Guide· Outdoor Gardening 2 min
Do Coffee Grounds Really Help Your Garden?
What coffee grounds actually do for your soil—and the common mistakes to avoid.
SeriesKitchen Scraps in the Garden: Myths, Truths and Better Ways to Use Them· Part 1
Coffee grounds are one of the most popular kitchen scraps people add to their gardens, but they are not a complete fertilizer—and used grounds do not reliably make soil more acidic. Their best purpose is adding organic material that soil organisms can eventually break down. The safest option is usually adding them to compost or mixing a small amount into outdoor garden soil. Avoid dumping thick layers around your plants. Coffee grounds can compact, which may make it harder for water and air to move through the soil. Coffee grounds can support your soil, but more is not always better.
Do you add yours directly to the garden or compost them first?