Category: Garden Pests
Plant pests and diseases
Natural Pest solutions
15 Interesting Ways To Use Coffee Grounds In The Garden
15 Interesting Ways To Use Coffee Grounds In The Garden
With coffee being one of the most consumed drinks in the world, chances are you have it in your home. If you belong to a household that never misses their daily morning filter coffee, chances are also high that you throw your coffee filter and its coffee grounds into the household garbage. Without giving up the satisfying taste that your coffee provides you can find new uses, both ecological, economical, and practical, for this ‘waste’, in your garden.
The whole breakfast can work as compost, so before throwing away leftover fruit or coffee grounds, give it a second thought. This drink will not only give you the energy you need to start a new day, but now it will also be your ally to fertilize your plants, and create a natural pesticide.
You may have already heard of the many different uses that can be made of coffee grounds in everyday life, such as deodorizing the refrigerator, maintaining its pipes, or even cleaning the chimney, but did you know that the garden has multiple uses as well? In this article, we will show you 15 different ways to use coffee grounds in the garden.
What is the Composition of Coffee Grounds?
The coffee grounds are what is left in the filter of the coffee maker after running water on them to make your little black gold. This residue is composed mainly of nitrogen but has components of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and copper. These elements are beneficial for both the soil and the plantations.
How to Get Coffee Grounds
To obtain a stable coffee supply, please maintain a good relationship with your local coffee distributor. Many coffee shops provide free coffee grounds in special packaging (such as Starbucks, Black Rock, & Dutch brothers). If they don’t, ask if they can do it especially for you. Most coffee stands will most likely be happy to give you their grounds. If you don’t drink much coffee, you can collect residues from your office lounge, grocery deli, or possibly your local restaurants particularly breakfast places (I.H.O.P., Elmers, Dennys).
15 Ways to Use Coffee Grounds in the Garden
A Compost Activator
If you have a composting bin, called a vermicomposter, to sort your organic or other waste, consider incorporating the coffee grounds into it. Putting coffee grounds in your compost will enrich it with the various minerals it contains such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and copper, but not limited to these.
Also, when buying coffee filters, opt for ones that are unbleached because they are biodegradable and often cheaper. They will therefore be able to go without problem in the compost while the laundered ones will only add to your trash of non-recyclable waste.
Regularly fertilizing with compost, mixing the coffee with the soil and other organic remains can completely reduce the need for conventional fertilizers.
A Feed for Worms
We all know that worms are a welcome sight in gardens because they are really pivotal to working the soil. The main ingredient in coffee is caffeine, and its stimulating virtues in humans are well documented. But we are not the only fans of this soothing effect, the earthworms will do anything for a swing or two.
They enjoy it and it boosts their activity. Earthworms are especially fond of it because it helps them digest the organic matter in your compost pile. Therefore, adding coffee grounds to your compost will allow a faster, and above all, more complete degradation.
Note: Since caffeine is the primary stimulant of interest for our slithering friends, decaffeinated coffee will not produce similar results.
Earthworms like coffee but only in minimal quantity. If you go overboard, the worms could die due to the inability to digest that much coffee acidity.
Hence, do not put more than one small cup of coffee a week in the soil of your garden, so that the worms survive.
Balance Soil pH
Due to their acidic content, coffee grounds can help balance the pH of overly alkaline soil. If you’re not sure what the pH level of your soil is, you can pick up a pH meter like this one. It will also show you the moisture level of you soil as well as the incoming light level.
Suppress Weed
There is a popular conception that fresh coffee grounds have some allopathic components, which are known for stifling plant growth. Therefore, they might become handy in suppressing the growth of weeds. This theory has however not been scientifically validated.
Nitrogenize the earth
A good alternative to nitrogen fertilizers, coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, since they are derived from processed seeds. Its proportion of around ten percent is ideal for enriching the earth with nitrogen, which will be of great help for the growth of plants, their flowering, and, in the case of having a garden, also their fruits.
An Odor Absorber
If you deal with plants like garlic or onions in the garden, you should be familiar with the very pungent smell left on your hands which are very difficult to wash off. Coffee grounds can be very useful in this case, as they eliminate bad odor. Just rub them with coffee grounds and rinse.
Maintain Natural Plant Color 
Coffee grounds are an excellent natural coloring. With its slight acidity, it is perfect for hydrangeas to help strengthen their blue coloring, as well as for tomatoes. To get premium results, it is best to use coffee grounds with blueberries, cranberries, and citrus fruits. Other plants that benefit from it are camellia, garden saplings, rhododendrons, and virya.
