Wondering what to do with leftover coffee grounds? Don’t throw them out—use them in your garden! Coffee grounds can be a gardener’s best friend, offering multiple benefits from mulching to pest protection. Here’s how to make the most of them in easy, everyday language.

1. Mulching with Coffee Grounds Yes, coffee grounds are great for the garden! They’re particularly good as mulch for acid-loving plants. So if you have blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, or hydrangeas (which, by the way, can turn bright blue with coffee grounds), these grounds can do wonders. Spread about half an inch of grounds around these plants to enrich the soil without making it too acidic. Even some vegetables like tomatoes and carrots appreciate the slight acidity coffee grounds bring.

2. Coffee Grounds in Compost Adding coffee grounds to your compost bin is another great idea. They’re a rich source of nitrogen, which enhances soil structure and boosts plant nutrition when used as compost. Just mix the grounds with your usual yard and kitchen scraps. Be mindful, though, that coffee grounds can be quite acidic, so balance them with some wood ash or lime to maintain a healthy pH in your compost.

3. A Natural Pest Deterrent Coffee grounds can also protect your plants from pests like slugs and snails—think of it as a moat around your castle of plants. Just circle your plants with coffee grounds, and you’ll find that many pests are repelled by the smell and acidity.

4. Homemade Liquid Fertilizer You can easily turn coffee grounds into an effective liquid fertilizer. Just soak about half a pound of grounds in a five-gallon bucket of water for a few days. This nutrient-rich tea is perfect for watering your plants and is a fantastic, chemical-free alternative to commercial fertilizers.

5. Natural Wood Stain If you have garden furniture, skip the varnish and use coffee grounds instead to give them a beautiful, natural sepia tone. This way, you avoid leaching chemicals into your garden soil.

6. Growing Oyster Mushrooms Coffee grounds are an excellent medium for growing oyster mushrooms at home. They provide a pasteurized substrate for the mushrooms, simply add some mushroom spawn to your grounds, and watch them grow!

7. Cat Repellent Not everyone enjoys the smell of coffee as much as we do. Cats, in particular, dislike it, making coffee grounds a great deterrent for keeping them from using your garden as a litter box.

Final Tip: If you’re not a coffee drinker, no worries. Many coffee shops, like Starbucks, offer used coffee grounds for free—just ask!

Using coffee grounds in your garden is not only a fantastic way to recycle but also enhances your garden’s health and beauty in several ways. Give it a try and see the difference!