That 'coffee grounds in the garden' thing backfired hard on me

I heard coffee grounds are great for plants since they add nitrogen to the soil. So about 3 months ago I dumped a bunch of used grounds around my tomato plants in the backyard. After about 2 weeks the plants started looking yellow and droopy. Turns out fresh coffee grounds can actually lock up nitrogen in the soil if they haven't composted first. Now I just throw them in the compost bin instead of direct on the soil. Has anyone else messed up their garden by following a common tip like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_kevin1mo ago

Ngl, your roses and blueberries love acid, coffee grounds make soil more acidic. Totally different situation.

thea8571mo ago

Can I admit my 'careful thin layer' was more like a whole pot of sludge?

zara5721mo ago

i get what you're saying but i think the problem might be more about how much you used rather than the grounds themselves. i've been throwing coffee grounds straight onto my roses and blueberry bushes for years with no issues, just keep it to a thin layer and mix it in a bit so it doesn't clump. not the best science maybe but it's worked for me, so i don't think the whole tip is totally wrong.