I have been reconstructing my compost heap this last 6 off weeks using a lot
of free waste coffee grounds. I get about 60 litres of it free a week and
throw it on the pile along with kitchen scraps, 3 odd dumps of lawn
clippings, leaves, paper and the odd pruning. The pile is reasonably
sizeable, roughly 3 foot by 3 foot by 3 foot and I have turned it about 3
times. I am amazed by the heat produced by it. Up to now I have continuously
added to the compost and seen it heat up in layers and then cool down. This
heap isn't as big yet as others however it has a large heat core. If I poke
a finger length in to the pile the heat is too high to go any further. I can
only put this change down to the intensive use of coffee grounds.

rob

"George.com" wrote in message

I have been reconstructing my compost heap this last 6 off weeks using a
lot
of free waste coffee grounds. I get about 60 litres of it free a week and
throw it on the pile along with kitchen scraps, 3 odd dumps of lawn
clippings, leaves, paper and the odd pruning.
snip
Hi George
My gut feeling is that 60 litres/per week is too high a concentration, for a
compost heap of that size. Filter (paper) coffee in particular, retains a
lot of the caffeins and oils.
Last friday, I ordered an Oz coffee knock box for my coffee machine and the
blurb states that a leaflett is included, giving composting suggestions. If
they give a clue as to ratios, I'll add to this thread.
You could experiment, using old seeds and a tray of compost soil mix? You
could also mulch some 100% compost around the base of some garden weeds?

Bertie

Bertie Doe wrote:
My gut feeling is that 60 litres/per week is too high a concentration, for a
compost heap of that size.
(snip)

I thought that! We worked next to a Starbuck last year in Sheffield and
they gave me perhaps a ton of coffee - no kidding (I had a bus to
transport it back to Manc). A friend told me that it would bring my
compost to too high acid levels and ruin it - and I only have one rhodo
in a pot after all.

I only used perhaps 5 plastic bags full in my compost and same for the
compost on my lotty and gave the rest away - took me month to get rid
of it!

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "George.com" contains these words:

I have been reconstructing my compost heap this last 6 off weeks using a
lot
of free waste coffee grounds. I get about 60 litres of it free a week
and
throw it on the pile along with kitchen scraps, 3 odd dumps of lawn
clippings, leaves, paper and the odd pruning. The pile is reasonably
sizeable, roughly 3 foot by 3 foot by 3 foot and I have turned it about
3
times. I am amazed by the heat produced by it. Up to now I have
continuously
added to the compost and seen it heat up in layers and then cool down.
This
heap isn't as big yet as others however it has a large heat core. If I
poke
a finger length in to the pile the heat is too high to go any further. I
can
only put this change down to the intensive use of coffee grounds.

No, any frequent large damp additions will have the same effect. Some
of the old gardens used the rising heat from fresh manure, to create
hotbeds for exotic crops.

could be so, just the hotest I have seen my compost bake, using coffee. The
grounds are very fine which may enlargen the surface area and allow the
microbes to go to work on it quicker maybe. It just seems that way though
appearances can be deceptive eh. Anyhow, I will continue to monitor it and
see how it performs.

rob

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
...

"George.com" wrote in message

I have been reconstructing my compost heap this last 6 off weeks using a
lot
of free waste coffee grounds. I get about 60 litres of it free a week
and
throw it on the pile along with kitchen scraps, 3 odd dumps of lawn
clippings, leaves, paper and the odd pruning.
snip
Hi George
My gut feeling is that 60 litres/per week is too high a concentration, for
a
compost heap of that size. Filter (paper) coffee in particular, retains a
lot of the caffeins and oils.
Last friday, I ordered an Oz coffee knock box for my coffee machine and
the
blurb states that a leaflett is included, giving composting suggestions.
If
they give a clue as to ratios, I'll add to this thread.
You could experiment, using old seeds and a tray of compost soil mix? You
could also mulch some 100% compost around the base of some garden weeds?

thanks for the concern Bertie. The stuff is espresso coffee grounds from
which most of the caffine has been extracted. A little different to the
coffee filter machines. I take on board your comment about amounts of
coffee, I am adding other material as well so it will not all be coffee. The
pile is actually growing quite quickly. The compost may turn out to be
rubbish but the final results will tell me that. Using a good dump of coffee
seems like a good possible addition to something I want to bake quickly -
weed seed perhaps. I'll keep playing with it and see what happens.

rob

"George.com" wrote in message
"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
thanks for the concern Bertie. The stuff is espresso coffee grounds from
which most of the caffine has been extracted. A little different to the
coffee filter machines. I take on board your comment about amounts of
coffee, I am adding other material as well so it will not all be coffee.
The
pile is actually growing quite quickly. The compost may turn out to be
rubbish but the final results will tell me that. Using a good dump of
coffee
seems like a good possible addition to something I want to bake quickly -
weed seed perhaps. I'll keep playing with it and see what happens.

