Coffe grounds as mulch for moisture control?

[Nubsmum]

I was just at our local Startbucks and picked up a lot of used coffee grounds for my compost pile. I was wondering if I could use it over my veggie beds to keep the moisture in? I don't know if it is too acidic for that purpose. I know it is good in a compost mix but don't want to shock my plants. I was thinking about a 1/2 layer? Too much? Should it not touch the base of the plants?

Any info would be appreciated.

Here in::coolsun going to be "hot at Hades" Oregon this weekend!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Ground coffee is high in nitrogen, making it a very good mulch for fast-growing vegetables. Many organic growers swear by coffee grounds as mulches for tomato plants, both for the nitrogen boost this heavy feeder appreciates and for coffee's ability to help suppress late blight.

That's from this Seattle PI article . Sounds good to me.

 

[Nubsmum]

Thanks a heap DrakeMaiden. I am off to prepare for the heat of summer.

 

[adeledamate]

Ground coffee is high in nitrogen, making it a very good mulch for fast-growing vegetables. Many organic growers swear by coffee grounds as mulches for tomato plants, both for the nitrogen boost this heavy feeder appreciates and for coffee's ability to help suppress late blight.

That's from this Seattle PI article . Sounds good to me.

and I thought it was just my chicken manure that was getting my tomatoes to grow so well this year. I've put a lot of coffee grounds into the compost and used it as mulch. Yeah!!

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

We use a mix of coffee grounds with our mulch that we use on our tomatoes every year. It does help a lot and keeps them growing nicely. We do mix them with a few other ingredients we have found over the years to keep our tomatoes nice. A really good layered approach.

 

[Tutter]

Oakland, what do you think of freshly ground beans?

I imagine there would only be a little difference, but I've never used freshly ground (Not having been used as coffee to drink.) beans for the garden before....aside from my carrot seed medium.

You know, our gardens read like a who's who of fancy ingredients! Fancy coffee, good beer gone flat (The earwigs have decided to multiply like everything else this year.) etc. Sheesh!

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Oakland, what do you think of freshly ground beans?

I imagine there would only be a little difference, but I've never used freshly ground (Not having been used as coffee to drink.) beans for the garden before....aside from my carrot seed medium.

You know, our gardens read like a who's who of fancy ingredients! Fancy coffee, good beer gone flat (The earwigs have decided to multiply like everything else this year.) etc. Sheesh!

I've used them. I actually got 5 pounds of coffee for free and well, I don't drink coffee, so I just sprinkle some in the garden and put the rest in the compost. That was last year and stuff did just fine.

I agree about the fancy ingredients, the coffee I sprinkled around was this "rare" expensive coffee from somewhere. I probably should have given it away but oh well.

 

[Tutter]

Boy do you sound like me! lol!

Mine was good coffee, too, but I don't drink it, either. And I'm sure that I should have given mine away, as well. Oh, well!

Thank you! :happy_flower

 

[SJ1]

I'll ask a coffee drinker for some. Thanks for the idea.

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

Those of you the use "used" grounds - do you leave the filter to compost down or shake the ground out into the compost pile?