Coffee grounds are an eco-friendly and effective pest repellent due to their strong smells and chemical properties. Many gardeners claim that coffee grounds repel harmful insects and other garden pests, such as flea beetles, lily beetles, aphids, slugs, and even cats. However, this idea is mostly wishful thinking. Ants and beetles are examples of pests who mainly use their senses of smell. Some strong-smelling herbs, such as lavender, sage, peppermint, and mugwort, can deter caterpillars.
To deter slugs and snails, sprinkle the grounds around the base of plants or create a barrier around your garden. Be sure to reapply after using the grounds. There are several myths surrounding coffee grounds in the garden, including the belief that they deter flea beetles. However, when implemented correctly, coffee grounds can be an effective way to repel certain pests such as wasps.
A foliar spray from coffee grounds can be made by fortifying the coffee liquid with compost tea for extra punch. The lingering coffee smell or flavor could make the leaves less appealing to the critters. Fortifying the coffee liquid with compost tea can also help repel insects and caterpillars.
However, most insects are not particularly effective when simply putting out grounds. Popular beliefs suggest that coffee grounds are a miracle product, keeping slugs and cats at bay, stimulating plant growth, and preventing fungus. Homemade garlic sprays can be used to deter pests like caterpillars and aphids. Vermicomposters often find that their worms love coffee grounds, so small quantities can be added to a worm bin if you have one.
Crushed eggshells are generally thought to repel slugs, but more research is needed to definitively conclude the efficacy of coffee grounds in deterring pests.
| Article | Description | Site |
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| The Truth about Coffee Grounds | According to popular belief, coffee grounds are practically a miracle product. They keep slugs and cats at bay, stimulate plant growth, prevent fungus, and … | laidbackgardener.blog |
| Do coffee grounds banish bugs due to their high nitrogen … | Yes, you can repel a number of insects with coffee, but most of the time simply putting out grounds is not particularly effective for most of the insects … | quora.com |
| These caterpillars are eating my beans, okra and peppers. … | Anyone know the type and what will keep them away? I’ve sprayed a mint/garlic/cayenne mixture, and using coffee grounds- no luck. | reddit.com |
📹 5 Simple Truths About Adding Coffee Ground & Egg Shells To The Garden
In this video I will be covering the truths about adding coffee grounds and eggshells in the garden. There are many questions, …
Do Coffee Grounds Repel Animals?
En resumen, los posos de café son un método efectivo y natural para repeler animales no deseados en el jardín. Al usar posos de café, puedes proteger tus plantas sin dañarlas. Estos funcionan como repelente ecológico, ya que muchos animales e insectos tienen narices sensibles que los llevan a evitar olores fuertes. El café, por su aroma, puede ser percibido como peligroso, lo que hace que los animales se mantengan alejados. Los posos de café actúan como repelentes naturales para diversas plagas como babosas, caracoles, hormigas y hasta gatos, gracias a su textura y olor.
Para utilizar los posos en el jardín, puedes esparcirlos sobre el suelo o alrededor de las plantas que deseas proteger, lo que ayuda a mantener alejados a animales como conejos. Además, se descomponen naturalmente, aportando nutrientes al suelo. Aunque su efectividad para repeler mosquitos es limitada, pueden servir como un disuasivo. También, los posos de café pueden ayudar a enmascarar olores de roedores muertos, mientras que aceites esenciales como el de menta o la orina de depredadores pueden ser más efectivos para ahuyentarlos.
En cuanto a otros animales, se ha comprobado que los gatos detestan el olor del café, lo que lo convierte en una opción práctica para proteger áreas como rosales. En general, los posos de café son una opción asequible, ecológica y útil para mantener a raya diversas plagas en jardines y hogares.
What Bugs Do Coffee Grounds Deter?
While some gardeners worry that coffee grounds attract pests, they actually serve as an effective repellent for various nuisances like wasps, snails, and mosquitoes. The strong smell of coffee acts as a natural deterrent, compelling insects and animals, which possess sensitive noses, to keep their distance. Research indicates that coffee grounds can ward off unwanted pests such as mosquitoes, cockroaches, and ants, making them an eco-friendly option to control infestations. Additionally, coffee grounds enrich soil with nutrients while simultaneously repelling pests like slugs and beetles due to their abrasive texture.
