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Patch x Grind
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Coffee as a slow-release fertiliser

Scientists state that a balance of ‘greens’ and ‘browns’ is needed to create the proper environment for composting to occur. ‘Greens’ are nitrogen-rich materials that are used by microorganisms in the soil for their growth and reproduction, and ‘browns’ are carbon-rich materials used to feed microorganisms and give them energy.

  • ‘Greens’ include items like fruit and vegetable peels, and used coffee grounds.
  • ‘Browns’ include items such as dried leaves, twigs and newspaper.

When mixing green and brown together you should remember the ratio 1:4 (1 part green, 4 parts brown).

If you have too much green material your compost pile will start to smell (a bi-product of microorganism reproduction is ammonia - gross!). If you don't have enough green material, the compost pile won't heat up because the microorganisms don’t have enough energy to do their thing. 

After about 3 months your old coffee grounds will have been transformed into nutrient rich compost giving your plants a much needed boost of nutrients.

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