Reader Question: Coffee grounds as mulch?1

Now this is an interesting question from a reader: can I use coffee grounds as mulch around bushes and shrubs?

The answer is: YES!  Just be careful of the grounds going on too thinkly and then drying out - this can form a hard “crust” layer over the soil and prevent water penetration.  You might be better off mixing the grounds in with your regular compost and letting it all compost down before adding it to the garden.  Grounds are good for both low and high pH soil, there is a misconception that they should only be used on acid loving plants because brewed coffee itself is acidic, however, the brewing process removed most of the acidic components from the coffee leaving the grounds relatively pH neutral.

Posted: mulch, tips