coffee for plants

jazoo

do coffee grinds or beans help with care of any plants or have any other use around the garden

Irish Gardener

It has been said that a circle of coffee grounds about the base of a plant will prevent slug attacks.
However I have never tested this out as I know that fresh coffee grounds also release allelopathic chemicals that can inhibit the growth of some plants.
You could end up preventing slugs from reaching an ailing plant.:)
The coffee grounds are fine to compost though, jazoo.

Sonnenblumen

I've been using coffee grinds very successfully for years in composting and also as a slug deterrent.

I've not noticed any significant deterioration with plant growth, on the contrary plant types prone to slug damage are performing above average.

Irish Gardener

Sonnenblumen wrote:

I've been using coffee grinds very successfully for years in composting and also as a slug deterrent.

I've not noticed any significant deterioration with plant growth, on the contrary plant types prone to slug damage are performing above average.

I suppose its a case of whatever works best for you, the gardener.

You might be interested to have a look at THIS article from Paghats Garden from which this quote is taken...

Well-designed controlled studies are still required to assess coffee grounds per se. My reading of the scant evidence to date suggests coffee grounds might have a barely detectible repellant value on baby slugs & snails, but would have no effect whatsoever keeping plants from being eaten.

There is also evidence to suggest that coffee grounds have a detrimental yellowing effect on lettuce, ferns and bromeliads.
I reckon the composting suggestion is the best and safest route to take.
The ground coffee might also help cover the smell of an incorrectly filled compost bin.

Sonnenblumen

Irish Gardener wrote:

The ground coffee might also help cover the smell of an incorrectly filled compost bin.

If you drink so much coffee, I'd doubt you could smell a compost bin.;)

Irish Gardener

Mr Magnolia

^^He looks kinda familiar.^^





Spent coffee grounds are a good fertilizer in gardens because of their high nitrogen content. Coffee grounds also contain potassium, phosphorus and many other trace elements that aid plant development. Many gardeners report that roses love coffee grounds and when furnished with the same become big and colorful. When added to a compost pile, spent coffee grounds compost very rapidly.

It's an environmentally friendly way of disposing with them too.