Its pH of 6.2 allows you to modify the color of hydrangea to a magnificent bluish hue. So coffee grounds might just be the ingredient needed to turn your back garden into a Dr. Who-style experiment site.
To do this:
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Spread the coffee grounds at the foot of the plant.
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Lightly hoe the soil of the garden to mix well.
Aids Growth of Seedlings
Mix one part of this brown gold with one part of garden soil to obtain an ideal soil to germinate your seeds.
Thanks to a carbon-nitrogen ratio of 20 (one part nitrogen to 20 part carbon), coffee grounds are ideal. They are also especially good as they gradually release nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, rather than at a go, which could be overwhelming for the young plants.
A Natural Repellent against Pests
Many small animals can be harmful to the garden, such as aphids, slugs, snails, carrot flies, and ants. But don’t rule out cats, who especially love to dig up seedlings and do theirs do wherever they want. They have their place in nature but if they could leave our plantations alone, we would be very happy!
To ward off harmful insects and gastropods from your garden and thus preventing them from ravaging your plants and crops, coffee grounds will act in two ways. The first is due to its smell which some do not like and therefore prefer to go their way. The second comes from the fact that the coffee grounds have a granular consistency which is particularly unpleasant or even painful, for snails and slugs, in particular, when they walk on them.
Beware of the rain which dilutes the coffee in the soil and therefore makes it less effective. After heavy rains, refresh your soil by sprinkling coffee grounds around your vegetable plants or flower beds.
Rabbits will also bypass flowers that use coffee grounds as mulch. As coffee grounds quickly decompose into the soil, they should be consistently refreshed once or twice a week to maintain their effectiveness as a repellent.
Still having issues with pests in your garden? Check this out.
Natural Pest solutions
Coffee Grounds to Sand and Thaw Paths
Thanks to its acidity, coffee grounds make the floor less slippery, thereby effectively replacing salt which is not allies to plants.
Place it on the paths in the garden or around the house in winter in the event of snow, frost, or ice. It is both inexpensive and more environmentally friendly.
A Winter Soldier
Coffee grounds can also act as mulch for the feet of the most fragile plantations in winter. It protects them against falling temperatures naturally and free of charge.
Note: During sunny days, avoid using coffee grounds as a stand-alone cover, as they can form a waterproof shell when dry in the sun.
To Grow Mushrooms
Here is an amazing tip for growing mushrooms on your own. In a bag, slip coffee grounds and mycelium. Then put it in a dark, warm place for three weeks and then take it out to the light. Always maintain humidity in your mushroom crop and you will see them blossom in no time.
Perfume Your Garden
Use coffee to envelop your interiors and exteriors in a unique and beautiful scent. Stir a little coffee ground into melted beeswax, then place a wick in a jar. Pour the mixture into the jar to obtain a candle with a sweet scent of coffee … Ideal for your dinners on the terrace!
Growing Orchids
The favorite indoor flower of the French, the orchid is a plant with specific needs. Its substrate – or soil – must be rich in phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium, all of which coffee grounds bring! So don’t hesitate to use it.
A DIY Fertilizer
Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate are found in most commercially available fertilizers, whether organic or chemical.
With the coffee grounds, you will therefore have a free and available fertilizer that will enrich your soil with the minerals and trace elements it needs. It will fertilize the soil by its slow degradation by gradually diffusing its benefits. So you will be eating your cake and having it, or more literally, drinking your coffee and having it.
Coffee grounds are therefore a natural and effective product, but they should not be abused, otherwise, you end up with the opposite of the expected effect.
Thus, to enrich the soil in your garden and/or your vegetable patch, it is recommended not to apply more than 500 grams of coffee grounds per square meter annually.
It is enough to sprinkle it in a thin layer directly on the ground, preferably where the flowers, fruits, and vegetables are planted.
Caution: Watch out for rainy days! Avoid dispersing your coffee grounds if drops of water are forecast in the weather because they will be diluted in the soil and the results will be reduced.
Preparing a liquid fertilizer: step by step
To prepare an effective and free homemade liquid fertilizer based on coffee grounds, simply mix everything you collect from the filter with 2 liters of water.
Stir well then let stand in the fridge for 2 days. After this, filter with a fine cloth. Your liquid coffee grounds fertilizer is now ready to water and feed your plants!
How to Store Coffee Grounds
Before wondering how to store coffee grounds, you should first learn how to collect them. The operation is simple but still requires a little patience. There is a risk of burning yourself if the grounds are taken directly into the filter after the coffee has been brewed. Therefore, it is best to wait until it has cooled down completely.
