Dax has been collecting our coffee grounds and other kitchen scraps from the coffeeshop for quite a few years. He has become quite the coffee composting nazi. Don't let him catch you throwing out something compostable. He swears by the coffee enhanced soil and the added benefits to his fruit trees and other garden veggies. I knew coffee was good for so many uses but today, my husband seems a little less crazy...
The Ground to Ground initiative shows us how we can make a tangible difference to our environment...one cup at a time.
Here is some pics of Dax's compost barrels, some pictures of the composting process and the end result ...black coffee soil. Also included a few pics of his garden goodies grown with composted coffee grounds...mostly new plantings, many fruit trees...that will fruit next year. *fingers crossed*
Dax's compost barrel made from recycle calamata olive barrels.
Stage 1: Fill barrel 1/2 full with coffee, filters, tea bags, kitchen scraps(mostly romaine lettuce, tomato bits, onion skins and leaves.
Stage 2: After a couple of months of decompostition it starts to look like something.... rich, soily goodness.
Stage 3: This is the final product... mix this with some peat and/or top soil.
Here's some pictures of figs, blueberries and pomegranates growing in Dax's coffee enriched soil.
Our crazy key lime tree on the left...it was attacked by Orange Dog caterpillers. Butterflies apparently love the coffee! On the right is the complete circle...ground to ground to ground, a coffee tree growing in coffee laced soil. It is suffering from heat exhaustion in the florida summer.
The growing season is coming to an end...this summer was brutal..hottest summer on record. After one of the coldest and longest winters on record. Hopefully next year, we can have a more bountiful crop and put this coffee soil to the test.
Saving the world, one cup at a time.
That is so cool!
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