A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 When to add used coffee grounds?

Is it ok to add the used coffee grounds to my garden bed at any time? Or do I have to wait for a certain time or anything? I went to Starbucks this morning and picked some up! Thank you!

Absolutely! Never a bad time to add organic matter to your soil!

Thanks! I hope the worms go crazy with it!

Daylily, I add them to my garden all the time and the Red Wigglers in my worm bin love them! Isn't Starbucks wonderful!

Definitely!

I have one more question if anyone knows.. is it possible to add TOO MANY coffee grounds to a garden? How often should I add them? Thanks again!

I sprinkle coffee grounds over my beds on a regular basis and I've never had any problems with it, but I like to do it before it rains or I'm watering. I also use them (as well as egg shells) around my hostas to help control the slugs that like to feast on my hostas.

I ONLY WISHHHHHHH I HAD A STARBUCKS NEAR ME...

But, I would add, not to keep adding it to the same spot, over and over again..... and depending on the size of your garden...

Some gardeners may have a small garden and mayyyyyyybe couldn't handle the "quota of an everyday feed from Starbucks".... but a larggge garden, spread out, surrrrrrre could ....

Hope you keep us posted on your coffee grounds,
we love to good or bad, that's how we all learn ...

Starbucks? Did you just ask for used coffee grounds or something?

I agree, Weezie! I don't think an "everyday feed" would be advisable and I never dump them on in any large amount. I add my coffee grounds about twice week and sometimes more, but I only sprinkle them on, pretty much the same as you would do when salting your food. I never cover the ground with them.

I didn't know you could add coffee grounds to your garden? I throw mine away every morning. I have mulch down in my beds, is it okay to just sprinkle on top of the mulch?

Monica, when I've used the coffee grounds on my mulched beds, and I just try to sprinkle them around as evenly as I can. On my unmulched beds I try to work them into the soil a little bit, except in my shade garden where I have a lot of Hostas. I like to leave them on the surface to help keep the slugs away from my Hostas!

Yes, Starbucks saves them in a bag specifically for gardeners! It's really cool! They even seal them shut with this sticker that says "Free Used Grounds For Your Garden". It's cute!

I'm sure that would be fine! The rain will eventually wash them down into the soil.

thats so cool! worms love coffee grounds?????
can i add they in the fall.
one more thing.
has anyone ever added worms to their garden(s)

Oh yes, worms love coffee grounds and they devour them! I put them in my worm bin all the time! Actually, I've never found a need to add worms to my garden beds, it's seems I always have plenty of them! :rolleyes:

wow! here i've been throwing all my coffee grounds out, not anymore, thanks 2 u folks. i have a prob: my zuccini leaves have a mold on them that i can't seem to get rid of. i've reotted them, alas, to no avail. suggestions?

Hi Huksumalic!

Welcome to the forum! Why don't you post this question in The Fruits and Vegetables Gardening forum. I'm sure someone can answer it there.

When I first joined this forum, I read about the coffee grounds. Then totally forgot about them since I don't do brewed coffee or Starbucks often. Yesterday, on a ride, my hubster and I stopped in to Starbucks for a coffee and right there by the door was a barrel with BIG packs of used coffee grounds marked "free"!!!

I grabbed 3 bags and then realised, "I'm on my motorcycle... how am I going to do this?" A bag in each saddle bag and one under my jacket, good to go! I just weeded out half the front flower bed, turned the soil and planted 6 mums. Perfect timing! And the smell is wonderful! "Take that, slugs!"

Starbucks is going to see a lot of me through the Fall!

Wow, ever since I stumbled onto this thread a couple of weeks ago, every time I pass a Starbucks I have to stop in and get spent grounds. Americans may run on Dunkin', but gardeners are addicted to coffee grounds

The first time I got 3 bags and distributed them on newly-planted mums. I can't tell you how quickly the worms found this stuff. Man, are they happy!

On Thursday, I stopped in for more. The crew hadn't bagged them yet so I threw this STUFFED plastic bag over my shoulder and trudged to the car. Must have weighed 30 pounds. Reading that grounds should be drier before sprinkling (no clumps, no mould), I dumped the lot on my deck table and for the next 2 days turned them.

Well, yesterday afternoon, we had sudden thunderstorms pass through. It was a race with the rain as I scooped up the ground into 2 empty kitty litter buckets with my bare hands! LOL! Within 2 minutes of stowing the buckets in the sunroom, the rains fell hard.

I do have a question about evenly distributing in a lawn. Has anyone used a seed spreader (like Scotts brand)?

No wonder no one answered my question. It was just too stupid. Coffee grounds bring the worms which bring moles. Spreading coffee grounds on the lawn is like opening up a restaurant. The only sure thing is using grounds in the mulch pile. We're still recycling