You probably toss away a lot of discarded coffee grounds if you drink a lot of coffee. While this garbage isn’t inherently harmful to the environment, there is a better way to dispose of your leftovers that will benefit the environment.
Coffee grounds composting is a great technique to make nutrient-rich soil for your garden while also lowering your carbon footprint. Depending on how actively you wish to manage your bin or pile, you can compost a variety of products.
Coffee grounds are a wonderful organic matter source that may be used in your garden. The pH level of coffee grounds is nearly neutral (between 6.5 to 6.8 pH). It helps to improve the tilth and structure of the soil.
As the grounds decompose, these elements will enhance your compost soil, benefiting practically any plant. Coffee grounds are especially high in nitrogen, which is one of the three primary components of conventional fertilizers.
Can You Compost Coffee Grounds?
Yes, of course. The best approach to reuse something that might otherwise end up in landfills is to compost coffee grounds. Coffee grounds can help your compost pile become more nitrogen-rich.
Coffee grounds, as well as coffee filters, can be composted, and it’s as simple as tossing the spent grounds into your compost pile.
For the best compost, most experts recommend a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 25 or 30 to 1. Compost breaks down quickly without emitting strong aromas when the nutrient levels are good.
However, most kitchen garbage is strong in nitrogen, you’ll need to add brown material like dry leaves or sawdust to balance the pile and keep it from stinking.
Coffee grounds, on the other hand, are nearly flawless. They have a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 20 or 25 to 1, which means they compost quickly and easily.
According to studies conducted by scientists who investigated the impact of coffee grounds on compost piles, compost piles with 40% coffee grounds created the least greenhouse gasses and produced the finest quality compost.
Read also: Do Nandinas Like Coffee Grounds?
How To Compost Coffee Grounds
If you want to compost your coffee grounds, you have a few options. Your preferred composting method will differ based on the size of your garden, whether you have an established compost pile, or if you compost your green waste in another way.
Read also: How To Use Coffee Grounds In The Vegetables Garden
Coffee grounds can be strewn directly into the soil
Sprinkle the coffee grounds on top of your soil and thoroughly mix them in. Add the coffee grounds to the surface and cover with leaves, compost, or mulch if desired.
However, don’t just strew coffee grounds across your soil’s surface. They can dry out and produce a caked layer on the surface, preventing water from penetrating your soil.
Read also: What Indoor Plants Like Coffee Grounds?
Coffee grounds can be added to your compost pile or tumbler
It’s vital to treat coffee grounds as green compost material if you’re adding them to a standard compost pile or compost tumbler; they’re roughly 2% nitrogen by volume.
A suitable amount of brown compost material, such as leaves or shredded paper, must be added to the coffee grounds.
One recommendation is to add about a third of your compost pile to leaves, grass clippings, and coffee grounds.
Mix the coffee grounds thoroughly into your compost pile and continue to care for it, as usual, turning and aerating it regularly to keep it aerobic.
Coffee grounds should make up no more than a third of the total volume of your compost pile.
