coffee grounds

Can anyone here tell me what coffee grounds are suposed to do for the soil and how should they be used? By the way, I just read in a gardening article that coffee grounds are good deterrents for moles and voles. Has anyone heard that too?

Coffee grounds provide nitrogen and does not need composting. Yes it adds a little acid to the soil but most soils love that. I have no moles or voles cause I have a Jack Russell terrier and a Maine Coon Cat.

What is a Maine Coon cat?

A Maine coon,is a very large, mole,vole,and full groung rat exterminator, (I think its the largest hose cat in the world). However I don't know that much about domastic cats, but working on a Phd, in coffee grounds in compost. Phd, in my case, is(piled high and deep).
Sorry for the Kountry humer, but have been using coffee grounds , very heavely in shreaded leaves,and found that that alone will yeald finished compost, and bring every worm around to the pile, and when turned once a weak it is ready so sone.I intend to do a diary on the batches I run, to see the best aproch to composting.I think I have learned that no one is wright, and no one is wrong in composting, but some generate more than others, because its our hobbie. Mike

Woodspirit, this thread will show you Maine Coon cats.
It is the only cat native to America, and has long tufts of
fur between its toes that act like snowshoes. The hair is on
the long side. My daughter has one. Very sweet and gentle cats.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/678932/

Only cat native to America? What about wild cats (lynx) and cougars? or do you mean the only domesticated cat bred originally here?

wow! from the picture of the one in the chair, they really are BIG cats. I wonder why ther term "coon." Are they supposed to hunt coons or just look similar?

Some of them have a ringed tail like a raccoon, and yes, they're the only American breed of domestic cat, probably descended from Norwegian Forest cats. Here's another thread about Maine coon cats. It's a much better thread because my cats are in it...and there's more cats, too. :)

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/677193/

why are you up so late? I have insomnia and dread going to work in a few hours.

I picked up my first few bags of starbucks grounds this week. I mixed 'em into the pile today!

mqiq77,
What's the average time it takes your pile to become good compost, using just shredded leaves and coffee grinds only? Curious.

Linda

You have described the Maine Coon very well. They are the most affectionate bundle of fur you can have and they are the best mousers due to their patience at the hole. They will sit all day and wait for them to stick their head out and poof no more mice, rats, voles, ground squirrels. This is my Gracie talking to my father yesterday.
The quickest is a good mix of 5 parts shredded leaves with 2 parts coffee grounds. Or similar

I heard you do not have to compost coffee grounds.
mqiq - Here is the way I heard it: Phd = piled hip deep.

even in winter they disappear fast. Late december I mixed some (about 3 gals) with bashed pumpkins and a few bags of rabbot litter. Covered with a good 2' of leaves, intending to come back the next week and stir it around with more wet stuff. Well then we got 3' of snow at xmas, and another 3' over the next 6 weeks. After it all melted off I raked the leaves off and EVERYTHING was gone. Poof. I suppose there were some worm poops remining, but I could not see them for the leaves.

I am supposing that the heavy layer of snow provided enough insulation for the worms to feel comfortable coming up to that level while the good stuff lasted.

Now all I have to do is remember to quit throwing away my coffee grounds, lol.

Gungirl, I haven't meant to ignore you, but I have been sooo sick, and will be back, as soon as my head will let me. Mike



I know you know, I ment Gymgirl M

This message was edited Mar 5, 2007 8:25 PM

For what it's worth, I picked up a couple of bags of coffe grounds at Starbucks, spread some around one of my Elephant Ears (Black Stem), worked it into the soil, and in a week the plant had sprouted 2 pups. It loved the coffee! I'm going back for more when I have time.

Boy mike must be really feeling low to call gymgirl, gungirl, lol.
No one has said yet if they experienced any help deterring voles with coffee grounds.

I'm STILL laughing OUT LOUD!

I'm gonna get a small trash can with a lid and put it outside the back door. Just for coffee grinds and filters. Dump it once a week on either the plants or the leaf pile. I think the plants get as much of a caffeine hit as we do!

