How much coffee grounds is too much?

by Galina
(Seattle, WA)

I have coffee shop nearby that collects grounds to give to the gardener. Always debating what to do when i bring home big bag: put as mulch (how thick it can be) or put in compost pile and mix with something (what can be used in winter for mixing with grounds?

Doug says there isn't too much if you compost them. Pile them into your compost pile along with your other organic material and you're going to be quite pleasantly pleased at the compost this material makes.

Adding any kind of used material like this (coffee grounds can be a bit salty or acidic) in too large quantities at one time on the garden can be a bit disruptive to the soil ecology. A bit - I'm thinking 1cm (1/4 inch) is probably fine but several inches could create problems. It might also depend on what you're growing - daylilies are going to shrug it off but more tender species might resent it.

I have used some bags from the local coffee shop - spread them thinly the first time - and composted them the second time. They make great compost by the way. :-)

And here's another take on coffee grounds and gardening about slug control and other uses




Comments for
How much coffee grounds is too much?

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Too much is when veggies don't grow!
by: Moni

Have been putting buckets full of coffee grounds on the veggie garden for a few years during the winter and now my veggies won't grow because the soil is too acidic!
Last year (2009) soil test taken from 1 thru 6 inch depth was down to 6.5 pH from previous (2006) soil test of 7.1 pH. Since new coffee grounds were put on over the winter when they are not broken down by microbes with the cold weather. Also, I could still see some grounds on the surface tho I did rototill. The spinach hates low pH as do all the early crops of peas, carrots, beets, chard, kale, radishes, etc. They just grew out of the soil then turned yellow and died. So, for the first time ever, I had to add lime.
By the end of the summer all crops were looking better, however even tomatoes, peppers and celery were affected.
So as Doug said...only put on a thin layer and compost the rest until the acidity has evened out!
Not very acidic
by: Bob R

There seems to be an assumption that coffee grounds are acidic, but the acid in coffee beans is highly water-soluble so most acid goes into the coffee we drink. Oregon State University Extension has been experimenting with coffee grounds as mulch and for compost for the last several years. They find coffee grounds to be only very mildly acidic - about 6.5 to 6.8 pH. There's a good article on the Lane County, Oregon coffee compost program at http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2008/Jul08/coffee.html. I personally find that worms love grounds, they compost quickly and well (treat them as "green" material), and make a good mulch and soil additive. Like other fine organic mulches, they can crust on the surface so cover them with a thin layer of bark or other coarse mulch if you're surface mulching.

Doug says - you're right - I said "slightly" without qualifying the pH. Good points!
coffee grounds for blueberries
by: Moni

Like many of you, I have been getting coffee grounds from a local coffee shop for several years. I get 2-3 5 gallon buckets per week.
I use it straight on blueberries and other acid loving plants, some on the garden...spread out much like Doug said, and the rest goes into the compost pile. I have found the filters do not compost well when put on the blueberries and garden, so when weather is above freezing, I put a screen over the wheel barrow and sort the filters out. If I don't remove the filters they fly all over the yard with our strong Iowa winds.
Great way to recycle!
Acid loving plants like azaleas
by: Anonymous

Use the coffee grounds around your acid loving plants like azaleas and gardenias. They love it!
GREAT IDEA!!!!!
by: robin foret,bourg,la.

I'VE HEARD OF THIS, BUT I NEVER DID TRY IT. I CAN'T WAIT TO FINISH MY MORNING COFFEE SO I CAN START MY COMPOST.
Coffee grounds and ants
by: tms3029

Ants dislike coffee grounds, so I pile them on when I get an anthill. The acid doesn't seem to bother St. Augustine grass, but I don't know how it would affect other types.
better than Round-Up?
by: Anonymous

hmmm...I'm going to try this on some Boston ivy invading our woods!
composting
by: Anonymous

it makes great compost. at home, i just dump it in filter and all. composts very quickly, i guess because it's finely ground and saturated.
Coffee Grounds
by: Alex

We use coffee grounds in our vegetable garden every year. About 20 gallons for our 600 sq. ft. area works very well. We harvested tomatos, squash and bell peppers on into dec. last year. We just spread it out and rototill filters and all. Great stuff!
coffee grounds kill ivy
by: Anonymous

All winter I have been dumping the grounds from my tiny 1 cup coffee press (a few tablespoons per day) onto a clump of ivy outside my back door. It is now dead.

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