Coffee and your garden

By Arthur Kundell

Are you interested in reducing your impact on the planet, saving some money, and getting a little bit more out of your daily cup of coffee?

If so, then this is the book for you.

We'll introduce you to the many uses of coffee grounds around the garden, from composting to mushrooms to firewood. We will tell you the facts and myths about coffee, turning solid information derived from scientific studies into easy-to-follow instructions to get you going.

So what will you find inside?

• The facts about coffee: How much do you know about coffee grounds? Not much? Well never fear, because we are here to help. This section will cover the important facts you need to know – from coffee-growing countries to the nitrogen content of the grounds, we've got you covered. We'll look at some typical coffee myths and explain why they're wrong.
• Getting your coffee: You can't use something you don't have! We show you where and how to obtain your coffee grounds – and some things to watch out for when you do.
• Coffee and composting: Coffee grounds are tailor-made for composting, adding a burst of energy and nitrogen to your compost pile. We'll provide instructions and tips for composting beginners and composting experts.
• Vermicomposting: Composting with worms is a speedy way to make high-quality organic fertiliser from 'waste' material. Coffee grounds are an excellent additive to your worm farm, and we'll show you some best-practice approaches.
• Mushrooms: People are catching on to coffee grounds' potential for growing mushrooms – businesses are popping up like, well, you know. We'll provide instructions on how to use coffee grounds to grow your own delicious mushroom crop.
• Mulching and fertilising: When in doubt, mulch! Coffee grounds work well when mulching and fertilising – if you know what you are doing. Luckily we have some useful information to help you out.
• Fuel pellets: Like sitting out by a crackling fire, but have no source of wood? Coffee grounds are an excellent fuel source with a higher calorific value than wood. We'll show you how coffee grounds can be combined with household materials to make fuel pellets and fire logs – an excellent project for you and your kids to try out.
• Watering with coffee: You don't care about the coffee grounds, you just want to water your plants with coffee? Well, you can do it, but you need to be careful! This section provides a few hints and tips to successfully water plants with coffee.

Sounds interesting? Then buy a copy today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arthur Kundell
• Release date: Aug 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215313428

Book preview

The facts and myths of coffee grounds

There are a number of facts floating around the internet regarding coffee and coffee grounds. Some of these are true. Some of these are false. Some of these are semi-true – there are elements of truth in them, but not in the way you normally think. The following sections will help lead you through the truth and semi-truth of these internet ‘facts’.

Coffee grounds are amazing for composting (definitely true)

The standard advice for coffee grounds is to use them in your compost pile, where they will help to create a nutrient-rich mixture perfect for the garden. This is completely true. Coffee has a carbon-nitrogen ratio which is ideal for composting micro-organisms. The act of composting breaks down any unwanted chemicals and avoids some problems such as compaction which you see with pure coffee grounds. Composting is, quite frankly, an amazing thing to do with your coffee. If you can only try one approach at home, try composting.

We cover coffee grounds, composting, and associated tips in the following section.

Your worm farm will love coffee grounds (definitely true)

Worm farms are a great way to quickly turn organic waste into useful soil additives. Vermicomposting, as it is known, provides you with a well-mixed, heterogeneous mixture that is rich in microbes, holds a lot of water and nutrients, and contains high levels of plant-accessible nitrogen. The worms will aerate the pile and speed up the composting rates as they happily burrow around eating bits and pieces of