Coffee Grounds in Winter

14 years ago

Is there any benefit to spreading used coffee grounds on the lawn in winter or should I save them and spread them when the lawn is no longer dormant?

Thanks

Featured Answer

Nevermore44 - 6a

14 years ago

I would assume there wouldn't be any negative in using it now in the winter, unless you are on a slope where it could wash away. Stockpiling it all will enable it to go moldy.

I collected UCG from starbucks all winter a few years back and just spread them on the lawn... even spreading them on the snow some days (makes it melt faster). It was a decent amount by the end, but it disappeared quickly in the spring. I was able to get about enough to fill two 5-gallon buckets each week.

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Comments (8)

Kimmsr
14 years ago
That depends on where you are. In northern areas where the soil temperatures drop below 32 degrees F spreading organic material like coffee grounds will have little winter benefit because the Soil Food Web is hibernating, inactive, not doing anything. Down south, if soil tempsratures are above the mid 40's the Soil Food Web could be active enough to work on things like coffee grounds and digest them.
Later, after soils warm enough for the SFW to function, any organic matter spread during the winter will be digested and by the now active bactgeria, fungi, and etc. in the soil.
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mpcart
Original Author
14 years ago
"Later, after soils warm enough for the SFW to function, any organic matter spread during the winter will be digested and by the now active bactgeria, fungi, and etc. in the soil. "

That's what I was looking for. I didn't know if, when the weather warms, the grounds spread during the winter would provide a benefit or if they would somehow "disappear" during the winter. I'm located in IL, zone 6a.

Thanks.
magoo1
14 years ago
Would I gain anything by spraying the left over coffee we have every morning on my yard? It just goes down the drain.....Since I'm saving the grounds.......seems logical.
dchall_san_antonio
14 years ago
magoo1, the benefit from coffee grounds comes from the protein in the coffee beans. There is no protein in the coffee beverage, so the value would be minimal.
ssmdgardener
14 years ago
Magoo, from what I understand, coffee itself is highly acidic, whereas coffee grounds are closer to neutral.

The acid in the coffee is probably not good for your lawn.
Nevermore44 - 6a
14 years ago
You could always just pour it on the compost pile if you don't want to waste a drop down the drain.
Kimmsr
14 years ago
There have been a large number of people that have reported seeing better plant growth when they have used the coffee, or tea, they did not finish drinking to water the potted house plants they had. Unless you will be pouring out hundreds of gallons of coffee what you pour on your yard, or garden, will have such negligable affect that it will be neither beneficial or harmful. Even one full cup of coffee poured onto your yard would not significantly affect your soils pH enough to be concerned about.