Forum home Tools and techniques
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Coffee grounds in the garden

I live near a supermarket that allows customers to help themselves to its used coffee grounds, and so I am able to fill a carrier bag with them almost every day. The soil in my garden is sandy and free-draining and always short of nutrients, so I have been sprinkling coffee grounds liberally on the borders.

I have three questions:

(1) Would I be better adding the coffee grounds to my compost heap so that no area or plant gets a full-strength hit?

(2) Are there any specific plants that cannot tolerate coffee?

(3) How much is too much?

Posts

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774

    The best use for coffee grounds I have heard of is as a slug/ snail deterrent! If you put a ring of grounds round susceptible plants they wont cross it!  In general I would mix it in the compost if you really have that much, they will break down like any other organic matter. I have no idea about  plant tolerance or otherwise as far as any caffeine goes.

    AB Still learning

  • Thanks for the reply.  I think it is deterring cats as well as slugs and snails, which is great. I just worry about the long-term effect on my soil if I keep adding it. 

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774

    Just don't go too mad with it too much of any one thing is never good.!

    AB Still learning

Sign In or Register to comment.