Don't Toss Those Coffee Grounds! Instead Use Them As A Powerful Fertilizer In Your Garden

Coffee is mission critical for how many of us kick-start the day. That morning caffeine is vital to get the energy coursing through the veins. While there are plenty of ways to upgrade your morning joe such as using clean, clear water and choosing the right roast to create the perfect cup, if you are tossing the grounds from your K-cups or your drip coffee, you may want to reconsider your actions. File this under one of the surprising uses for coffee grounds you should know about because the muddy-looking grinds used to brew your pick-me-up can help fertilize your garden as well as your house plants. 

Nitrogen, oils, lipids, minerals, and much more remain present in your grounds after you brew a pot or cup of java. But before you sprinkle them across your garden beds and create an inhospitable space for weeds and slugs, they need to be dried. Skip this step and they may become globby, making it difficult for all those nutrients to impart their goodness to your soil — not to mention, they might be more susceptible to mold. 

As the coffee grounds break down, they release nitrogen into the soil, which is vital for plant growth. Even if you are just gardening in the kitchen and growing herbs, this trick can help. But as you drizzle your flower beds or pots with the coffee grounds, make certain they do not fall right on top of your plants or flowers, as this can lead to root burn. Additionally, if you fertilize your plants with coffee too often, you might find that the leaves turn brown or yellow due to the high sodium levels in ground coffee. Remember, everything in moderation.

However, drying used grounds is a commitment, so if you don't want to go through the process, you can soak them overnight in a pot or bucket of water, strain them out, and use the coffee water to hydrate and fertilize your landscape. That said, coffee grounds should not be worked into the soil but layered on top. They will improve your soil and create a firmer structure and better drainage. However, if you are growing plants from seeds, you should skip the coffee grounds. According to Washington State University Extension, several studies have shown that the seeds will not germinate or grow if you do.