COFFEE

I can’t imagine starting the day without coffee.  In fact, I walk straight to the coffee maker first thing every morning. It’s my favorite way to begin the day and I usually take my last cup outside to enjoy while making my morning gardening rounds.  This means that my first chance of the day to be eco-friendly is with coffee grounds, aka “kitchen scraps”.  I know a few people who flush this wonderful source of garden magic down the garbage disposal, or worse yet, they throw it away (gasp!).  While the debate rages on as to whether coffee is actually healthy or hazardous to us humans, those tiny grains are great to reuse around the house and garden.  

Reusable pods are easy and economical

1.     Add the used grounds, including the paper filter to your compost bin or pile, and let mother nature turn it into compost.

2.      Add to your worm (vermicomposting) bin.  Coffee grounds help worms digest their food.

3.      Scratch or dig used grounds into the soil around any plants that prefer acidic soil conditions such as blueberries, Azaleas and Rhododendrons. Coffee grounds contain many nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and iron. Yummy!

4.      Use as a mulch around plants that prefer acidic soil.  A coffee ground mulch will help to retain moisture, suppress weeds and deter crawling insects while leaching nutrients that your plants will appreciate.  It’s a win-win-win!!

5.       Use between stepping stones in a pathway garden. Large sources can be obtained from your local coffee house (be sure to bring some buckets).  The dark colored grounds look beautiful, suppress weeds, and smell fantastic.

6.      Coffee grounds repel slugs and snails.  Scatter a thick layer around your plants and you can fertilize and prevent damage without the use of chemical products. 

7.      Keep cats from using your garden as a potty by spreading coffee grounds around your plants.

8.      Ants hate coffee grounds.  Sprinkle used grounds on anthills, around your lawn, or anywhere you see ants forming.

9.      Sow carrot seeds mixed with dry coffee grounds when planting.  Coffee grounds make the small seeds easier to sow and some studies suggest that it may also help to repel root maggots. 

10.  Clean and exfoliate your hands after gardening.  My favorite garden soap and a pinch of used grounds is all that’s needed to remove a morning of caked on soil from wrists and hands, leaving my skin soft and smooth as a baby’s…

11.  Use on indoor plants.  A small amount scratched in to the soil surface can give your plants a bit of a boost. 

12.  Help Fido fight fleas.  Rub used and cooled coffee grounds in to your dogs coat after shampooing, then rinse off completely and let the fur dry.  The coffee grounds also help eliminate dog odors.  Be careful that your dog doesn't lick or consume any grounds.  Coffee can be toxic to dogs. 

13.  Use as an air freshener.  Set out a small bowl on your counter or in your refrigerator.  

14.  Use as a scrub (with soap) after handling smelly items such as garlic and fish, to get rid of the unwanted smell.  While your hands may end up smelling a little like coffee, it’s a whole lot better than smelling a lot like fish.  

Keep the used grounds nearby and you'll 

find ample opportunities to reuse them 

15.  Use to scour pots, pans and baked on dishes.

16.  Use as a natural dye on fabrics. 

17.  Use as a natural hair dye or rinse.  If your color is coffee brown, you are definitely in luck. 

18.  Use coffee grounds (fresh or used) to tenderize meat.  Add to your favorite steak rub and allow the meat to marinate for a bit before cooking.  Your steak will be flavorful on the outside with a slight coffee taste and tender on the inside.  I know eating coffee grounds sounds unusual, but trust me, the flavor is amazing!

19.  Use as a natural stain on dark woods.  Add a small amount of vinegar to used grounds.  Let this sit for a day or two before using on wood.  You may need more than one application. 

20.  Before cleaning the ashes out of the fireplace, sprinkle them with damp grounds.  The ashes will be easier to remove and you won’t stir up as much dust. 

21.  Add the grounds to your curbside green bin and let them go to your local composting facility. 

By the way, if you don’t drink the last bit of coffee in the pot, don’t dump it down the drain-pour it on your plants!  Your blueberries (or Rhododendrons) will enjoy it as much as you did.

DID YOU KNOW???
2.25 BILLION PEOPLE (64%) DRINK COFFEE DAILY. 
Being eco-friendly starts early.  How are you going to reuse your coffee grounds?
Be well and happy gardening!