To utilize coffee grounds for pest control, gardeners can either set out bowls of used grounds or sprinkle them in outdoor areas and around plants. This approach not only keeps insects like fruit flies and beetles at bay but also fosters beneficial organisms like worms.
Moreover, coffee grounds are particularly effective against slugs, as their texture irritates the soft bodied creatures. While they may not eradicate roaches entirely, they can help deter them temporarily. Implementing coffee grounds properly can be a great way to naturally manage pests in the garden, promoting healthier plant growth. So, whether you're looking to repel mosquitoes or simply enhance your soil, incorporating coffee grounds into your gardening routine proves beneficial.
Can I Just Sprinkle Coffee Grounds On Plants?
Using coffee grounds in gardening can offer several benefits, as they add essential nutrients and improve soil structure. Coffee grounds enhance water retention, aeration, and drainage, making them a valuable organic amendment for plant health. To effectively use coffee grounds, it is recommended to sprinkle them as a thin, even layer around the base of plants approximately once a week. This moderate application ensures that the grounds do not form an impenetrable barrier, which could prevent water from reaching the soil and roots.
However, caution is necessary when using coffee grounds. Fresh grounds contain high levels of caffeine and acidity, which can be detrimental to plants by inhibiting growth and disrupting the soil’s pH balance. Therefore, it is best to use composted coffee grounds, which have lower acidity and caffeine levels, reducing the risk of harming plant roots. Composting coffee grounds also allows them to decompose properly, integrating their nutrients more effectively into the soil.
Excessive use of coffee grounds can lead to negative outcomes such as inhibited seed germination, stunted plant growth, and increased susceptibility to fungal and bacterial diseases, including root rot. It is particularly important to avoid applying large amounts of coffee grounds around young seedlings or new plants, as they are more vulnerable to these adverse effects. Additionally, coffee grounds can compact quickly, trapping moisture and fostering mold growth if not adequately dispersed.
For optimal results, coffee grounds can be added to compost containers or worm bins, where they serve as a nitrogen-rich "green" material that breaks down efficiently. Once composted, the grounds can be mixed into the soil or used as a top dressing around mature plants. By leveraging coffee grounds thoughtfully and in moderation, gardeners can harness their benefits while minimizing potential risks, thereby enriching the soil and promoting healthy plant growth.
How Do You Keep Caterpillars Away?
To deter caterpillars and pests in your garden, consider using copper tape as a barrier. Copper can generate an unpleasant reaction for these pests. Additionally, maintaining garden hygiene is crucial; routinely clear away fallen leaves and debris where caterpillars might hide or pupate, thereby reducing their habitat. Natural predators such as parasitic flies, wasps, and birds can help control caterpillar populations.
For caterpillar removal, hand-picking is the most effective method. Equip yourself with garden gloves, a bucket filled with hot water and mild dish soap, and physically remove the caterpillars from the plants. This approach is both efficient and environmentally friendly. It's also important to identify the type of caterpillars you are dealing with, as some may need to be relocated rather than eliminated.
To further prevent caterpillars from invading your vegetable garden, you can use insect netting or set up barriers like cardboard or tin foil around the base of plants. These materials can stop caterpillars from climbing. If eggs are present on your plants, these barriers may have limited effectiveness. Alternatively, soapy lukewarm water can be used to wash plants thoroughly, targeting any caterpillars present.
Natural remedies, such as vinegar or soap sprays, neem oil, and baking soda fungicide, can also be utilized for pest control. Hand-picking, keeping soil moist, and removing infested leaves disrupt the caterpillar lifecycle, aiding in their management and prevention of further infestations.
Do Coffee Grounds Deter Caterpillars?
Using coffee grounds as a foliar spray can repel insects and caterpillars due to their undesirable scent and flavor, making plants less appealing to pests. Gardeners often reinforce the coffee solution with compost tea for enhanced effectiveness. The strong aroma of coffee seemingly signals danger to many insects and animals, which may result in them avoiding treated areas. While anecdotal evidence suggests that coffee grounds can deter various pests like flea beetles, lily beetles, and even cats, the effectiveness can vary.