Rob, all you wanted to know about Star$$ and slugs, but were afraid to ask
:-
http://tinyurl.com/eqhm7
http://www.paghat.com/coffeeslugs.html

Bertie

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
...

"George.com" wrote in message
"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
thanks for the concern Bertie. The stuff is espresso coffee grounds from
which most of the caffine has been extracted. A little different to the
coffee filter machines. I take on board your comment about amounts of
coffee, I am adding other material as well so it will not all be coffee.
The
pile is actually growing quite quickly. The compost may turn out to be
rubbish but the final results will tell me that. Using a good dump of
coffee
seems like a good possible addition to something I want to bake
quickly -
weed seed perhaps. I'll keep playing with it and see what happens.

Rob, all you wanted to know about Star$$ and slugs, but were afraid to ask
:-
http://tinyurl.com/eqhm7
http://www.paghat.com/coffeeslugs.html

Bertie

thanks dude. I am not that worried about slugs, slug hunting with a bag of
salt is a recreation of mine. The amount of caffine in spent grounds was
interesting though. Nothing I have yet read says that the residual caffine
in the grounds is overly toxic. It seems annecdotally that worms love it.
The acidity of the grounds is something of note. I think I may be testing
the ph on the finished compost to see how it comes out. I have also spread
some grounds across a patch of earth with little worm activity to see how
what effect it has. The grounds are free so not costing me anything (except
time) to have a play around.

rob

"George.com" wrote in message

thanks dude. I am not that worried about slugs, slug hunting with a bag of
salt is a recreation of mine. The amount of caffine in spent grounds was
interesting though. Nothing I have yet read says that the residual caffine
in the grounds is overly toxic. It seems annecdotally that worms love it.
The acidity of the grounds is something of note. I think I may be testing
the ph on the finished compost to see how it comes out. I have also spread
some grounds across a patch of earth with little worm activity to see how
what effect it has. The grounds are free so not costing me anything
(except
time) to have a play around.

Agreed, caffein content much lower than I thought. Also most cafes use the
higher quality (lower caffein) arabica and the small % of robusta used in
blends, can be discounted.
When my 'knock box' arrives, I too will be joining the compost/coffee
brigade, although my weekly consumption is only 500g per week.

Bertie

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message

When my 'knock box' arrives, I too will be joining the compost/coffee
brigade, although my weekly consumption is only 500g per week.

Well, it arrived this morning and it's not known as a knock box any more,
but a 'coffee grind waste bin & recycling station' - sheesh!
www.grindenstein.com (skip the intro)

Some info on composting :-
" ... a little can be used in a wormery"
"used at the base of plants before watering...slowly release their nitrogen
& nutrients"
"used as a fast acting fertiliser .. 100gr wet grinds per 10 litres of
water" apply with a bucket.I may use this method as 500gr per week, between
2 heaps, will have little impact.

Bertie

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "George.com" contains these words:

. The amount of caffine in spent grounds was
interesting though. Nothing I have yet read says that the residual
caffine
in the grounds is overly toxic. It seems annecdotally that worms love
it.
The acidity of the grounds is something of note. I think I may be
testing
the ph on the finished compost to see how it comes out. I have also
spread
some grounds across a patch of earth with little worm activity to see
how
what effect it has. The grounds are free so not costing me anything
(except
time) to have a play around.

I should think coffee grounds would make a great biodegradeable
mulch to suppress weeds and hold soil moisture, between crop rows.
Have you tried that?

yes, but I have mixed it with saw dust to keep grass down around some
shrubs. It seems to be doing the job ok. I can also use it under a hedge. I
did think that once dried it could also be applied to the lawn as per other
fertilisers as a nitrogen dressing. I haven't detected any side effects of
it yet though the acidity factor is something to keep an eye on. I guess
that amounts to how much is used and in what conditions. Arguably however
every day high salt fertilisers do more damage to soils yet they get applied
so I am not too worried. A dusting of lime in with the grounds should do if
using it heavily as a mulch, or a ph test every so often. In compost a good
balance of other elements should balance out any slight acidity.

rob