I can't clame "typo", on that humdinger.Didn't I say I have been real sick, well thats proof, and yes, I'm still trying to get a bunch meds streightend, out, that will be under investigation, for some time. Big time mixup. Mike

oh my. I hope you get them straightened out and feel better. Right now I'm just juggling cold medications. this is the first time in years I have had a cold linger like this. I usually take a lot of Vitamin C from the moment I start feeling a little scratchiness in my throat. this usually keeps my colds shorter and milder. But I was out, so I ran to a store and just grabbed the first bottle I saw. I thought it was odd that they were about 1/2 the size of the 500 I.U.s I ususally buy, but that's what they said they were. they don't seem to be working at all. Back to the health food store.

I'm afriad that mine is far worse than across the counter.I actuall went into a coma, Fri. and I have been through too much!!! At least we found the problem, and am on the way out, but Have lost a lot of mobility. Mike


Oh,Linda, From chopped up leaves to finished compost, is around 45 days. That is putting 5 Gal. of grounds 3 times a week, and spreading it over the pile each time, and turning,(lightly), before each 5 Gal.

Hope you're back to full strength soon, Mike. Sorry to hear you've been so ill :~(

Lana

Oh Mike, sounds serious. Hope you're doing better soon.

good grief! By lack of mobility do you mean weak, or that your motor skills are off?

Hey Mike,
Yes, I knew. I'm praying you bounce back soon! Thanks for all the helpful info. Godspeed on your recovery.

Just an aside -- I heard they were called Maine coons because people used to think they were the product of the amorous union of a cat and a raccoon.

You're in my prayers, Mike!

Thanks, all, yes I am very weak, and have a problem with coordination, afraid to drive, but getting better.Dr. said look for a couple of weeks to be back.Mike

Just started reading this thread. Good luck, Mike.

Victor

Here is the history of the Maine Coon cat from the Cat Fanciers Association:
http://www.fanciers.com/breed-faqs/maine-coon-faq.html#History

There are three "large" breeds of domestic cat, of which the Coon cat is the best known. The other two are the Norwegian Forest Cat (sometimes called "wegies"):
http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/articles/norwegian.html

and the Siberian:
http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/siberian.html

All three of these breeds have lynx tufts on the tips of their ears. If you see this trait in a kitten, there is a good possibility that it will grow into a big cat! We had a marmalade Coon cat for 20 years. Now we have Wegie. Both love to garden with us. One day perhaps a Siberian will wonder into our home. This chart shows the physical differences:
http://members.aol.com/VanirCats/difference.html



Wishing you a speedy recovery Mike!

Sounds awful, Mike. Take care.

Karen

Well we are definately off topic here with these cats but gosh - they are neat looking critters. And I could not resist going through all the cats in the list. I especially lked the Bombay and I have always loved the look of the Abysainian. Thanks for the link. Now - back to coffee grounds.

Getting back to Composting and coffee grounds, you may have seen it already... but if not look at the article on Gardens.com that Josephine, our "Frostweed" on DG, has there. Just click on the link at the bottom of the page. If that article isn't showing click the article tab.
Oh, I love the Starbuck's grounds, they are so rich and smell wonderful too.

To get the coffegrounds at Starbucks...did you have them save them for you, or can you just stop in and ask them for what they have available?

Just stop in, if they don't have any, they usually tell you if you want to wait they will pack up some.
However, I wouldn't go in when they are really busy. You might ask them ahead of time if they bag them at a certain time of day though, they are in demand.

Thanks, Sheila. I will certainly follow up and give them a call and see what they can do for me.

We have two methods for maximizing the coffee ground haul from Starbucks:
1) call them in the morning and ask them to save ALL their coffee grounds for you that day. Let them know what time you will be able to pick them up, and be sure you DO remember to pick them up.
2) drop off a couple of clean 5 gallon buckets with lids and ask them to fill them up with coffee grounds for you.
Pick them up at the end of the day. (remember to put your name on the buckets and provide a phone number for them to reach you if needed.

garden_mermaid:
I REALLY want those coffee grounds! I plan to be a good friend to the local Starbucks. I would think for transportation that the 5 gal buckets would be easier.

Just keep in mind that wet coffee grounds can be heavy. I can lift a 5 gallon bucket full, but I wouldn't want to carry more than that. With two buckets, you can distribute the weight as you carry it out.

I have seen 2 1/2 gallon buckets before, they might be easier to handle, plus if you stop in and they don't have any bagged, they may load you us some in a bucket, good idea.