Got my coffee grains sourced...now what?

[RobintheBobin]

Afternoon.

I've managed to find a really good supply of used coffee grains in quite large quantities as I heard they were great for clay soils but I'm not really sure how much to use and how to apply them?

I should be able to get at least a bin liner full each week if I wanted but should I leave them in the bags until winter or dig them in when I have free space on the plot i.e. just after I've harvested my winter onions or broadies for example?

Do I dig them in or sprinkle them on and leave? How much per 3" x 10" patch?

If I need to leave some because I haven't the space to dig them in do I leave them in a big pile or leave them in the bags - i thought they may rot?

I also managed to get two trays of used egg shells which I'm dead chuffed about cos my brassicas are going in now and over next few weeks - lots of lovely calcium to start them off

Thanks

[Capsid]

My approach has been to add it to the compost where I get the double whammy of speeding up the rotting process as well as improving the soil condition when I dig the compost in. But I'd be interested to hear advice about putting it direct on the soil especially as I have clay soil too.

[jackyspratty]

I followed this advise and am nnow the coffee queen of my lotty! Both zaz and two sheds said mulch mulch mulch! My clay soil was rock hard with couch root locked in it. I covered each bed with cardboard and spread the coffee on top of it. I also spread grass clippings, leaf mould, home made compost.....
I probably get about a black bin bag on average a week and just tend to add it as I get it. I add smaller amounts ofmy own ground coffee to the compo as we use it and spread some on pots too. I think the idea is that if you add it on top of the spoil or cardboard he worms do the work for you, pulling it down into the soil (Learnin aren't I!)

Am looking forward to seeing how it is this time next year. On the down side it makes yer car stin of rancid coffee! has put my OH off coffee!!!!

[Nykied]

I left my used coffee grounds in one of those big coffee tins and that went mouldy, if that helps.

[zazen999]

I just put it though my sieve, mixed with whatever I've got [if I'm digging weeds out, then the clay goes in with them, or sawdust, or home made compost] or just mulch with it and hoe it in.

[Guzzik]

One is wondering if one adds milk and suger during a rain shower thingy..................

[Two_Sheds]

I don't have huge quantities of coffee grounds, but what I do get is spread around my hostas & delphiniums. Not too thick though, because it does go mouldy

[snakeshack]

I use coffee grounds and tea leaves to mulch round my blueberries and cranberries as im told this helps with acid loving plants.

[WrexTheDragon]

I also have problems with them going mouldy, I try and mix it first with compost.

[stupot]

Is the grains going mouldy a problem? Surely that's a natural part of anything breaking down into the soil?

[OllieMartin]

It never stopped me using them.

Put coffee grounds in your compost bin. As noted above, they are a valuable source of nitrogen.
Add grounds directly to the soil in your garden. You can scratch it into the top couple inches of soil, or just sprinkle the grounds on top and leave it alone.
Create a slug and snail barrier. Coffee grounds are both abrasive and acidic, so a barrier of grounds placed near slug-prone plants may just save them from these garden pests.
Make coffee ground "tea." Add two cups of used coffee grounds to a five-gallon bucket of water. Let the "tea" steep for a few hours or overnight. You can use this concoction as a liquid fertilizer for garden and container plants. It also makes a great foliar feed.
Add coffee grounds to your worm bin. Worms love coffee grounds! Add some to your worm bin every week or so. Just don't add too many at once, because the acidity could bother your worms. A cup or so of grounds per week for a small worm bin is perfect

[RobintheBobin]

The first lot I have chucked into my compost bin. I was a little concerned after doing a bit of tinterweb research about them making my soil too acidic...

[Croila]

A week ago I put a good couple of handfuls of coffee grounds round my kohlrabi and cabbages as I read somewhere slugs hate the stuff. I think it's worked ... there seem to be a lot fewer nibble holes in the leaves anyway! I've got clay soil so if coffee helps that too, I guess that's an added bonus, though I have a feeling most Scottish soil is acidic so that may NOT be so good ...