RE: Coffee Chaff

**"Corrie Zoll" c*@greeninstitute.org**

Thanks to everyone for the great responses about using coffee grounds,
coffee chaff, and burlap sacks.  This will be great information to pass
along.

And Ray - I was curious about using burlap as worm bedding.  This sounds
great.  Do you cut it into strips?  How quickly does it decompose in the
worm bin?  I suppose the chaff would make good worm bedding as well.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Schutte [R*@starbucks.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2003 6:10 PM
To: Adam36055@aol.com; Corrie Zoll; community_garden@mallorn.com
Subject: RE: [cg] Coffee Chaff

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: Adam36055@aol.com [A*@aol.com] 
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2003 10:27 AM
To: czoll@greeninstitute.org; community_garden@mallorn.com
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:  czoll@greeninstitute.org (Corrie Zoll)
 Sender:    community_garden-admin@mallorn.com
 To:    community_garden@mallorn.com

 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 >>

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