[zazen999]

Not a good idea to put them straight into the soil as they take up nitrogen from the soil before they break down which takes a while.

Use sparingly around prized plants to deter slugs. Sprinkle the remainder in your compost heap or dalek to help break down process.

This nitrogen taking from the soil....where DO people get these ideas from?

Coffee grounds add lots of nutrients TO the soil. Also very good for prepping the ground prior to putting your onion sets/seedlngs in.

[evie2]

Sheffield, excellent

[hamstergbert]

Are there any Starbucks north of Watford Gap? 

In Leeds there used to be two on opposite sides of the same ruddy street (although one of them was upstairs in a Borders bookshop, since ceased trading there).  MInd you ther is (still) another one less than 100 yards away!   Being old enough and ug.... well, old enough to remember the slime that used to be sold as coffee in this country a few years back I remain a fan of the coffee revolution.  Costa man meself for choice.   The side effect of lots of outlets desperate to dispose of coffee grounds is not one I had actualy thought too much about - just use our own and usually manage enough for a bit of anti-slug selective mulching.

Coffee joke:
"This coffee tastes like mud!"
"Well the coffee we use is fresh ground."


 

[Yorkie]

 

[rachelr]

yes we found one on the way to leeds lol.  Wish there was more tho.

[stentman]

Are there any Starbucks north of Watford Gap? 

Services Jct 4 M54 Telford

[evie2]

hams joke, I like that it made me

[Zippy]

This nitrogen taking from the soil....where DO people get these ideas from?

Hi zazen. I agree, coffee grounds do add lots of nutrients to the soil, including nitrogen, but while the grounds are rotting they actually use nitrogen in the decomposition process so they temporarily lock up soil nitrogen and then release it later along with the extra nitrogen from the grounds.

While this is an increase in nitrogen at the end of the process, if you have crops around while the coffee grounds are still breaking down, there will be a temporary nitrogen deficit.

I hope I am wrong but i believe I am right - over to you ...

[zazen999]

This nitrogen taking from the soil....where DO people get these ideas from?

Hi zazen. I agree, coffee grounds do add lots of nutrients to the soil, including nitrogen, but while the grounds are rotting they actually use nitrogen in the decomposition process so they temporarily lock up soil nitrogen and then release it later along with the extra nitrogen from the grounds.

While this is an increase in nitrogen at the end of the process, if you have crops around while the coffee grounds are still breaking down, there will be a temporary nitrogen deficit.

I hope I am wrong but i believe I am right - over to you ...

i know what people SAY about nitrogen and the way that [for example] coffee grounds and sawdust will 'remove' nitrogen from the soil - I was a soils engineer for 14 years and have come across many many old wives tales....however even if any IS 'lost' - the amount is negligible compared to the amount that the soil will receive back from the decomposing matter.

I have yet to find any actual evidence that crops will be deficient in nitrogen by an amount big enough to make any difference...and the values more than outweigh the reduction [for example, the plant won't need any nitrogen if it gets eaten by slugs]....

Did you get this information from scientific research or just from hearing it from someone?

[Zippy]

Thanks zazen - that's cleared up a question for me. I had always held the nitrogen lock-up theory because I had heard it from gardeners, read it in books; even from organic sources. It just goes to show there is a lot of respected rubbish out there which perpectuates itself.

I'm off to Starbucks this afternoon actually!

[rachelr]

pick me up some zippy many thanks

[zazen999]

Thanks zazen - that's cleared up a question for me. I had always held the nitrogen lock-up theory because I had heard it from gardeners, read it in books; even from organic sources. It just goes to show there is a lot of respected rubbish out there which perpectuates itself.

I'm off to Starbucks this afternoon actually!

If you ask them nicely, they will go out the back and give you a bin bag full......just make sure you don't have to carry it too far as it can get very heavy!

[Aunt Sally]

I was a soils engineer for 14 years

I didn't realise that was anything to do with horticulture  

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/soil-engineer.html

[Zippy]

Yes, I've found if you go when business is quiet and you let them know you don't want it wrapped up fancy they are happy to drop it into a bin bag for your car boot.

[zazen999]

I was a soils engineer for 14 years

I didn't realise that was anything to do with horticulture  

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/soil-engineer.html

Actually, you are quite wrong. Or your result of googling is. Part of Civils IS landscaping and that includes quite a large amount of land that has to be reseeded and have plants either planted or reinstated. Plenty of nutrient tests have been done in order to establish the correct mix of underlying soil prior to reseeding etc.

However that is irrelevant. When you deal with soils for 14 years you expand your knowledge and research and widen your net. When I did my English degree I also read other books; I didn't just read my set lists - the same applies. I have done every type of test possible on soils; and have researched the topic over the years many times.

Anyhow - if you DO have research that proves that mulches restrict growth due to robbing them of nitrogen then I'd love to see it. I really would - I'm not being flippant.....but it's just I've never seen any.

I love the fact that because I was once a soils engineer I know nothing of horticulture - seeing as I'm now qualified in that as well