Caffeine, a natural insect repellent found in coffee, is believed to contribute to this effect. To target slugs and snails, sprinkling coffee grounds around plants creates a barrier. However, for caterpillars, dissolving the grounds in warm water can be more effective. It is crucial to note that many claims about coffee grounds’ pest-repelling abilities may be exaggerated.
While coffee grounds can offer some benefits, simply scattering them is not often sufficient to deter most pests. The addition of organic matter to the soil is one of the primary advantages of using coffee grounds. Some gardeners and vermicomposters report positive results, with worms enjoying coffee grounds in small amounts. Despite the mixed effectiveness, when applied correctly, coffee grounds can help in keeping certain pests away, such as wasps, snails, and mosquitoes.
Experts also recommend alternative homemade remedies, like garlic sprays, for repelling caterpillars and aphids. Ultimately, results can vary, and personal experimentation is vital to finding what works best in a particular garden.
Why Should Coffee Grounds Not Be Used In The Garden?
Gardeners often face challenges when using coffee grounds as mulch, as a thick layer can create caffeine-rich soil that stunts plant growth. A more effective strategy involves mixing coffee grounds with other organic materials, emphasizing moderation for beneficial results. While coffee grounds contribute nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, excessive use can lead to issues. They serve multiple purposes in the garden, such as enhancing soil quality, fertilizing plants, and deterring pests. However, common misconceptions about their antimicrobial properties can lead to garden damages.
Many gardeners overlook that too much coffee grounds can hinder germination and overall plant health due to the caffeine they contain. The safest approach is to incorporate used coffee grounds into compost or worm bins, promoting better soil health. They can successfully serve as natural pest repellents for vulnerable plants, like those prone to slugs, but caution is needed. Avoid applying large amounts of fresh grounds, as they can tie up nitrogen temporarily and affect soil moisture levels, potentially fostering diseases.
Despite misconceptions about enhancing soil acidity and fertility, fresh grounds can be detrimental to newly seeded areas due to their allelopathic properties, which inhibit plant growth. While coffee grounds can be advantageous in a garden, they should be used judiciously, focusing on composting and moderation to achieve optimal results.
What Is The Best Natural Deterrent For Caterpillars?
To keep caterpillars away from your garden using natural remedies, consider employing vinegar or soap spray, baking soda fungicide, neem oil, and Dipel. Direct removal methods, like hand-picking, also prove effective. Although caterpillars may seem innocuous, their significant appetite can damage plants severely. A simple solution is mixing a small amount of organic liquid soap in warm water to create a spray for plants like vegetables and roses. Strong-smelling herbs, such as lavender, sage, and peppermint, can deter caterpillars, but avoid planting mint directly as it can invade.
You can also leverage homemade solutions like garlic and chili sprays, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), or neem oil for humanitarian pest control. Be proactive by planning your garden to include pest-repelling plants, and utilize direct removal methods to minimize caterpillar presence. Vinegar and garlic solutions are effective for repelling these pests—mixing vinegar with water can kill and deter various garden pests, while garlic solutions exploit their aversion to the smell.
Additionally, introducing flowers around vegetable gardens can attract beneficial insects and birds that prey on caterpillars. Remember, an integrated approach combining various natural remedies will help maintain a pest-free garden. Choose pet-safe plants and explore multiple natural repellents and homemade sprays to enhance your garden's defenses against caterpillars. Enjoy a flourishing, caterpillar-free garden!
Do Coffee Grounds Deter Pests?
Coffee grounds serve as an eco-friendly pest deterrent due to the chemicals they contain, which can harm or repel various insects and animals, including ants, mosquitoes, and slugs. Their strong aroma alerts insects and animals, keeping them at a distance and enabling the effectiveness of coffee grounds as a natural repellent. The grounds are particularly useful for deterring pests in gardens and homes through practical applications. Sprinkling coffee grounds in garden soil or around plants helps create a barrier that pests avoid, thanks to their sensitivity to the smell.
Research indicates that coffee grounds help ward off common nuisances such as cockroaches, fruit flies, and beetles. By setting out bowls of coffee grounds or applying them around outdoor areas, one can effectively repel these pests. The compounds in coffee grounds exhibit toxic properties towards many insects, making them a safe and effective solution for pest control.
