Coffee drinkers don’t miss these few lines. Instead of throwing away your coffee grounds, use them in your garden. Your plants will thank you! If you don’t drink coffee, you can still get it at the local bistro and enjoy its many benefits.
1. A natural fertilizer
coffee grounds fertilizer coffee grounds are rich in potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. It is thus a perfect complement to natural fertilizers such as nettle manure or crushed horn.
When combined with coffee grounds, the latter is rich in nitrogen. They provide your plants with everything they need to thrive. Spread it at the foot of plants or mix it with the earth.
2. A pest repellant
With its strong smell, insect repellent coffee grounds have the advantage of repelling certain pests such as slugs, aphids, ants, flies, or nematodes. Do not hesitate to place it at the foot of your young seedlings so that mollusks no longer eat them.
Remember to repeat the operation regularly to preserve the effectiveness of the coffee, especially after it rains.
3. Cat repellent
We love our cats dearly, which gives it back to us with lots of purrs. However, it is impossible to make them understand that they should not nibble on the spathiphyllum or our brand new bed of perennials! To prevent your kitty from chewing on the leaves, apply coffee grounds. Place it at the base of the plant or spray the leaves with coffee. The smell will repel it, especially if you add your citrus peelings.
4. Part of the compost
Like nettle manure, coffee grounds act as a compost activator.
The biological activity that it induces allows a faster decomposition of the elements.
Make sure, however, that there are no more coffee grounds than other organic waste. Present in too much quantity, it inhibits the growth of plants.
5. An acidifier
Coffee grounds are a natural acidifier. If you are growing heather earth plants, feel free to add some to your substrate. So your hydrangeas will stay blue even in pH neutral soil. In the case of an alkaline pH, it is better to grow them in pots.
6. An earthworm magnet
The coffee grounds attract the earthworms, which come to take it deeper underground. This improves the soil, especially since it serves as food for earthworms. The latter has an important role because their movements help to aerate the earth. It is, therefore, organic waste to be favored in your vermicompost!
7. A seedling compost
Once dry, the coffee grounds are used as a substrate for your seedlings. Thanks to its nutrients and repellency, it is ideal for young shoots.
However, consider mixing it with special seedlings potting soil and sand to inhibit the growth of seedlings and provide a draining substrate.
8. A non-slip
Like salt, coffee grounds are used to prevent slipping on the aisles during periods of frost. More respectful of the environment, it has the same action as salt, thanks to its acidity. This avoids increasing the rate of soil and water salinity, which alters ecosystems.
9. Wood cleaner
Mixed in equal parts with water and white vinegar, coffee grounds are an ecological cleaner. It preserves the color of the wood and fades small scratches.
10. A substrate for mushroom cultivation
Inexpensive, coffee grounds are an ideal substrate for growing your own mushrooms. It would be best if you filled a sachet with it, adding mycelium.
After three weeks in a dark and warm place, all you have to do is take the sachet out into the light and water to maintain a certain humidity. Ten days later, you will see small mushrooms appear!
