How to Use Coffee Grounds in the Garden
May 30th, 2025 | Categories
Did you know used coffee grounds are a great way to naturally improve your soil and feed your plants?
Coffee grounds are a great natural garden booster when used correctly. They contain nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus – and a little caffeine – all of which can support healthy soil and plant growth.
But they’re not a miracle cure, and there are a few important things to know.
Always Mix, Never Mound
Coffee grounds are most effective when mixed with compost or raked lightly into soil.
Avoid applying a thick layer directly onto the top of your soil as this may block water and air from reaching the roots of your plants.
A good compost has a mix of “Green” and “Brown” materials. Coffee grounds are an excellent “Green” material to add to your compost so mix with “Brown” materials such as dry leaves, wood chips, cardboard and shredded newspaper for a well-balanced compost.
Loved by Plants and Worms
Certain plants including Roses and Hydrangeas will really benefit from the nutrients available in your used coffee grounds.
The worms also love coffee grounds so if you have a wormery throw them in!
They’re not for Everyone!
The residual caffeine in the grounds may stunt the growth of certain plants such as seedlings or tomatoes.
Caffeine is also toxic to dogs and some other wildlife when consumed in large amounts. This is another reason to mix in your grounds and not to dump in a layer on the surface of the soil.
Some say they deter slugs. A slug would certainly rather crawl over soil than coffee but if your plants look tasty it probably won’t stop them!
