As a gardener, I have violated one of my own rules of gardening- great soil equals amazing plants.
When my husband and I married almost 5 years ago, I moved into his house on the west side of Cleveland.
Our intention wasn’t to stay there long, but time has flown by.
I added several bags of various soil amendments to the flower beds over the years, but not enough.
The soil is still compact with lots of clay.
It isn’t loose and airy, so plant growth is less than ideal.
I never took the time to properly amend the soil.
Consequently, I haven’t gotten the amazing results I long for.
Used Coffee Grounds as a Soil Amendment
That is where Starbucks has come to the rescue!
I love Starbucks, but for more than their great coffee.
I have asked my local Starbucks to save some of their used coffee grounds so that I can add them to my flower beds this winter.
They graciously agreed and supplied them at no charge!
Yes, used coffee grounds are an amazing soil amendment!
They provide nutrients and are a favorite of earthworms, which can help aerate and loosen compacted soils.
They also contain nitrogen, an essential plant nutrient for lush growth.
Adding Used Coffee Grounds to Your Garden
Winter is a great time to add used coffee grounds to garden beds as it gives them time to break down before spring arrives.
Simply spread the grounds evenly across the soil surface and the freezing and thawing cycles will help incorporate them into the soil.
Another option is to add coffee grounds to a compost pile year-round so that they can biodegrade with other organic matter.
This creates an amazing soil amendment that will make plants thrive!
Coffee grounds are acidic, so it is best not to add large amounts directly to your soil during the growing season.
This could burn your plants.
Adding small amounts during the growing season generally will not adversely affect plants.
However, adding coffee grounds to the top of the soil of acid-loving plants would be ideal.
Use them as a mulch for azalea, rhododendron, holly, blueberry and dogwood trees.
It is also reported that a thin layer of coffee grounds will deter cats from visiting your garden beds.
If you don’t have time to get coffee grounds from a coffee shop, simply save the grounds from your home brewer.
Add them to your flower and vegetable beds and over time you will notice the improvement.
Using coffee grounds in the landscape is a great way to recycle and be environmentally friendly.
This is one case in life when garbage in equals fabulous out!