However, improper disposal of coffee grounds can lead to pest infestations indoors, compromising living and working spaces. It is essential to manage their use properly to maintain hygiene. When applied correctly, coffee grounds can specifically repel pests like wasps, snails, and mosquitoes. They discourage the presence of ants as the acidic nature of coffee can damage them.
Overall, coffee grounds provide a safe alternative to chemical pesticides, helping to manage and prevent pest issues in both gardens and homes. These simple yet effective applications make coffee grounds a versatile tool in natural pest control, contributing to a more sustainable gardening and living experience.
Does Coffee Kill Beetles?
Coffee is detrimental to beetles and can be utilized as a natural pest repellent for various garden nuisances. Spread coffee grounds around plants plagued by pests to deter them effectively. Burning coffee grounds indoors can repel bees, while dissolving grounds in warm water can keep caterpillars at bay, resembling weak tea. The strong aroma of coffee serves as a warning to many animals and insects, making it an eco-friendly repellent.
Gardeners often suggest that coffee grounds repel not just beetles, but also aphids, slugs, and even cats, although some claims may be overestimated. The pleasant smell for humans turns out to be off-putting for many insects, with evidence supporting that it deters mosquitoes, ants, and various beetles.
Caffeine, a natural chemical found in coffee, acts as an insecticide, making freshly ground coffee a potent deterrent. However, it is important to note that coffee grounds themselves do not kill bugs; they simply repel them. Many garden enthusiasts claim that using coffee grounds effectively discourages pests, with some indication that it might be more effective when fresh. Additionally, coffee has evolved as a natural defense mechanism against pests that devour coffee beans, as the caffeine content can be lethal to various insects.
In summary, coffee grounds can be an advantageous choice for gardeners aiming to keep their plants safe from harmful pests, enhancing the success of gardens while minimizing reliance on synthetic pesticides.
Will Coffee Grounds Keep Mosquitoes Away?
Coffee grounds are known for their intense aroma, which is a natural repellent for mosquitoes. All forms of coffee—fresh, used, or burnt—repel these insects. The most effective method for utilizing coffee grounds as a mosquito deterrent is by burning them, as this enhances their scent and disrupts mosquitoes’ ability to locate humans. This method has become a popular household hack on social media, prompting inquiries into its effectiveness. Experts confirm that using burnt coffee grounds not only repurposes waste but also effectively keeps pests, including mosquitoes, bees, and wasps, at bay.
Research supports the idea that coffee grounds can significantly reduce mosquito bites. While simply scattering coffee grounds may not yield immediate results, studies indicate that water infused with coffee or used grounds can prevent adult mosquitoes from laying eggs in those areas. Coffee grounds emit a strong, bitter smell when burnt, which is unappealing to mosquitoes and other pests.
While anecdotal evidence suggests that burning coffee grounds is beneficial, there is limited conclusive research. Nonetheless, it is well-known that the scent of coffee masks the human odor that attracts mosquitoes, and consequently, burning coffee grounds serves as an effective repellent. Additionally, coffee grounds can also deter other insects and pests, making them a multipurpose solution.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), coffee grounds are a safe method to combat insect pests. In summary, the use of burnt coffee grounds as a natural mosquito repellent is gaining traction, combining waste reduction with pest control effectively.
What Animals Hate Used Coffee Grounds?
Coffee grounds serve as a natural pest repellent, particularly effective against ants, slugs, snails, and other unwanted animals due to their toxic caffeine content. Ants dislike coffee grounds, which can be used to form a protective barrier around homes and gardens by laying down a 2-inch wide line at entrances and foundations. Research indicates that coffee grounds repel a range of animals, including cats, rabbits, and deer, as they possess sensitive noses that detect harmful scents. The strong odor of coffee alerts many insects and animals to danger and prompts them to avoid areas treated with coffee grounds.
The article highlights ten types of pests deterred by coffee, including ants, beetles, and squirrels, who particularly dislike the aroma. Coffee grounds are versatile, effective in preventing slugs from damaging hostas and keeping cats from using garden beds as litter boxes, all while maintaining an eco-friendly approach. By mixing coffee grounds into garden soil, one can repel slugs and enhance composting efforts. Moreover, coffee grounds help mask odors from deceased rodents and can deter them alongside other organic deterrents.
