentioned in the article you provided:
Composting Benefits: One of the prime ways to recycle coffee grounds is through composting. Coffee grounds serve as an excellent natural fertilizer, enriching the compost with essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and copper. The organic matter in coffee grounds enhances soil structure and promotes microbial activity, fostering a healthy environment for plant growth. However, it's crucial to strike a balance, keeping coffee grounds to around 25 percent of the compost pile to avoid an undesirable increase in acidity.
pH Level Alteration: Certain plants, like azaleas, gardenias, strawberries, and carrots, thrive in acidic soil conditions. By incorporating coffee grounds into the soil during planting, you can modify the pH level to create a more suitable environment for these acid-loving plants. Additionally, the germination process and overall growth of these plants can benefit from the introduction of coffee grounds into the soil.
Natural Pest Control: Coffee grounds act as a natural pesticide due to their caffeine content. Creating a barrier of coffee grounds around flower beds or gardens can deter pests such as slugs, snails, mosquitoes, bees, and wasps. The caffeine in coffee grounds has the potential to paralyze or kill these insects, offering an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides.
Worm Attraction: Worms play a crucial role in the composting process, breaking down organic matter and enriching the soil. Coffee grounds are a favorite food source for worms, making them an excellent addition to compost piles. By incorporating coffee grounds, you can attract worms, speeding up the decomposition of food scraps and enhancing the overall quality of the compost.
Coffee Filter Repurposing: Beyond coffee grounds, the article mentions repurposing coffee filters in gardening. These biodegradable filters can be included in compost piles along with coffee grounds. Moreover, coffee filters can serve as effective liners for flower pots, preventing soil from escaping while allowing proper drainage. Their permeable nature ensures that water can drain out, maintaining a well-balanced moisture level for plants.
In conclusion, the multifaceted uses of coffee grounds in gardening, from composting to natural pest control, showcase the potential for sustainable practices that benefit both the garden and the environment.
