lol have you checked the price of coffee?
fresh coffee bean$ in a grow?
fresh coffee bean$ in a grow?
Coffee Grounds
- Thread starter epicseeds
- Start date
MrShpongle
Member
Hmmm, gonna have to disagree with you on this one. I just ran an experiment with a pH pen. Tap water was at 6.91. I threw in this morning's coffee grounds (a pretty large amount) and now the water is at 6.42 - a 0.5 drop! Of course, if I used less grounds it would have gone down less, but they are definitely not neutral.
K
kannubis
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=103730
here is a link to JackTheGrower's compost tumbler thread.
I got great info there, and also some great genetics from my friend Ernst.
Not just leftover grounds, he uses unbrewed Folgers in a "Witches Brew"
and also as a topdressing in his grows.
My first 1# plant was germed on 5/13 and chopped on 10/5 and came from
the tester pack of Turloco #2 beans he gifted me.
here is a link to JackTheGrower's compost tumbler thread.
I got great info there, and also some great genetics from my friend Ernst.
Not just leftover grounds, he uses unbrewed Folgers in a "Witches Brew"
and also as a topdressing in his grows.
My first 1# plant was germed on 5/13 and chopped on 10/5 and came from
the tester pack of Turloco #2 beans he gifted me.
M
merlot
You guys got me interested on this one. I also tested tap water this morning, came out at 7.4 . Threw in coffee grounds and it went down to 6.8 .
So yeah, don't seem very neutral to me either, although they would of course be alot more diluted in a mix.
you put how much used coffee grounds in how much water to get from 7.4 to 6.8? Is this drip brewed coffee (as opposed to french pressed which would be saturated with black coffee)?
And this is supposed to make a difference in soil pH as a top dressing?
In my world, 7.4 and 6.8 are both pretty damn near neutral, btw. Consider that OJ is 3-3.5 and a cup of coffee is 5 or so, and it's a logarithmic scale.
The drop from 6.91-6.42 is pretty damn insignificant, wouldn't you say? Kinda supports my bottom line.
bottom line: if you mulch blueberries with coffee grounds because you think it will acidify the soil you are mistaken. Luckily your blueberries don't care, and they and their fungal buddies are probably regulating the soil around them just fine. Coffee grounds are basically always welcome.
line under the bottom line: top dress your plants with used coffee grounds all you want. As stated above it's good worm food. As it happens the worms in my containers have agreed in the past. I use a little bonsai rake to keep help things along, and I endeavor to keep the top layer moist by mulching and spraying.
And this is supposed to make a difference in soil pH as a top dressing?
In my world, 7.4 and 6.8 are both pretty damn near neutral, btw. Consider that OJ is 3-3.5 and a cup of coffee is 5 or so, and it's a logarithmic scale.
The drop from 6.91-6.42 is pretty damn insignificant, wouldn't you say? Kinda supports my bottom line.
bottom line: if you mulch blueberries with coffee grounds because you think it will acidify the soil you are mistaken. Luckily your blueberries don't care, and they and their fungal buddies are probably regulating the soil around them just fine. Coffee grounds are basically always welcome.
line under the bottom line: top dress your plants with used coffee grounds all you want. As stated above it's good worm food. As it happens the worms in my containers have agreed in the past. I use a little bonsai rake to keep help things along, and I endeavor to keep the top layer moist by mulching and spraying.
M
merlot
Yeah, 2 tbsp of drip brewed coffee. So not much at all. I was merely pointing out that 2 tbsp of old coffee brought the ph down in the tap water by .6
I have never used it in compost but have many friends that do. I wasn't arguing against you mad lib, just wanted to actually see how the used coffee grounds affected PH.
I have never used it in compost but have many friends that do. I wasn't arguing against you mad lib, just wanted to actually see how the used coffee grounds affected PH.
... and the answer is "not much at all"
Now now ML - if the grounds show acidic properties they are acidic. This you might call slightly acidic, but not acidic is incorrect.
Do they acidify the soil to the detriment of plants? - I doubt it very much.
I get a huge pile of grounds and paper cups and cover them in leaves for 6 months or more. The large earthworms (not foetida) seem to thrive in this pile. The castings are very dark and rich, the worms large and great for fish and poultry food.
I also get pounds and pounds of it and sprinkle it all over through the mulch if I'm not making compost. It's all organic matter, carbonaceous matter in my garden = GOOD.
Do they acidify the soil to the detriment of plants? - I doubt it very much.
I get a huge pile of grounds and paper cups and cover them in leaves for 6 months or more. The large earthworms (not foetida) seem to thrive in this pile. The castings are very dark and rich, the worms large and great for fish and poultry food.
I also get pounds and pounds of it and sprinkle it all over through the mulch if I'm not making compost. It's all organic matter, carbonaceous matter in my garden = GOOD.