Ultimately, coffee grounds are an inexpensive solution for gardeners looking to protect their plants and maintain a pest-free environment. Their strong smell effectively wards off many animals and insects, making it a practical addition to gardening strategies. Coffee's natural repellent qualities not only keep troublesome critters at bay but also enrich the garden's soil condition.
📹 Get rid of snails & slugs with coffee 1!
One word of caution about coffee grounds is that they still contain caffeine, which can stunt the growth of some seedlings. Coffee grounds work better around mature plants that are already established, or as a compost ingredient. The earthworms love it, and I’ve noticed they move a lot faster as a result.
I watched a article from a woman who brought a plant back to life with plain ol’ coffee. The plant looked amazing, as it was almost dead, apparently. So, now, every morning I take my leftover (from making one cup) grounds and put them into a glass coffee carafe I use for a lot of purposes, and I fill it up with water and the leftover bit of grounds. The water is a light tan. I water my plants with it, and dump the grounds there, too. I have noticed in the past two days, after four days of doing this, that the plants have perked up and the leaves have turned dark green. I don’t want to overdo it, so will try to space it out over a couple of weeks before adding what amounts to a “tea” again. A coffee tea. Who would have thought?
I throw eggshells and coffee grounds directly onto my garden plot all your long. In the spring it gets tilled in, during the growing season it gets layered on top of the garden with the grass clippings I put on the garden. This is the second year of my garden, started with a Bermuda grass yard last year, and my plants are doing so much better this year.
My question has already been answered in the comments. I sure didn’t know about salmonella in the shells and thanks for that. I got some endrot in my tomatoes last year and solved it with cheap antacid tab’s ground into a powder then soaked overnight in water and poured around the plants. I received results almost immediately. Not a blemish one on the next setting.
Well done again. Over time. This is by no means the first time you use these words because quite frankly, there is no snappy way to get things done when dealing with our soil. As for myself I prefer composting the materials mentioned by making a hot compost pile. Best way of getting nitrogen and calcium plant available sooner, and even then we cannot forget these 2 words, over time since it’s not happening overnight.
@MIgardener I use coffee in my garden from time to time. Instead of grounds I usually take a cup of leftover coffee and dilute it with a gallon of water. I use it on my blueberries and greens. They seem to like it. Am I harming my plants in any way? I use the grounds around my greens whenever I see slugs and snails. Something about the coffee keeps them away. Thank you Luke …love your website. I always learn something here.
My grandfather always burried coffee grounds, raw veggie & fruit scraps, and egg shells to the compost bin for years. He had several bins and areas. Large logs laying on the ground in a pile, a compost bin for smaller branches, one bin that he added his scraps to, and one compost that was almost perfect that as he needed it we screened it to make sure big stuff wasn’t still in there before using it. I have yet to get where he was!
I make a tea like fertilizer. I take Banana peels. Instant coffee, Epsom salt and lots of water and let it sit in a two litter bottle. I take crushed eggs shells when I setup my containers and add eggshells and my fert tea to the soil in the pots over the winter and let it sit under my uv lights with my plants that I allow to grow indoors over the harsh minnesota winters
I have an Oster that I bought for $19.95 at Walmart, and I use it to powder eggshells, charcoal and old rotten drywall. I will occasionally run chicken bones through it as well. It works great! I thought for sure I would bend the blades, but it has held up very well, despite running some burn-pile charcoal through it that occasionally sparked as I hit a missed nail or something. I did NOT know that about the salmonella and egg shells; great info, thanks!
I use dried egg shells when making coffee each morning. I keep a can to empty the coffee grounds/eggs shells into and when it’s full, I add it to one of my gardens. We have clay soil here and anything to loosen it up is welcome. I also add the soggy spruce needles that collect in the house gutters. LOL. The flowers and veggies seem to like it.
I put crushed eggshells in my raised beds to keep the cats from using it as a litter box. It works. I notice birds seem to like them and I’ve seen some of the shells get carried off by them. After the plants start coming up the cats have usually started avoiding the boxes. One cat still doesn’t care and will lay on some of my plants. So this year I’m going to try putting plastic forks prongs up around the borders and plants.
