Master Gardener Calendar - Pictures - Spring Reminder

HELLO MASTER GARDENERS! 

Taking pictures for the Master Gardener 2022 Calendar? Below are the guidelines.

Don't forget winter photos or the first blooms, buds and shoots of spring. 

Here are the guidelines.

Files should be 2 Mbs (6 mp on phones is 18 Mbs) or larger. Most cell phone photos are good. See Smartphone camera tips at the bottom.

A resolution of 300 dpi and a minimum size of 5"x7"

Try to include action photos.

If a MG is in the picture they should be wearing MG branded clothes.

Identifiable children need a parental release.

No staged photos - real interactions with the public. [Prob not much of this...)

Tips for using your Smartphone camera

1. Shoot in Landscape

- Rotating your phone to landscape mode and using the volume buttons to take the photo provides a more stable hold on the phone, reducing noise in your pictures.

2, Utilize the Grid Lines

- Locate this option in your photo app settings.  Keep your main subjects off center so they become the focus.

• Focus on the eyes

• Place strong lines and divisions like the horizon on the gridlines

3. Don’t Zoom!

- Get up and personal with your subject for the best results.  Most smartphone cameras have a digital zoom, but using this won’t help you get detailed pictures from far away.  Zoom is just essentially cropping our picture on the screen.

4, Choose different or unusual camera angles

- This allows you to explore different point of view.

• Lie on your stomach
• When taking pictures of small children or pets, get down on their level.
• Climb up and look down!

5. No Garbage Cans!

- You should also avoid cluttered or ugly backgrounds by changing your point of view.  Watch out for the trash cans or other unsightly objects in your view.

6. Multiple Shots

 - If you see something that catches your eye don't just take one shot and hope for the best. The chances of getting a good photo with your first shot are very slim. You should take shots from various angles and distances.

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Interested in herbs? Looking for Gardening Gifts?

 Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

SPECIAL Price reduction.

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it.

Plants for Winter Interest - In a Master Gardener's Yard

White birch

From a Franklin County Master Garden blog entry in February, 2012

In planning her garden, Master Gardener Iris Masters included plants that would provide winter interest: birch trees, Japanese andromeda, Oregon grape holly, magnolia and cypress trees, nandina and crape myrtle.

Iris and I took a turn ‘round the yard through the season’s first snow flurries and I snapped some photos. I missed the hawk roosting in the birch (Betula jacquemontii) but captured the contrast of the tree, listed as the whitest one available, against the evergreens.

The Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica) provides a bright greeting near the front door. The Oregon grape holly (Mahonia aquifolium) displays its yellow-green holly leaves.

Magnolia tree

Iris’ landscape plan provided shelter from winter winds for the large magnolia shown above in the front yard which holds its deep green all winter.

Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) is not a true bamboo but a member of the barberry family. The berries are beautiful but they are not as popular with birds as holly berries although mockingbirds and others will eventually eat them.  The Hinoki cypress tree (Chamaecyparis obtuse ‘Kosteri’) has beautiful form and evergreen foliage.

Crape Myrtle

The crape myrtle (Lagerstromea x ‘Zuni’) with beautiful lavender flowers provides striking seed pods that reach toward the sky.

Other yards around Penn National show winter landscape interest using ornamental grasses, unusual evergreen specimens, or bark as well as trees placed so their winter-bare branches create eye-catching silhouettes.

Barberry

Although the red-berried bushes of Barberry (Barberry vulgaris) really add to the landscape of this white house with red shutters, this is an invasive PA plant. Choose Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) as a substitute.

When there’s a break in winter weather, take a turn around your yard and see what you have and when those post holiday plant and seed catalogues start coming perhaps plan to add something in the coming year for next winter.

Check out the eBlog FRANKLIN COUNTY (PA) GARDENERS for many more Winter Interest plants. 

 https://franklincountymgs.blogspot.com/2014/12/revisit-winter-blogs-of-interest.html

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Plants for Winter Interest - Miscanthus

Sun Perennial Demo Garden-Jan. 2021

Tall grasses add structure and interest to the winter garden. Most common is Miscanthus which has approximately 20 different species. The name comes from the Greek mischos meaning “stalk” and anthos, “flowers.” This refers to the tiny flowers on its tall plumes. There are a variety of sizes and foliage that can fit in most landscapes. Miscanthus sinensis [miss-KANTH-us sih-NEN-sis] is also known as Maiden Grass.

Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'
CC BY-SA 3.0 (N. Nagel)

Allowing frost-killed grass to remain throughout the dormant season, its buff-colored foliage, stalks, and airy, plumed seed heads provide striking winter interest. The plumes shimmer in winter sunlight and the slightest breeze will add movement to the landscape. Tall varieties are excellent for mass planting and screens that last into winter. The plumes are excellent in dried flower arrangements.

The plant prefers full sun, tolerates moist soils and is relatively pest- and disease-free. It is highly salt tolerant which makes it an excellent choice along sidewalks, driveways and roadways. It is important to note that Miscanthus can become INVASIVE. Some cultivars produce many seeds and heavy mulching helps prevent germination and prevents the plant from becoming invasive. 

Arriving in late summer, the  airy, plumed seed heads endure from August until late January or longer. Cut foliage down in late winter or early spring before, or just as, new blades appear.

One variety, Miscanthus giganteus, a perennial grass hybrid, is being researched at OHIO UNIVERSITY as a possible option for a bio-fuel. 

[ https://www.dispatch.com/article/20160318/NEWS/303189757  ]  

More information on Miscanthus sinensis at NORTH CAROLINA EXTENSION

[  https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/miscanthus-sinensis/ ]

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Identifying Backyard Birds

Are you getting ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count? Start identifying the birds you are seeing in your yard. Don't forget you can also participate while on a hike or visiting beyond your backyard. Be sure to take a notepad to record your sightings.

See if you can ID the birds on this page.  Answers at the bottom.

Middle 1

The Merlin Bird ID and Audubon Bird Guide app can easily be downloaded on phones on tablets.  Not so easy on a desktop computer. 

Here's a free online resource with easy to find ID. BIRD WATCHER'S DIGEST:   [https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/]

There are plenty of books for identifying birds available through the Franklin County Library System. They are offering curbside pickup. Go to their webpage for CURRENT GUIDELINES for checking out books at this time. (http://www.fclspa.org/reopening/). Use the topic Bird identification in the Search box.

Middle 2

My favorites books are:

* Sibley Field Guide to Birds - This has drawings of male & female plus juvenile & breeding plumage on some.

* Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds
* Peterson Field Guide to Birds East of the Rockies 

 If you want a great bird song ID book get BACKYARD BIRDSONG GUIDE EASTERN AND CENTRAL (Cornell Lab of Ornithology). [  https://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Birdsong-Guide-Eastern-Listening/dp/0811863425  ]  It has the sounds of seventy-five unique birds from Eastern and Central North America at the touch of a button plus short descriptions of each.

🐦 🐦🐦🐦🐦🐦

Plants for Winter Interest - Lavender

Bright gray mounds of Lavender stand out- Jan 2021

Lavender (Lavendula sp.) is usually thought of as a seasonal perennial, prized for its beautiful and fragrant blooms. But checking the Franklin County Herb Demonstration Garden in January I discovered that the bright gray, over-wintering plants in our Fragrance Bed are quite the eye-catchers.

Basket of Lavender flowers (Photo: B. Petrucci)

Lavender needs sun and a well-drained site to thrive. Our herb garden is in raised beds in full sun all day so it is a perfect site for lavender. It is especially important, when planting, to consider the winter conditions. Snow will provide water to the plant, but excessive amounts can waterlog it. Don’t place it where the shovel or snow blower will cover it. Consider what sun it will receive in winter.

During the growing season deadheading after first bloom can promote re-blooming. Use this as a chance to start to shape the plants into rounded mounds. A rounded shape will  minimize damage by snow and ice. As summer comes to a close, stop harvesting. The plant will go dormant, but the silvery foliage will remain and stand out.

