Nu Houston Member - addendum - coffee question anyone?

Hi,

Oops...I wanted to indicate that I am new to the community & this is my first post, but I still don't see how...oh well.

Quick question....I'm working at Starbucks and have unlimited access to coffee grounds for compost. Can you get too much of a good thing?? I'm planting lots of new shrubs, mostly tropical, grassess and bamboo. Thx!!!


This is Rick, 53 y.o., married, 3 dogs, difffcult teen, 90 y.o. Dad, recently relocated from a tropical water paradise in Houston's MedCtr to a really interesting 1/2 acre city lot isolated between the bayou & the freeway, starting out fresh!

DG looks so great, I look forward to finding my way around & communicating with you!

About me: I am a pain physician (anesthesiologist) taking a break over the last year while we reorganize & working at Starbucks. I also play guitar & love R&B, American music & related genres, as well as chess, old magic posters, mysteries & various & sundry. Wrote several books as an academic. Now I'm just human.

On the gardening side: wonderfully sited house with a yard that's a blank palette, though extraordinarily flat & cursed with archetypal Houston gumbo soil. Thought I was on to a really sweet job & commissioned a plan from KaBloom landscapers (awesome!!!!) that we're now needing to execute ourselves. In a bit of a fix, as we've been buying 70% off stock like crazy & I have a ton of bamboo, palms & tropicals to get established before much time goes by. Unfortunately nothing to trade just now but my fellowship.

It's good to be on board!!!

Rick

Welcome Rick,
Will try and link you to one of the more recent threads re: Cycads and the use of coffee grounds.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/764352/
Check out the Tropical Gardening/ Tropicals/ and Palms and Cycads forums if you like the tropicals! Full of great info!
Look forward to seeing your progress!
Gk

Rick -- Welcome! Your posting is interesting! I'm not sure if all the coffee could be too much of a good thing. I love to use it in my clay -type soil. I have a friend who just moved to the Houston area and is in awe of the soil. Everything she planted died! She finally asked a neighbor who told her to replace the soil. The long growing season is a great plus though. I'm sure the challenge of starting over will be very rewarding and fun! good luck and hope to hear of your progress. Sound like you will have a jungle soon.

Thanks & best wishes. Yeh, we call the Houston clay-soli "gumbo." Love the tropical clime, but the weather here is extremely variable...usually beastly hot which I like, but sometimes unrelenting rain & just today it turned cold, windy & raining in sheets. This too shall pass, though. I used to own a bobcat (machine not feline), but often made as much mess as I was constructive...fun, though. For now I'm planting everything in ample holes & backfilling with a good top soil/compost mix. Thanks for the welcome!
Rick

hello rick. i live in upstate new york. you will love this place. everyone sends lots of pictures on all the forums. enjoy yourself.