After this bridge is scaled, lay it out on a flat surface and let it air-dry. If you are in a hurry, you can put it in a not too hot oven, keeping a close eye and leaving the door ajar. The idea is to remove as much water as possible to minimize the risk of mold growth.
When your coffee grounds are dry, the preservation method will depend on when you plan to use them. For use within 10 days, place it in the refrigerator in a tightly closed box. Beyond that, it is best to store it in the freezer in a suitable bag. To thaw it, just take it out 2 to 3 hours before. Thank you for reading 15 Interesting Ways To Use Coffee Grounds In The Garden.
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Organic Pest Control
Organic Pest Control
Have you been searching for an effective solution that’ll keep those annoying pests away from your precious vegetables? Are you tired of the regular chemical pesticides and you want something more natural for your garden? Organic pest control has proven to be not just cheaper, but safer and better than many other pest control procedures.
Organic sprays can be made with simple products that can be found right in your kitchen. It’s so easy to make and yet very effective. In recent years, many gardeners have embraced a healthier garden experience with organic pest control. I’m sure you want to be part of this!
And I’m willing to help you as well. Right here, you’ll be learning how to create organic pest control sprays for a vegetable garden. I’ve also included 3 powerful tips that’ll keep you a step ahead of these unpleasant pests.
Which Is Better? Organic Vs Non-Organic Pest Controls
If you’ve been searching for ways to control pests and reduce health and environmental risks to your family and pets, organic pest control is for you. These days a lot of gardeners are fast switching to the organic lifestyle to prevent allergies, grow healthier vegetables, and to protect their younger children and pets.
Generally, organic pest control methods can be more efficient than regular pesticides. In fact, most pest control companies are now using organic methods in their professional services. In the long run, organic pest control will save you a lot more money unlike the quick fix chemical pesticides will give you.
Although both organic pest control methods and regular pesticides are effective at keeping pests away from your garden, they actually work quite differently. While chemical pest control methods may seem to work a lot faster, they may be harmful in the long run. On the other hand, organic pesticides work effectively if given the time and efforts required to take effect. That’s why you may need to apply them several times before you start seeing results.
But here’s the catch, if you’ve finally decided to stop buying vegetables sold in the markets, and grow them yourself for you and your family, wouldn’t it be great to grow them naturally? Won’t it be nice to live that healthier life you deserve? Won’t it make more sense to avoid harmful pesticides?
If you’ve finally realized that a safer and healthier life is completely worth your time and effort, then let me welcome you to the club! You can decide to get some of these organic pesticides in the market or simply make them yourself. It’s not a hard task at all. Here’s how you can do it faster.
A Step By Step Guide on How to Create Organic Pest Control for your Vegetable Garden
There are several organic and natural remedies for different pests in your garden. The key is to find out which pests are bothering your vegetables and make an organic pesticide that’ll deal with them accordingly. Sounds good right?
There are numerous organic pesticides currently available. But here, I’ll be leaving you with a recipe that has got a lot of organic ingredients that’ll work for tons of pests.
We’ll be using household ingredients like onions, mint, and cayenne that repel these pests far away from your garden. You’ll be amazed how these disruptive pests can easily be killed by simple and safe ingredients that you already have laying around your home.
Organic all-in-one bug spray
Garlic, onion, and peppermint oil are very powerful ingredients that pests hate. You can use them to create an organic pest control that’ll effectively drive away garden pests such as beetles, leafhoppers, and spittlebugs.
What you’ll need
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2 cups of Water
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1 medium-sized onion
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4 cloves of garlic
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Peppermint essential oil
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2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper
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2 tablespoons of natural liquid soap (Avoid liquid soaps that contain bleach or any harmful chemical)
Procedures
Step 1
Peel your garlic and onion, then puree them with the cayenne and peppermint oil.
Step 2
Now, strain the mixture and allow it to stand for a few hours, some gardeners will leave the solution to soak overnight.
Step 3
Simply pour the mixture into a container and then add in the two tablespoons of soap and 2 cups of water. Then, mix the solution very thoroughly.
Step 4
Now, pour this mixture into a spray bottle. Your organic pesticide is ready for use! Spray it on the affected areas 1-2 times a week to keep bugs away. You can even preserve the remaining mixture in the fridge. Just make sure to mark it clearly as this isn’t something you want to ingest.
Organic oil spray
This oil spray would be great to ward off pests like spider mites, aphids, and whiteflies that’ll give anything to suck the saps of your plant. This amazing mixture would make a perfect homemade oil spray that’ll keep your garden pest-free.
What you’ll need
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Water
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Vegetable oil
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Natural liquid soap (Avoid liquid soaps that contain bleach or any harmful chemical)
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Baking soda
Procedures
Step 1
Making this oil spray doesn’t require much. Simply mix all of the ingredients together properly. Mix 1 cup of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap. After mixing the ingredients, add 8 ounces of water and mix thoroughly.
