I hope I’m not the only one who finds compost fascinating. After all, any process that can take organic waste and break it down into nutrients is an awe-inspiring thing! Tonight I found out that even my morning coffee is nutritious twice!
From The Rodale Book of Composting;
“The nutrient content of coffee residues varies according to the type of residue. Grounds have up to 2% nitrogen, 0.33 % phosphoric acid and varying amounts of potassium. Drip coffee grounds contain more nutrients than boiled grounds, though the potassium content is still below 1%. Other substances found include sugars, carbohydrates, some vitamins, trace elements and caffeine.
Coffee processing plants sell coffee chaff, a dark material containing over 2% nitrogen and potassium. Chaff is useful either as a mulch or as a compost. Apply your coffee grounds immediately, or mix them with other organic matter. They hold moisture extremely well. Left standing, they will quickly sour, inviting acetobacters (vinegar-producing microbes) and fruit flies.”
How cool is that! My coffee not only gives me a jolt of ambition but is healthy and helpful for my compost and plants too!
Used as fertilizer, the grounds add organic matter to your soil. This helps aerate the soil, feeds any worms and other tiny critters present (and attracts them if you don’t have them already), helps repel ants, improves drainage and increases water retention. I can tell you that adding used, cool coffee grounds definitely attracts worms. I’ve been adding grounds to our garden beds, formerly a mostly sandy mix of who-knows-what, and every year, I’m amazed to see worms happily twisting through the soil.
You want earthworms — their casings are full of micronutrients your plants need to thrive and resist stress. A plant that can resist stress is better equipped to repel harmful insects and short periods of drought.
There are dozens of other ways to make your morning cup help out in the garden, but that’s another post for another time. Do you garden? Let me know in the comments section!
2 comments:
I garden. I have four compost bins and a worm farm. And yes, himself's coffee grounds go into the compost. As do my tea leaves.
Worms don't like an excess of citrus or onion so I am careful how much I add.
That's excellent, EC!
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