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Are you interested herbs? Check out the Herb Sampler at this Blog  POST : [  gardenandlifenotes.blogspot.com/2021/01/herb-sampler-my-book.html  ]

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon at this LINK. [ https://www.amazon.com/Herb-Sampler-Second-Carol-Kagan/dp/1482067463  ]

GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT -2021

It seems being stuck at home there is much more birdwatching going on, at least on the Facebook pages of my Friends and others that I visit.

With that in mind, I'm thinking this year's GBBC will be highly successful utilizing many more citizen scientists to gather and report bird data. You just need to spend at least 15 minutes at a location. If you can spend more than 15 minutes, you’ll get a better sense of which birds are in your area. If you’d like to do more than one count at the same location, or counts at several locations, just  submit separate checklists each time you do so.

Here's some links to help you understand how this works.

Counting Instructions 

Bird Counting 101   This article gives you clear information about counting and is helpful if you are new at this.  Ex, "If you see a male Northern Cardinal in the first five minutes of your walk, and then see a male Northern Cardinal in roughly the same place on your way back you would count one." 

Bird Counting 102- At the Feeders This is the article that I review each year. 

Help Id'ling Birds  This link provides online reference sites, several with FREE apps to download.

The Merlin Bird ID and Audubon Bird Guide app can easily be downloaded on phones on tablets.  Not so easy on a desktop computer. 

Here's a free online resource with easy to find ID. BIRD WATCHER'S DIGEST:   [https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/]

There are plenty of books for identifying birds available through the Franklin County Library System. They are offering curbside pickup. Go to their webpage for CURRENT GUIDELINES for checking out books at this time. (http://www.fclspa.org/reopening/). Use the topic Bird identification in the Search box.

e-Bird Data Entry

Yes, you will need to set up an e-Bird account to enter your information; however, it is only once and they don’t ask a bunch of personal information (name, email, user name and password). Having an account ensures that your data will be associated with your efforts, allowing scientists to quantify participation to aid in analyses. It also enables you to keep track of your personal bird records and lists. 

You can also enter observations at other times of the year and because a location is not associated with your account, at different locations. Go to this link to set up the eBird Account. Once set-up, you can use the sign in information (User name and password) to participate in NestWatch . 

NestWatch is a nationwide nest-monitoring program designed to track status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds. Participating is easy and anyone can do it.

The Cornell Bird Lab has an abundance of online educational resources that may be of interest to homeschoolers and teachers with online education responsibilities. There are FREE downloadable lessons, clubs and citizen science programs for K-12 and information for Undergrad and Grad students, too.

HERB SAMPLER - My Book

In 2012, I finally self-published the first edition of the Herb Sampler. It sold well on Amazon but much better from my inventory to friends, neighbors, relatives and visitors to herb classes, fairs and festivals. It is small and was published as a paperback. Barbara Petrucci, my friend and also an artist, provided art sketches for most of the book. 

The idea for the Herb Sampler began when customers at the Master Gardener plant sale herb table wanted to know what to do with the herbs they were buying. This book was written to provide a sampling of information about herbs and herbal uses. It encouraged readers to check the Webliography and Bibliography for other resources and books with additional information.

Since the 2012 publication of the Herb Sampler, and working with the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners in Franklin County, Pa., I have learned so much more about herbs, especially about their uses and care. Helping to oversee the demonstration herb garden has added practical experience that has improved the information included in the Second Edition. Both books are excellent for beginners and the more experienced. 

As a Master Gardener representing Penn State I use research-based information to answer questions and present programs as well as working in the demonstration gardens. The information presented in the book has been researched.

In this Second Edition I have added more sections such as Selecting Herbs, Making Ingredients,
Edible Flowers and more ways to Preserve Herbs.  I learned a new, convenient way to dry herbs and this method of refrigerator drying is described as well as the use of a dehydrator. Barbara has, once again, contributed many art sketches throughout the book. 

There is updated and additional information plus new recipes, many courtesy of our Herb Team and their creative use of herbs for refreshments at classes and events. 

What the book does not include is detailed information about individual herbs. Look for updated references for both print and on the internet as well as an Index.

The Second Edition Herb Sampler has grown from small paperback to a Trade Paperback with my photo of Sage and Rosemary.

#     #     #

Interested in herbs? Looking for Gardening Gifts?