More details about eggshells: Calcium in eggshells is what everyone cares about but it’s mostly in the form of solid calciumcarbonate CaCO3, which is unusable for plants. Plants like tomatoes need water-soluble Ca2+ ions. In general, plants need all their nutrients water soluable because how else would it go into the plant lol. This is why it doesn’t usually work immediately to randomly put eggshells in soil because you need a process to convert CaCO3 into Ca2+. This is what decomposition and letting nature run its course does: All the organisms and the environmental factors like rain water and weather will slowly convert it into Ca2+. But this takes AGES, usually months to many years depending on particle size. By the time any Ca2+ is actually available, your season is long over and your plants have probably died. There is a way to circumvent the natural decomposition and break-down process and make it quicker with the help of chemistry knowledge: The “eggs-in-a-vinegar-solution-experiment” is a popular school kids experiment to explain a bit of chemistry. You can use the same background to your advantage here: You properly sterilize and crush (better pulverize to increase surface area) dried eggshells and add it to a vinegar solution. Let it react until no more bubbles appear (takes a couple of hours). Most household available vinegar is 5-10% acetic acid in water. The chemical reaction that happens is: CaCO3(s) + 2CH3COOH(l) -> Ca(CH3COO)2(s) + H2O(l) + CO2(g). The reaction products are all harmless what you get is solved Calciumacetate, which gives you the Ca2+ ions.
Thank you for this! So tired if hearing about eggs under tomatoes to help them. I did try and never worked. I add eggshell and coffee year round to the same raised beds and started to worry about raising the acidity. Had noticed coffee grounds didn’t seem to help with leaf growth like I thought it should. This explains alot. Thanks again!!!
Wow!! I have been making eggshell powder, and Did not know this, it’s bagged up and I thought was ready for use, is it possible to put it in the airfryer, if nit I will of course figure out a way, possible the grill and and using a cookie tray, thank you, such an amazing website, East of Cadillac so your my go to expert Now!!! God bless you!!
I always pulverize my eggshells after sterilizing them in the oven. If I have banana peels I dry them and grind them up to add to my veggie beds for a hit of Potassium along with the Calcium. Sometimes I add white vinegar to the eggshells and leave it overnight. It is then strained and added at the rate of one tablespoon per litre of water. This makes a really fast acting calcium foliar spray.
in November every year, I take my leaves and run them twice through my mulching vacuum tool then add directly to soil (8ft x 16ft garden) – then spread some coffee grounds, dig out the summer worth of ash/dirt from my fire pit and then run the tiller and churn it all together before the first snow. sits all winter and then till again before planting in spring – gets me good zuccini, summer squash and tomaters. every other year i add 2 big bricks of new dirt and same amount of Peat moss. pretty healthy dirt. should i add other stuff?
There was a study done by the Alabama agriculture extension I believe the name was, they found that coarsely ground egg shells performed roughly just as well as ag lime. And finely ground shells outperformed pure calcium carbonate as far as putting readily available for uptake calcium in the soil goes. My blossom end rot never came back after trying it
Put one tablespoon of eggshell powder into a pitcher and add two tablespoons of white vinegar to it, after you’ve done that, stir this up and leave this mixture over night, what will happen is that the calcium will be converted into a form of calcium that will de solve into water making it available for the plants to take it up. So after a night of converting you need to add one liter of water to this mixture and stir it through before giving it to the plants.
Hi Luke, Starbucks gave me two full boxes of coffee grounds in loose trash bags that were in boxes. Total weight is about 50-75 lbs. It’s early November here in NE Georgia. How do you suggest I use them in my 60 sq ft of raised beds? Should I spread them on top or mix them into the soil? Should I add it now or wait until next spring? Thanks so much for helping out.
