Recycling Coffee

Used coffee grounds/grinds can be used as cellulite treatment, skin exfoliation or even to make homemade candles, but we're going to focus on a more traditional use for them - in the garden. Sam Holden and the team at Test Park have recently started to recycle coffee grounds. I'll let Sam explain what she has been up to and how it's such a great way to breath life into your garden.

At Test Park we have worked with the Sport Solent ground staff to ensure we reuse all of our used coffee grounds effectively around the site. We go through approximately 5kg-10kg of coffee beans every 7-12 days depending on the time of year.

We have been reusing 100% of our used coffee grounds for approximately 8 months now and it is very rewarding putting them back into the environment. There are many articles about how good reusing coffee beans are for the environment.

Below are some of the reasons why we do it here at Test Park:

• To reduce waste
• Great as a natural fertilizer/plant food
• It's amazing for the soil as it adds organic material to the soil, which improves drainage, water retention and aeration in the soil
• It is a natural and cruelty free way to deter cats/foxes
• Natural insect repellent (especially to ants)
• Going forward with this project we aim to encourage and help all the other sites to save their coffee grounds so we can collect and use them here. This will create zero coffee grind waste across the whole University and some very healthy soil and plants at Test Park.

Want to know more about the how's and why's of using coffee grounds in your garden? As Sam mentioned above, there are some great articles that will provide you with all the information you need, such as:

• Gardening Know How
• Organic Gardening
• Wikihow

If Sam and the team at Test Park have inspired you to get out in your garden with your coffee grounds then let us know :) 

Also, is it coffee 'grounds' or coffee 'grinds'???