Step 2
You don’t need to bother letting the mixture sit for some time as you can instantly pour the mixture into a spray bottle and start using it right away. You should use this spray once or twice a week to keep those nasty pests away.
What you need to know about organic pest control
Before applying organic sprays in your garden, be sure it’s something you want to do and make sure the damage the pests are causing is really a problem. Just like chemical pesticides, organic pest control would get rid of all bugs, this includes other helpful insects like ladybugs and bees that help out in the garden.
Make sure to try out your organic spray on a small portion of your plant first, it could be just a single leaf. Find out if there are any negative results. If there’s no damage then you can now fully use it on the entire plant the next day.
At the time you make your organic spray, if you’re not ready to use it, keep it in a dry and cool place.
I generally prefer to spray my plants before the sun comes out in the morning. You should do this to prevent burning or damaging your plants. The combination of the intense heat of the sun and the oils in the sprays are not good for your plants.
Also be careful not to apply too much of these sprays to your vegetables. You don’t want to end up with a slightly different flavor. Only use this for the portion of your plant that is mostly affected.
Tips For Keeping Pests Out Of Your Garden
While garden pests are almost unavoidable, there are a few tips that can help you keep them in check. You want to avoid creating a pleasant environment for them by taking the 3 powerful steps I’ll be discussing with you here.
Give your plants the best growing conditions possible
Water your plants and do it consistently in the morning. This way, you make your plants less prone to pests. Watering your plants in the morning time keeps them healthier and prevents them from being damp in the evening when pests love to strike.
I’ve found out that these pests mostly attack weak plants. Consistent watering will prevent your plants from wilting and will help them to get larger yields. Take your time to remove all of the dead and or diseased leaves. If they are not removed promptly, then they’ll become an attractive site to pests. Do you know what else could be attractive to these disturbing pests?
Weeds! yes, these unwanted plants can provide a convenient spot for pests in your garden. So you should take weeds off as soon as you see them. Not to mention that weeds will steal nutrients and water before the plant can use them.
Feed your plants according to their feeding schedule. Keeping your plants properly nourished will also help to keep your plants healthy and resistant to disease and pests.
Space your plants properly
I used to have a small garden in a previous home. I love to grow my fruits and vegetables organically so I always ended up trying to squeeze too many vegetables into a small amount of garden space. I thought I’d get bigger yields that would last longer for me. But guess what happened? I actually caused my yields to be smaller and I attracted those annoying pests.
If you’ve been doing this same type of thing and you’re still struggling with pests, then consider spacing your plants better. It really will do your garden good! Trust me, your vegetables will get more airflow and you will easily notice any pests before they can cause much damage. It will also help you to see those weeds popping up sooner so that you can get rid of them right away.
Use plants!
Several plants can deal with your pest problem for you. Aromatic herbs like citronella, lemongrass, and basil will ward off annoying critters and also attract their predators. If you ask me, this is a really good strategy. Find a good spot in your garden where you can plant these herb. They will save you a lot of stress and you will end up with a few more options to use in your kitchen.
FAQ
What is the best organic pesticide for vegetables?
There really is no perfect pesticide. What is important is choosing a pesticide that’ll effectively drive out the pests you have while doing little to no damage to your plants. However, Neem oil is one powerful organic pesticide that seems to work for most pests that you will face in your garden.
You may want to give it a try. It acts against a good number of garden pests by disrupting their life cycle and preventing them from feeding on your vegetables. You can find this active pesticide in garden stores, make sure to follow the instructions on the container and effectively spray the affected areas.
What are organic pesticides?
Organic pesticides are mixtures that are made from natural substances or natural ingredients. They are mixtures that are made from simple and natural soaps or ethanol.
Conclusion
I’m sure you are pretty surprised at just how simple it is to create your own organic pest control for a vegetable garden. And I’m happy I’m able to put you up to speed with some organic pest control options and solutions. If you are going through all of the work that it takes to set up, maintain, and harvest your garden, then isn’t it worth it to do the little things that will bring you success? Pay attention to the small details as they will turn into bigger details if you ignore them.
I wish you a healthier and better gardening experience this year and in the years to come. You can purchase already-made organic sprays if you don’t think you have the time to produce one yourself, although it really isn’t difficult to produce at home. Thank you for reading How To Make Your Own Organic Pest Control For A Vegetable Garden
Have you been using organic pest control methods? Share your experience! Did you find this step-by-step guide helpful? Share with your family and friends!
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