skip to main content

Organic Lawn Care

Tea grounds instead of coffee grounds on the lawn

12 years ago

Hello,

I have read that coffee grounds can be used as an organic fertilizer for the lawn. Does anyone know whether tea grounds can be used instead? I drink tea everyday and prepare it with loose tea, so I have a lot of left over tea grounds. If it does help the lawn, I wouldnt mind sprinkling some in the lawn instead of throwing it in the garbage.

thanks,

Minal

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

shabbu
Original Author
12 years ago
Also follow up question, would like to confirm how to add these products to the lawn. If its cornmeal, its a powder, so I just need to sprinkle it everywhere. If its alfa alfa then its powder, which needs to be mixed with water and then applied immediately. Does anyone know the ratio of powder to water?

thanks.
Kimmsr
12 years ago
Coffee grounds do have some fairly good levels of nutrients but you need a goodly amount to have much affect on a lawn. http://www.lenawee.mi.us/departments/solid-waste-department/backyard-composting/composting-with-coffee-grounds
I have not yet found comparable information on tea leaves.
Recycling both in the garden or on the lawn is much preferable than tossing them in the trash.
What would the cornmeal be used for?
I have seen alfalfa pellets and cubes but not powder, at least not in quantities to be economical to be added to a lawn.
Related Discussions
Tea bags, Coffee ground and nuts for plants
Q
Comments (7)
You're talking about putting that stuff in a compost pile and putting the finished compost on your plants, right? I put that stuff in my compost all the time. I put the coffee grounds in with their paper filters. I put paper tea bags in intact -- string and paper tags too. I cut the plastic mesh tea bags open and discard the plastic. There are things you could dig directly into the ground around plants like banana peels, but, for the most part, better to let it decompose first. And when you put stuff around your plants, make sure to keep it 1 1/2" away from the stems to avoid stem rot. I've also used coffee grounds as a mulch but just for acid-loving plants like azaleas.
...See More
Used Tea Leaves/Coffee Grounds/Compost bin
Q
Comments (12)
I think you would be able to use the cooled leftover coffee to water your plants with. The only concern is it will stain the saucer or patio where it drains to. You can use the used coffee grounds or tea leaves to make a new batch of coffee or tea for a foliar feed or soil drench. You can use the grounds or tea leaves scratched into the soil. If you have a lawn, you can broadcast the grounds/tea leaves onto the lawn as a sort of fertilizer. I've never tried vermicomposting, as I have 2 compost piles outside, but I think it would be fun and create nice compost, and allow you to feed any other kitchen scraps as well. Laurie
...See More
Coffee Grounds vs Tea Grounds
Q
Comments (5)
I've not found any problem with dumping them, bag and all, in or on either the compost pile or the garden soil. The bags are also biodegradable.
...See More
Coffee Ground Tea?
Q
Comments (5)
Thank so much for all the replies. Yeah, guess I'll just add it to the compost, though it's a big ol' bag. >Would that be called coffee ground tea or is it just coffee?Lol. I thought about just calling it coffee, but seeing as how it it'd be diluted a great deal, it'd be more of a tea. Or, actually, more like my wife's coffee. :)
...See More
shabbu
Original Author
12 years ago
I was going to add cornmeal as a fertilizer. I still need to calculate how much cornmeal / alfa alfa I will need to apply for my lawn.
Kimmsr
12 years ago
As a general rule of thumb you can use the percent protein in those grains as the percent Nitrogen. If the material has 6 percent protein then you can simply assume 6 percent N and if the quantity is 40 pounds then there would be about 2.4 pounds of N in that bag.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES How to Prep Your Ground for a Healthy New Lawn

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Seed or sod that falls on weedy, lumpy soil is a wasted effort. Follow these steps to ensure that your new lawn will thrive

GROUND COVERS Ground Force: 10 Top Ground Covers for Your Garden

By Carol Bucknell Garden Design

Protect your soil from weeds and drought this summer with a living mulch of ground covers

LIFE How Do You Make Your Tea and Coffee in the Morning?

By Victoria Harrison

A morning cup is a must for many, and preparation comes in many guises. We look at coffee and tea habits across the Houzz community

KITCHEN DESIGN Hot Ideas and Tips for Coffee and Tea Stations

By Tiffany Carboni

Let options like drawer inserts and built-in coffeemakers percolate now, so your hot-drinks station can best serve holiday guests

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 6 Great Ways With Garden Ground Covers

By Matt Kilburn

Use them as problem solvers, weed killers, color and texture providers ... ground cover plants have both practical and visual appeal

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Creeping Juniper Holds Its Ground

By Paintbox Garden

Add texture and evergreen interest to a layered garden with this low-maintenance, good-looking ground cover

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Bugle Weed, a Quick Ground Cover

It’s highly adaptable, suppresses weeds, reduces erosion and provide weeks of bright flowers. Just watch for invasiveness

LANDSCAPE DESIGN How Grading Shapes the Ground and Manages Stormwater

By Falon Mihalic

Understand how an overall grading plan provides a framework for a great landscape design

GREEN BUILDING The Big Freeze: Inventors Break New Ground to Keep Things Cool

By Olivia Strigari

Old-fashioned fridges can be energy guzzlers, but there are more eco-friendly ways of keeping food fresh, as these global innovations show

LANDSCAPE DESIGN How to Design Your Landscape to Sink Water Into the Ground

By Falon Mihalic

Learn to infiltrate stormwater, even on challenging sites

Sponsored

Urban Upkeep LLC

6 Reviews

Franklin County's High Quality Painting Expert