coffee grounds

[Mjay]

I have been told that used coffee grounds are good for the soil around plants. Is this true for all plants or just some? I am a novice gardener. Thanks.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

Coffee grounds do nothing directly for the plants. They provide a source of protein to the soil microbes. The soil microbes convert the protein into Nature's own nitrogen fertilizer. It helps all plants.

[Fess]

My Mom always put coffee grounds around her hydrangeas. I put them around most everything.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

I must have been really sleepy when I wrote that message. :oops:

Coffee grounds do make a great fertilizer. What I meant to say was that the mechanism by which it work is indirect. The coffee is not taken up by the plants directly. What happens is the coffee grounds get eaten by soil microbes which produce plant foods. The process takes about 3 weeks to work so if you get on a regular program of fertilizing with coffee grounds, your soil and plants will love you!

You can usually get lots of free coffee grounds from all your local coffee shops simply by asking.

[Nadine]

COFFEE GROUNDS
Q:
I heard on the television that one can use coffee grounds to control slugs but the story didn't give any details. I was wondering if there is any truth to this and what would be the process for applying the grounds.

A:
Slugs probably won't like the coffee grounds but I certainly don't have any problem with you trying it. Coffee grounds are a terrific organic fertilizer. Often the low pH is mentioned but they also provide gentle low levels of N-P-K and many trace minerals. Even old coffee can be used as liquid fertilizer. I have used coffee as the only fertilizer for interior plants with great success.

Follow up: This viewer had great results using the coffee grounds to repel slugs. The slugs would come right up to it it but wouldn't cross over the grounds.

Source:
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=426