[Plumby]

So I managed to nab myself about 10kg of used coffee grounds from Costa. The bag is huge!

I thought of mixing some in with my compost bin, leafmold etc but was wondering if there are specific fruit/veg which would benefit from a top dressing of used coffee grounds?

Maybe I could use it for mushrooms... 

[Mum2mj]

I've not got much veg in yet but I've been adding to my compost (think the ratio is no more than 5% but i may be wrong) and sprinkling over then lawn and flower beds.  Everything is looking good (I have pretty poor chalky soil at home) so I'm pleased with the results. ESPECIALLY as I put in my clematis pots and so far - touch wood - the slugs have been kept at bay, barr 1 very poorly slug..shame... 😆
I will be using over everything I think

[Rhys]

So I managed to nab myself about 10kg of used coffee grounds from Costa. The bag is huge!

I thought of mixing some in with my compost bin, leafmold etc but was wondering if there are specific fruit/veg which would benefit from a top dressing of used coffee grounds?

Maybe I could use it for mushrooms... 

It was on the telly a while ago, that one place uses coffee grounds for mushrooms. They hang bags of coffee grounds in a cool, dark cellar and add spores. The mushrooms grow out of the bags and they sell them to restaurants.

[Vagabond]

Are coffee grounds a natural slug repellent then?

[Rhys]

Are coffee grounds a natural slug repellent then?

Coffee plants produce caffeine as a natural insect repellent. The cheaper Robusta coffees are higher in caffeine content as they live at lower altitudes. Higher altitude Arabica coffees have less caffeine as there aren't as many pests wanting to chew on them. I'm guessing mainstream coffee shops (costabucks etc.) will have so much Robusta as it produces more 'crema' (the white frothy bit on espresso) and for more of a kick. Robusta is more bitter. That might be a factor if they work as a slug repellent?

[AnneB]

I did try them as a slug repellent one year and found they had zero effect.  It was a very bad year for slugs mind you, 2012 I think.  Nothing worked that year, even resorted to expensive nematodes with poor results.

I don't make a trip to collect from elsewhere as Mr.B has a new coffee machine toy; we add the grounds from that to our compost bin at home.  They seem to mix in very well with everything else.

[juvenal]

All our coffee grounds go through the compost heap. Grist to the mill...