Can You Eat Coffee Grounds?

It is possible to eat coffee grounds however they are a good source of caffeine and can cause stomach discomfort when consumed in large quantities. They also contain antioxidants that are good for you when consumed in moderate amounts.

Spent coffee grounds are excellent for fertilizing the garden and indoor plants. Mix them well prior to spreading them on the soil to prevent clumping and preventing water and air from reaching the plant roots.

Amends Soil

A natural form of mulch, a layer of dry coffee grounds layered on the top of the soil in your garden will help increase moisture retention and reduce erosion. The coarse texture helps aerate soil, which aids roots and organic material penetrate deeper into the soil. Coffee grounds also have the benefit of being able to accelerate the process of decomposition in compost piles.

Although many gardeners recommend coffee grounds to amend soil and reduce the pH, they aren't nearly as efficient as other, more natural methods. According to soil scientist Linda Brewer of the Oregon State University Extension Service, coffee grounds are pH neutral and do not alter the pH of soil to a great extent. Instead, she suggests adding them to a compost pile so that they can be used as an slow-release fertilizer.

The grounds contain some nitrogen, but also low levels of potassium and phosphorus and other micronutrients that are slowly released into the soil as the grounds degrade. However, Brewer warns that if you use coffee grounds in the garden, test the soil's pH before planting. If the results are high add sulfur into the soil to lessen its acidity. This will encourage healthy plant growth.

Sprinkle coffee grounds around plants that are plagued by slugs and snails. The rough surface and smell are believed to repel pests. The same method is used to create holes in ants.

It is also believed that adding grounds of coffee to the soil can suppress the growth of weeds. Its allelopathic properties hinder the germination of some seeds and hinder weed growth. Coffee grounds can also be sprinkled over the top of the garden to deter animals like cats, rabbits, and other pests.

Deters Slugs & Snails

Coffee grounds contain a high amount of caffeine, which is toxic to snails. Caffeine affects the nerves of these mollusks, causing them to lose water. Due to this, snails and slugs tend to avoid areas where coffee grounds have been scattered. The sharp edges of the ground beans coffee grounds can also deter these insects.

Slugs and snails are common garden pests, eating away at leafy greens like basil, lettuce and even strawberries. They also damage flowers and consume seeds. In order to help prevent these pests from ruining your home garden, scattering cooled coffee grounds around your plants will repel them.

In addition to aiding in slug and snail control, coffee grounds can also function as a natural fertilizer when added to your compost pile. They release nitrogen, which is essential for growth of plants. However, it is important to mix your grounds of coffee beans ground with plenty of brown organic material such as twigs or dried leaves, to maintain a balance between nitrogen and carbon.

Garden barriers are another effective way to keep snails out. They can be constructed from materials like diatomaceous Earth, sand, the grit and grit. Slugs can be managed by introducing predators into the garden. This includes snakes, birds toads, toads and many other predators.

While some people recommend spraying a solution of coffee grounds and water around your garden, this technique is not considered humane because it essentially sprays slugs with caffeine. Instead, it is suggested to use a barrier method to keep these creatures out of your garden or introduce them to their natural predators. Slugs and snails are beneficial to your garden, since they provide sources of nitrogen. They also eat dead organisms.

Deter Cats

Stray cats pose a serious problem for gardeners. They can cause many damages to your flowers and your lawn, Vanilla ground coffee particularly when they spray or urinate on your patio or defecate there. Natural, inexpensive and harmless methods to deter cats are a great way to guard your garden from their curiosity and help the environment.

Coffee grounds are a common and effective DIY cat repellent. The strong and intense scent of the coffee grounds is a nastiness to cats and can deter them from stepping into your garden or patio areas. The texture of the soil is also unappetizing to cats, which may make them want to stay away.

Spreading coffee grounds across your flower pots or the garden bed is the best ground espresso way to discourage stray cats. Make sure to keep the grounds exposed for a few hours to allow them to dry completely. Once they're fully dried, you can apply them to your garden beds or flower pots in areas that are known to be frequented by stray cats.

The coffee grounds aren't harmful to plants, unlike other cat repellents that are homemade, like rosemary oil and citrus peels. However, it's important to keep in mind that smell of the grounds can be very strong and it's possible that a stubborn cat will ignore this method of natural deterrence and continue to wander around your garden or flower beds.

There are many other natural ingredients that can be used as effective cat deterrents such as vinegar cayenne pepper, cayenne oil and cinnamon. It's important to be careful when choosing the ingredients for your DIY cat repellents, since certain ingredients can be harmful if consumed by pets or children.

Deters Bees & Wasps

The smell of coffee grounds drives many insects, including wasps and bees, away from your garden. This natural bug repellent could be used in lieu to pesticides from commercial sources, which are harmful to people and plants when sprayed on them. Place a few coffee grounds, either old or fresh ground coffee in a bowl on an outside flat surface. Burn them until the smoldering, smoking begins. The strong, strong smell will deter creatures.

The same method works to keep other pests out of your home. The smokey smell that comes from the coffee grounds burnt repels insects. Ants are known to carry seeds that could cause illness and even contaminate food. You can also sprinkle coffee grounds around the kitchen and outside of doors to deter the spread of ants.

Another benefit of this natural insect repellent is that it is safe for pets and children to touch. However, it is not recommended that they consume coffee grounds, as they could be toxic to them.

Even fishing enthusiasts have found that coffee grounds can make an excellent bait for certain fish. According to a report from Gone Outdoors, fishermen will place wriggling worms in a container filled with coffee grounds and allow them to acquire the coffee scent and flavor before using them as bait. This creates a more appealing worm to trout and bass according to the report.

If you have a worm-friendly bin for vermicomposting, add a cup of coffee grounds each week to provide food for your worms. Be aware that having too many coffee grounds in your worm box can cause the compost to become acidic, which can negatively impact the population of worms.

Deters Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can be a nuisance for gardeners and homeowners particularly during the mosquito season. In addition to being annoying, mosquitoes are an important carrier of diseases like Zika dengue fever, and West Nile virus. The best way to stop them is to use an insect repellent that is natural and coffee grounds are a great alternative!

The pungent, strong scent of coffee repels mosquitoes by masking the human scent that entices them in the first place. The grounds contain a substance called limonene, which is an insecticide that can be used to kill mosquitoes.

To use the grounds as a mosquito repellent, sprinkle them on your patio, backyard, deck, or porch. To focus your spray, if looking for a specific area like a garden or swimming pool, scatter the grounds around the perimeter of the pool. Alternately, mix the grounds of Vanilla Ground Coffee with water and spray it around your yard to fight the pests.

The spray can be used to ward off mosquitoes for a longer time instead of just spraying it around your yard. The mixture also inhibits the growth of mosquito larvae, and enables it to kill mosquitoes more effectively than plain water on its own.

While this method of natural mosquito control will definitely help to keep the blood-sucking insects out of your home, it is important to consider other breeding places as well. In order to eliminate mosquitoes, you need to remove any sources of moisture from the environment. Some of the most popular ways to do this include putting out a jug of water that has been soaked in coffee grounds, or setting up a trap with beer that is stale and has been filled with eggshells that have been crushed and coffee grounds.