I did send a response the Corrie. I have used coffee chaff and of course burlap bags. Coffee chaff is a great source of nitrogen, it is not acidic by the way and will test with a ph around 6.5. It does need to be mixed with soil or other mulch materials, in that it will develop into a hard cake if left alone.
Burlap bags are great for number of reasons. They create a perpetual dark, that the micro organism that break down organic materials so love. For example, I build 8 -10 inch mulches for my tomatoes, cover with burlap and cut in holes for the plants. This keeps soil born diseases at bay, allows the mulch to break down and feed my tomatoes and helps retain water. The only issue is that the bags are often sewn with nylon threads that don't break down. Some coffee bags are made with sisal and take longer to breakdown. I use burlap bags as bedding material in my 4 worm bins. Adam as an aside I get over thrashings pretty fast, especially when I know I am working for a socially responsible company that walks the talk. I am just quite busy right now. By the way my local store has recycled all the coffee grounds they have brewed this past year, the local gardeners have caught on. Ray Schutte "The truth of the matter is that the flower has cleverly manipulated the bee into hauling its pollen from blossom to blossom." The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, May 05, 2003 10:27 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [cg] Coffee Chaff Corrie, Seattle, WA gardeners have been using burlap and coffee grounds in that highly caffeinated city for a long time. I don't know their experience with coffee chaff, but off the top of my head, if one balanced the PH levels in the soil and used enough of this good thing (and not too much) I really can't see how this would not be beneficial. The list's expert in using coffee by-products in the garden is a fine Seattle Washington community gardener name Ray Schutte, whose day job is at the Starbuck's company. Unsuprisingly, we've not seen much of him on this list of late, maybe because of the thorough ( and to my mind largely unjustified) trashing his employer got on this listserve. Incidentally, Starbucks ( of which I do not own stuck) also sells organic and fair trade coffees. But Ray is the man I hope responds, because he understands both coffee by-products, and is a fine and dedicated community gardener. Best wishes, Adam Honigman Best wishes, Adam Honigman << Subj: [cg] Coffee Chaff Date: 5/5/03 12:06:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Corrie Zoll) Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] I am wondering if any of you have experience with using coffee chaff as mulch in your gardens. A fair trade organic coffee roaster (www.peacecoffee.com) just moved into my office building and I have access to an ongoing supply of burlap and coffee chaff. I have been spreading the word about the chaff and burlap among community gardeners. Gardeners are interested, but are wary of putting coffee chaff in their gardens without knowing what affect it will have. Any experiences you can share would be helpful. I'll take creative suggestions for using burlap as well. Corrie Zoll Minneapolis >> ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
