Coffee grounds can be used as fertilizer in gardens and compost. They are high in nitrogen and other nutrients beneficial for plants. Coffee grounds can be applied directly to nitrogen-loving plants as mulch or mixed into compost piles to speed up decomposition. Worms also thrive when fed coffee grounds in worm bins. The document provides tips on using coffee grounds, including only using them within 3 weeks for maximum nutrient value and consulting local experts on proper amounts for individual gardens.

1. SCC Tip sheet A5 8/8/05 12:17 pm Page 1
Tip Sheet: Grounds For
Your Garden
For more information, check out
these websites:
soilfoodweb.com
starbucks.com/aboutus/compost.asp
gardening.wsu.edu/stewardship/
compost/coffee.htm
gardenweb.com
oldgrowth.org/compost
cityfarmer.org
Applying coffee grounds
directly to your garden:
Coffee grounds can be applied directly as
a top dressing to n-itrogen loving plants like
azaleas, lettuces, most perennials, and
allium plants. Adding brown material such
as leaves and dried grass to the mulch will
help balance the nutrition of your soil.
Mixing coffee grounds in
your compost:
Coffee grounds act as a green material with
a carbon-nitrogen (C-N) ratio of 20-1.
Combined with browns such as leaves and
straw, coffee grounds generate heat and will
speed up the compost process.
Using coffee grounds
in your worm bin:
Worms fed with coffee grounds
and other vegetarian materials
will flourish.
Most of the acidity in coffee is removed
during the brewing process. Used grounds
have an average pH of 6.9. Use your
grounds within 3 weeks to capture the
most nutritional value.
What’s in Coffee Grounds?
Starbucks commissioned a study in 1995
to better understand the make up of the
organic matter we call coffee grounds. The
following is the result of the analysis
performed by the University of Washington,
College of Forest Resources:
Primary Nutrients
Nitrogen 1.45%
Phosphorus ND ug/g
Potassium 1204 ug/g
Secondary Nutrients
Calcium 389 ug/g
Magnesium 448 ug/g
Sulfur high ug/g
Terms: ND = indicates sample is below
detection limit
ug/g= microgram / gram
Coffee grounds can
provide a valuable source of
nutrition for your garden. The
proper amount to be used depends
on the condition of your soil and
what you are growing. Check
with a local gardening expert or
your local parks to see what is
best for your garden. Here
are a few general tips: