After reading countless articles praising the benefits of using coffee grounds in the garden, I set out to put these claims to the test myself and find out the truth. But not everything went according to plan. In this article, I reveal what really happened.
VERDICT: 1/10 AVOID
My Experience with Using Coffee Grounds in the Garden
I’ve seen so many articles suggesting ways to benefit from coffee grounds in the garden. Many recommend scattering them directly onto flower beds or vegetable patches, while others tout their benefits for composting. Curious to test these claims out, I started experimenting with coffee grounds in my own garden.
First, I tried adding some used coffee grounds to my compost pile, hoping they would efficiently break down and add nutrients to my soil. However, I noticed the grounds didn’t seem to be composting very well. They held their shape for a long time without much signs of breakdown. This went against expectations, as efficient composting of coffee grounds breaks them down into a fine texture.
I also direct sowed some coffee grounds into a new raised garden bed, mixing them into the top few inches of soil. Unfortunately, problems quickly emerged. The area with grounds stayed constantly moist, and fungal issues started popping up among my tomato and pepper plants. It seemed the grounds were compacting in the soil and preventing good drainage.
Curious what research said about successfully with coffee grounds, I discovered studies have found issues. One noted that when directly adding grounds to compost, extra brown material was needed to balance nutrients. It also led to nitrogen loss, an important element for plant growth.
At this point, I realized coffee grounds were not breaking down as promised either in my compost or garden soil. Their tendency to compact negatively impacted the conditions in both places. It seems the claims of coffee grounds being a simple soil additive didn’t match my real-world experiences while using them in my garden spaces.
Overall, in my experience, coffee grounds were not very beneficial for my compost or garden soil. The antibacterial properties and tendency to compact negatively impacted the microbes and drainage. 👎
I recommend you use coffee grounds in your backyard chicken coop instead of the garden. My beds are much healthier without coffee!
While coffee grounds may have some uses, I don’t think they are generally the best amendment for the soil.
RECOMMENDED: Soil Calculator [Free Tool] – Calculate the amount of soil needed for your raised garden bed, potting container, or garden container with this handy soil calculator.
Citations:
[1] https://www.ruralsprout.com/coffee-grounds-garden/
[2] https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/1626411/how-to-change-hydrangeas-colour-hack-colours-pink-blue-gardening-tips
[3] https://skygarden.london
[4] https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/live-updates-plane-crashes-anglesey-28608715
[5] https://www.gardenista.com
[6] https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/how-to-grow-lentils
[7] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxrkx7elvxyo
[8] https://www.homesandgardens.com/gardens/how-to-sow-seeds-indoors
