Watering question

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sevseasail Tamesis, Antioquia, Colombia(Zone 12a) Dec 22, 2010

OK, Here's what I know: Compost is good for the plants.
Coffee grounds are a good addition to compost.
Watering the plants with compost tea is good.
So, my question is: Is it good to water plants with coffee ?? (room temperature and no sugar nor cream). After all, it's tea made from a good compost ingredient .....

Thank you for you responses !!

Willy.

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ViburnumValley Scott County, KY(Zone 5b) Dec 22, 2010

Your coffee will likely be acidic, which may benefit some plants and others may hate it (calciphiles, for example).

Most plants just like water, thank you, and will take their nutrients up from minerals available in normal soils. Potted plants indoors in sterile soils need all their nutrients provided to them through supplementary fertilization.

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Dec 22, 2010

The coffee grounds are good because they add organic material to your soil. Compost tea is good because it contains beneficial microorganisms and things from the compost. Coffee would not provide either of those benefits. An occasional little bit of coffee probably wouldn't hurt your plants (unless they're ones that don't like the acidity), but it's not going to do anything beneficial for them and if you used it regularly I'm not sure it would be good for the plants (caffeine, etc)

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sevseasail Tamesis, Antioquia, Colombia(Zone 12a) Dec 22, 2010

Thank you !!
No coffee for the plants then...
It was just a thought that crossed my mind this morning as I poured out the coffee left on the pot from yesterday.
Thank you again !!

Willy

Post #8272202
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pirl (Arlene) Southold, NY(Zone 7a) Dec 22, 2010

I use the old coffee, with water filled to the top of the pot, and do give it to my houseplants. It has the tiniest bit of nitrogen and is barely acidic. I'll use my PH tester to check it next time.

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muttlover Marysville, OH(Zone 5b) Jan 13, 2011

One of the things I love about this forum is that the new gardeners ask the same questions I want to ask and the experienced gardeners not only answer, they explain their answers. I've learned more from this than from all the googling and library books I've read over the past several years.

Post #8309555
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pirl (Arlene) Southold, NY(Zone 7a) Jan 14, 2011

It's true. Another invaluable part of DG is that the information is current. I do love old gardening books but when someone wants the latest information on a subject it can generally be found on DG.

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