I need some help 😬 I got some strawberry roots and I’ve never grown them that way so it was a big mess. I planted them on the right half of my garden but after a month of no growth I added compost and plant feed into my garden, pretty much tilled it all by hand. Turns out they grew! But they ended up right where I planted my potatoes, on the left half of the garden. The potatoes are almost ready to harvest but it’s all surrounded by strawberry plants. Is there any way I can harvest the potatoes without destroying all my strawberry plants around it? I have my been able to mound the potato plants because of the strawberry plants and I really dont want to destroy the strawberries because I’ve tried multiple times to grow them unsuccessfully and would like them to atleast bear fruit so more will grow next year. Any advice what to do? I’m stuck on what I should do, bad garden planning on my part. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Just a couple of quick questions.. I’m new at starting from seeds. Can a tomatoe thats been purchased from the store, put in the refrigerator, be used to grow plants?. Also can the tomatoes or peppers either, be green to get the seeds to germinate, or must they be red?. I’ve always just gone to a nursery and bought plants, but decided to try my luck at starting with seeds. Thanks, I really enjoy your articles
if one consistently places food waste in the garden this obviates the unnecessary grinding in a bender or mortar what you put in today will be available in two years – what you put in two years ago is now available; just be consistent and patient. I put all food waste in the garden. Place bones in a container so animals wont get them; after the insects clean the bones then bones go into the garden (phosphorus source). All paper trash that is doesn’t have colored printing on it (remove the plastic window on envelopes) also goes into garden as a mulch. Cardboard (plain) is used to mulch around fig trees to keep weeds down; it disintegrates in 1 year. When go to grocery store collect cardboard boxes to use around trees; never can get enough. This process makes less for the dump and replaces buying fertilizer.
Would you please do a comprehensive garden tour? I think you mentioned that you were watering less because you were using a high humus soil. Also, you added a microbial booster this year. Do you use municipal water? Is it chlorinated? I understand chlorinated water will kill beneficial microbes. Do you have nitrogen fixing plants growing among your cultivatars? How are you managing pests? This may be too much for one article, but I’m so impressed with your yields.
Great article! We all want instant results but nature doesn’t work that way 😊 Cooking eggshells before adding to the garden is good from a safety point of view but also the shells break down quicker (In my experience) To get eggshell minerals into the garden quicker I partly dissolve them in cider vinegar first for a few days. As the shells dissolve the acidity reduces. I dilute the liquid with water and add it, then throw the leftover shells on the garden too.
Luke, I had a late start to my garden due to a major surgery. Purslane is taking over. I am sort of ok with it since I live in the southwest with lots of clay. I have added underground worm buckets to help my soil. Any thoughts on leaving purslane through the early spring? Btw I love your website. I’m a new gardener, year three😊
After putting coffee grounds in my garden for years, I found a much faster more efficient method of breaking down the coffee grounds. Black Soldier Flies. Works really fast and totally breaks it down. I get 3 things from this method. 1. A liquid that drains out of the bottom that is an extremely good fertilizer for my potted plants. It is way too strong to use as is and must be diluted with water. 2. The most fertile compost ever. Use this to sprout seeds because of its nutrients and fine composition. 3. The worms harvest themselves and are fed to my exotic birds and chickens. These worms also eat all my food scraps including onions, garlic, meat, fruit, veg, manure, dead animals, birds, fish, etc. They eat it all. I can toss a dead rat into it and it is eaten within 24 hours.
Three weeks ago you made a whole article about NOT harvesting without your cutting tools. What the heck are you doing with those cukes?! lol ~~ I’m a big coffee fan, every other day is brew day. I walk outside & empty the coffee filter in a different spot each time. As for eggs, I have a plate for the shells to dry for one day and a mortar & pestle to grind them right in the kitchen. I sprinkle them about when the pestle is full.
Not a typical problem. But ive had coffee grounds mold ontop the soil. Still not sure why. It was just the one time. Same problems i had with the starter pods, they stayed wet alot longer then the soil. So i had mold issues alot with the pods. I still use coffee grounds, but starter pods. Never again, consistently had mold issues
due to a lack of grass and over-abundance of dead fall leaves, I always put coffee grounds in my compost bins due to it being a ‘green’ material, especially since I can get large bags of it for free from my nearby Starbucks. Worms love it so it brings them in to help with the composting process, too. Egg shells I always crush them up pretty small and add them to my compost as well, or throw a handful or two in when mixing up a brand new batch of soil for containers or newly built raised beds
Let me ask, are you sure it’s 2 years? I ask, because that might be the time it takes to totally break down, not the time it takes to start breaking down… meaning over 2 years there is benefit in theory. I’m and engineer not a chemist, but there is a difference between erosion and corrosion. Stiff fibrous things like egg shells, pine bark and coco husks disintegrate more by erosion I beleive, as the particles get smaller surface area increases, erosion continues until the tiny microbes start to have the larger effect on disintegration. What plants need seems simple compared to wait they live in, same with humans, lol. So npk, that’s tiny molecules compared to the proteins in pine bark or egg shells… but molecules have a half life not and end date, meaning they break apart slowly. All in theory not my field… but pretty sure eggshells and coffee grounds won’t hurt in moderation… same as pine bark… big molecules down to small, seems the game is really about finding the right decomposition speed so you never need to fertilize, at least to me😂… seems pretty tough in a container garden, lots of soil options but little seems truely engineered.
