Coffee grounds

twopenny

-taff said:

Now, if anyone can tell me what I can do with a huge bag of wood ash, I'd be grateful. That I've already applied to the beds and the compost and I have nowhere left to put it.

Yes, put it round raspberries, strawberries and other fruiting plants. It gives lots of flowers so lots of fruit. While you can use it with other plants it's wise to check.

I used to do this a lot when I had access to wood ash.

Soot too for some plants. Used to put it round newly put in tender plants to stop slugs. It works until heavy rain then you have to apply again. But it not only deters slugs but gives nitrogen to the plant. Some don't like it though. Seem to remember potatoes was one but again, check. These two things were told to me by some aged gardeners when I first started. Also to tread around brassicas, walk on the soil. That's worked well too.

Thnak you to everyone for this. Yes the worms in my compost heap are different to the garden worms. Thin and red. They turn up whenever I make a compost heap.

So I'll take the bags of grounds because they have been used under pressure but I'll ditch the ones I saved from my cafetiere. Took ages to dry them out where the bag ones are barely damp.

Another covid activity, learn about worm types!

Fosterdog

@twopenny I'd use the ones from the cafetière too, around half of my grounds come from a cafetière or percolator and the other half as pucks from my espresso machine and I've never noticed the loose grounds being detrimental in any way. I know some people only use the loose grounds and have no problems with it.


As for worms, there are lots of species of worms but the two main types are earthworms that live deep in the ground, they aerate the solid and come up to the surface when it rains. As they move around they transport the good organic matter deeper into the soil. Then there are composting worms that live in the top several inches of the soil and these are the ones that generally get into compost bins or people buy as composting worms, these are the ones that break down the organic matter into something the plants can use and that the earthworms can take to deeper levels and improve the soil.

There's obviously a lot more to it than that, but it's a basic breakdown. My worm bin only has actual composting worms because it's not the right environment for earthworms but my dalek composting bins get both, especially when it rains the earthworms like to come up to the surface and hide out in my daleks until it's safe for them to head back down, it's a better environment than being exposed outside.

twopenny

Thank you Fosterdog! Saved me a lot of time and frustrating searches.

Facinating.

I tend to get less of my cafetière as we have this great coffee served from a van by the sea who is the one that will supply me with bags. As he's also made been bags from the coffee sacks for me to sit on it's a win win. And being able to use the grounds, another win.

Goodness knows we need some these days.