During a quick pit-stop with the children in a local coffee shop, I spotted they were giving away used or out of date coffee grounds. Curious, (and a fan or quirky ideas) I had to ask what it was all about.

Who'd of thought, they are used to enhance garden compost? I was drawn in, I picked up a bag and trotted of proud as punch, not only was it free, my garden will look amazing!!!

I did as intended and added the washed coffee grounds to my compost and I have to say my flowers have bloomed fantastically. Since doing this I have read conflicting articles on the use of coffee grounds on your garden, so I am only talking as I find.

So why are they so good for the garden? when used in compost the coffee grounds are classed as green waste and break down as any other compostable matter would. The recommended ratio for coffee grounds is 10% of the compost as they can be deemed acidic. Even after the coffee its self has been filtered away, the grounds still contain proteins, acids and carbohydrates which will provide nutrients to the microorganisms that turn your waste into gardening gold, compost. After researching further, adding the grounds to the compost heap will increase microbial activity, which raises the temperature. The benefit of this is that it helps kill many pathogenic bacteria and fungi as well as the seeds of weeds that sneak into the heap from your garden waste.

There are many more great ways coffee grounds con used in the garden, for instance, worms love it, they are attracted to it and carry it deep into the earth. Brilliant, feeding the worms and feeding your soil.

I've not tried this, but it is documented that you can attempt to change the colour of your hydrangea's . You may be aware that more alkaline soil produces pretty pink hydrangea flowers, while acidic soil tend to throw blue flowers. If your plants have pink flowers, feed them some washed coffee grounds and wait to see if they show any signs of changing colour.

I have to admit, this brought the geek out in me, I love eliminating waste, so this was bang up my street (or my garden path!) Try it, I can't promise it'll work for you, but it's defiantly worth a go. 

Having studied at  an Agricultural College (now a  University) I can concur with all of the stereotypical following, If you would like to add anymore, please do comment below.... Let's all have a good laugh for old times sake!! 

Here are a few, I could go on and on but your computer might crash!!!

1. Every man you know has one of the following names somewhere on their birth certificate: George, William, Henry, James, John.

2. Wellington's are a standard choice of footwear. For lectures, pubs, nightclubs, anywhere.

3. It’s perfectly acceptable to carry a shotgun around campus, or even to have one stored in your student house. (In a gun cabinet of course!)

4. You have one nightclub, maybe two, and still only go to them once in a blue moon.

5. All collars are worn up.

6. You have a pair of 'Bar Boots'.

7. You have turned up to a lecture wearing fancy dress and nobody has batted an eyelid.

8. Initiations involve maggots, sheep spray and gold fish.

9. You struggle to understand concepts such as “veganism”.

10. You can pluck and prepare a game bird.

11. Drinking seems to be a core module for all subjects.

12. Fieldwork involves visiting a farm.

13. Everyone has a car.

14. Trainers are strictly for sports only.

15. The weekends see an exodus as students leave to shoot/ hunt/ take their washing home to Mummy.

16. There is an unofficial uniform of tweed, nowadays it seems to be the Schoffel gilet.

17. It’s possible to pass your degree without ever visiting the library.

18. The rivalry between other Ag Colleges old boys (and girls)  will stay with you forever

19. There are balls all the time. If you are a girl you take out an extra student loan just to buy dresses.

20. Despite having to study crop production, have everyone know your business and have to drive several miles for civilisation, you wouldn’t study anywhere else.

21. You're still friends now, no matter how long ago you left College. 
#FriendsForLife

*This is a generalisation and in my opinion, not in any way factual.