@Gabriella Castro Well, besides your plants being up all night long I would say no;) Coffee grounds are good for the soil in moderation. You don’t want to put pounds and pounds and pounds of it in the same spot because it will raise the pH of the soil but a handful at the base of the plant is fine. Since you’re going all organic I would suggest using an organic coffee ground:) One good thing it will do (besides keeping away snails and slugs) is it will bring around earthworms!
This is great. I have been going through a 6 pack of beer every week filling my “Slug Saloons” made from old cottage cheese and yogurt containers. I’ve killed more than 380 slugs so far in the past 2 months (I’m in Oregon) This idea will allow me to drink more of the beer and still repel the slugs. Thanks Brotha’
Will do. Great idea here (if i do say so myself): I used to work at subway and I brought home all the grouts and veg cutting for compost (it worked great in the compost bins) My boss loved it as it saved him space in the bins. So, if your short on them, you could go to your local cafe/coffee shop and ask for their grouts and doubt they will have any problems with it.
You would have to google all that but I would say no, the coffee should not heart any other good bugs unless the coffee is not organic. Yes, you can put coffee in your compost pile and worms love it:) Organic coffee grounds is a must if you are wanting to have an organic garden. Non-organic coffee grounds will make your soil non-organic. In turn that will make your veggies non-organic. Hope that helps:)
@azllv1 No problem at all! I am happy to help in any way I can:) This will take care of them! One thing to remembe is this will not kill them but they will stay away. If you want to kill them put down beer in a deep dish and they will kill themselves:) Did you subscribe to my website? I do updates all the time on other issues in the garden and if you subscribe you will be notified if I add a article. God Bless!!
Do you use used coffee grounds or fresh? I have ducks in the garden that eat slugs and snails like they are candy. The problem is that they also eat lettuce and will generally eat any seedling once to see if they like it, which results in lots of damage to tender seedlings, so I fence the veggies off to keep the ducks out. I don’t have a huge slug problem, but enough to try the coffee grounds. I’ll use my old used coffee grounds and see how that works.
I know of others who used the beer trap and it neither worked for them. :-(. I had to resort to the last choice, using pellets. I diged a gutter with some wholes around the veg area and placed the pellets there, as I didn’t want to put them directly with the veggies, each morning I do found many death slugs, unfortunately there must be eggs on the ground as I find several babies with the veggies. :-(.
I don’t know, I’m based in the UK. Some were big others were babies, I was quite disappointed, I end up putting it all in the compost during last couple years (a bit at the time), I had 100’s of bags! now I can’t get them any more, as at the time a neighbourgh brought them from work and he now has changed work.
I used to think they were creepy too, but they’re incredibly interesting to watch actually .. anyway, I had the same problem with slugs coming in my KITCHEN at night. I’d see trails of dried slime over everything (cutting boards, etc). I had to resort to leaving absolutely NOTHING out, not even my dog’s food at night. Everything that even remotely looks like food, from crumbs to spilled gravy will attract them. I don’t have problems with them (inside) anymore. Will try coffee grounds outside.
I used 5 kilo of used coffee grounds around my seedlings and beans…. SNAILS AND SLUGS LOVE COFFEE GROUNDS, my seedlings and beans were stumps the very next day and the coffee grounds were covered in silver trails!!!. In my compost tumbler I must have put 10 kilo+ and theres slugs and snails still popping the heads up. COFFEE GROUNDS DON’T WORK… THEY LOVE EM!