coffee and tea

[waimarie]

I have heard that used ground coffee and tea dregs are beneficial to plants. Is this true and if so, what sort of proportion is used? I am sure this question must have been asked before but cannot find reference on this site.

[logman]

I dont know of any scientific calibrations but tea and coffee dregs should certainly do no harm to plants, as they are of plant origin themselves, acid loving plants may benefit especially. the dregs should serve as a good mulch too..

[stevie-p]

my mom used to put the used tea leaves around the plants indoors...but i never knew why.

[WendyS]

My grandmother always used to throw the dregs of tea leaves from her teapot (no teabags in those days !) around the roots of her roses. Am unsure whether they added any nutrients to the soil, apart from serving as a light mulch. I throw the dregs of ground coffee around the roots of my hosta plants, partly to avoid blocking up the sink drainage pipe but also to try and deter the slugs and snails. I have to add, however, that they seem to relish them and come back for more but so it's hardly a reliable slug deterrent.

[logman]

That says it all Stevie-p, moms always know best, and we should cherish every moment with them.

my local starbucks was giving away spent coffee grounds to keen gardeners, maybe yours will too ?

[waimarie]

Many thanks everybody for those answers. Sounds as if's worth having a go, so shall start straining. Is that true about Starbucks??

[mr_pointment]

tea dregs,i hear,are supposed to benefit rose bushes.kills the aphids off,little blighters.thats my gardening skills limits i,m afraid as im strictley a grass man lol.

[rhona_j]

Yeah, most Starbucks I've been in have a basket near the counter with bags of used coffee, I think you just take it to the counter and you can have it for free!

[kazza12345]

you can compost both tea bags and coffffee grounds

[mr_pointment]

oi! wheres me stars?grrrrrrrrr

[waimarie]

Hi mr_pointment. See, they were there all the time !!!! Hope you have better luck with your aphids this season. I belong to the 'natural' school of lawn keeping, ever since we visited the Duke of Devonshire's place and understood that Capability Brown recommended clover, buttercups, dandelions etc in his lawns. If its good enough for him, it's good enough for me!!