"BG" wrote in message
oups.com...

If you're talking about asking for coffee grounds from restaurants, in
bulk, I'd let them compost before they were added around any plants,
clematis or roses. Better to put them in a compost pile or bucket to
break down if you're talking bulk.


I have collected them from several coffee houses in town that make
coffee with organic beans - in a pinch I will collect from Starbuck's
---

My question is , why compost 1st?

I have many flower and garden beds and sprinkle on all of them all
growing season, incorporate it all winter and till it in in the spring
prior to planting... Compost it to ? Just wondering? I guess I am
slow composting them over winter, huh.. I have had some row crops get a
little "burned" by the top dressing.. but no other reactions except
when using these grounds there is a weird "mold" , "fungi " or
something that occassionally grows on the coffee grounds an top of them
on the ground (if that makes sense, think flat, on the ground,
mushroom) - does anyone know what this is? Is it OK ? Will hot
composting in a pile prevent this?

Its a mould or fungus, or something that occasionly grows on used coffee
grounds..

I experience that sometimes when bags are left unopened for a few days and
are slightly damp. I have also seen it on grounds on gardens I have top
dressed. I suspect this is the mould/fungi/something from the bag, not
actually from sitting in the garden.

A poster on some forum, not sure which one now, a few weeks back suggested
this mould/fungi/something can be toxic. Another poster poo pooed that idea
and accused the guy of being alarmist. I use grounds alot and haven't seen
any side effects from my plants.

Hot composting will get rid of any mould/fungi/something on used grounds as
the coffee is super heated and then breaks down in to humus.

rob