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Vegetable Gardening

Growing Vegetables in coffee grounds

14 years ago

I have a lot of coffee grounds. Has anyone ever tried planting directly into coffee grounds? What vegetables are acid loving?

Thanks

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Comments (7)

oilpainter
14 years ago
Put your coffee grounds in the composter. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone growing in coffee grounds.
digdirt2
14 years ago
Agree. Coffee grounds make a good soil amendment when tilled into the garden even though they aren't nearly as acidic as some folks think. And they are an even better addition to the compost pile and then to the garden. But they offer little in the way of nutrients except N. Not to mention their inability to absorb and retain water. They really aren't a growing medium.

Dave
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ncdirtdigger
14 years ago
You would have trouble with your plants setting fruit due to the high level of nitrogen in the grounds. You would tend to get all leaves and no fruit. In addition you would have no trace minerals like magnesium or boron just to name two. Why not get a five gallon bucket and try a tomato plant in one just for kicks and report back to us.
bejay9_10
14 years ago
The best way to deal with those coffee grounds is to make a worm compost bin.

I started one with 2 plastic tote bins, about 2 ft. long x 1 ft. wide, and maybe 1-1/2 ft. high. Drill holes in the bottom for drainage and put some shredded paper in the bottom box. Find some red worms (fishing store) and add them, along with coffee grounds and any vegetable scraps from the kitchen. Alternate shredded paper, kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and let the worms mix it all up.

By reversing the boxes from time-to-time, it will keep the material composting.

This is a great way to recycle coffee grounds and make useable compost for growing your veggies in. Just add the finished worm castings to your soil from time to time for extra nourishment.

Check out the Soil Forum for more details.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay
idaho_gardener
14 years ago
I have tried using coffee grounds as a weed block around my vegetable beds. Nothing will sprout out of the coffee grounds, but some roots are able to bore through the grounds from the lawn and into the garden soil.

(For my next experiment in weed blocking, I'll try using unfinished compost.)
artistmama_leslie
14 years ago
Bejay, what do you mean by "reversing the boxes from time to time."? I'm interested in your method but you lost me there.

Thank you!
bejay9_10
14 years ago
Artistmama leslie -

After awhile, the worm colony can become very big, if there is nothing to stop them (such as adding oils, meats, sugar, etc.), and the single box becomes quite full although worms are still composting nicely.

To hasten the decomposition, it seems to work better to stop adding new stuff and let worms finish it. Putting a fresh box on top - new shredding, grounds, veggies and some worms starts a fresh box.

When the bottom is completely finished - harvest the decomposed compost, but put worms in the new box to repeat the process.

Sorry if that is confusing, (sometimes I confuse myself - but you know the old saying "its not what I say - its what I mean").

Bejay

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