 Check out the Herb Sampler  description on this Blog  

SPECIAL Price reduction on Amazon. Click here. 

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

January: Time to Go A-Wassailing

"Health to thee, good apple-tree,

Well to bear, pocket-fulls, hat-fulls,

Peck-fulls, bushel-bag fulls.”


Evening Wassails may include bonfires (Finniver Farm &Cidery)

This song was sung during ORCHARD-VISITING wassailing (rhymes with fossil-ing), not to be confused with HOUSE-VISITING wassailing. The orchard wassail tradition is typically done on Twelfth Night (January 17 on the old Gregorian Calendar). It refers to visiting apple orchards to thank the trees for the past year and promote a good harvest in the coming year.

Wassailing is an old tradition, dating back to the 14th century, with lots of variations in communities. It means “to your health” in Old English.  Many communities in England still regularly hold January wassailing events.

Pennsylvania is the fourth highest U.S. apple producer and Franklin, Adams and York counties have ample apple orchards. Sadly, there're no local wassail events but the tradition is interesting. Terhune Farms in New Jersey holds annual wassailing as does Linville Orchards in Media, Pennsylvania.

Originally, the wassail was a drink made of mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted crab apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar.  It was served indoors from large bowls. After partaking of cider (wassail bowl has alcohol) and cake, people would go out into the orchard carrying an earthen-ware cup of cider and some cake. 
The cake is soaked with cider and left in the tree branches for the birds. (Perhaps drunken birds sing louder and make the trees happier.)

Tying bread crumbs in a tree to honor the robins (Finniver Farm & Cidery)

 Cider is then poured around the tree roots and various songs sung such as 

 

“Here’s to thee, old apple-tree,

Whence thou may’st bud, and whence thou may’st blow,

And whence thou may’st bear apples enow

Hats- full! Caps- full!

Bushel-bushel-sacks full,

And my pockets full, too, huzza!”

 

 

In some variations the aim is to wake the apple trees and scare away evil spirits. Shouting, noise makers and musket shots can be part of the ritual. Other variations  include a wassail King or Queen to lead a processional through the countryside, visiting a number of orchards.

A folktale from Somerset reflecting this custom tells of the "Apple Tree Man", the spirit of the oldest apple tree in an orchard, and in whom the fertility of the orchard is said to reside. In the tale a man offers his last mug of mulled cider to the trees in his orchard and is rewarded by the Apple Tree Man who reveals to him the location of buried treasure.

In modern times the wassail tradition has been used to promote a good harvest or good growth of other plants besides apples. Is there something in the garden or yard you need to give a little boost for the coming growing season?

 

Should you wish to make some wassail and bundle up to go into the garden, Colonial Williamsburg provides this recipe:

 

WASSAIL

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon apple cider
• 1 large can unsweetened pineapple juice
• 3/4 cup tea

Place in a cheesecloth sack:

• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice
• 2 sticks cinnamon

This is great cooked in a crock pot. Let it simmer very slowly for 4 to 6 hours. You can add water if it evaporates too much. At your discretion, alcohol may be added to taste. Serves 20.

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

Plants for Winter Interest: Coral Embers Willow

 

Coral embers willow (Salix alba ssp. vitellina 'Britzensis') - nothing special in the gardening' world, just a fast-growing, hardy, colorful shrub for a large area - is a real delight this time of year.

When the leaves fall in autumn, it shows off its branches for the winter: yellow, orange, red in varying degrees all over...and it really stands out in a winter landscape.  Add some snow and you will really appreciate it.

It's inexpensive to buy, it's vigorous (grows 2-3 feet a year), gets large (my 9 year old specimen reached about 13 feet this year), gets woody (you need to trim it back), serves as a great nesting place for all kinds of wildlife (I've seen it all), and looks really cool when it snows especially.

It serves as a great screen shrub, and you can pick it out in the winter from quite a distance (if you happen to have trouble finding your house).

Important:  it needs to be trimmed back as far as possible into the current year's wood EVERY year, or it gets very large.  So, in Feb-Mar, before leaves start to come out, go out and trim everything but an inch of the colorful stems off.  The new growth will start from here, and the further you cut it back, the more colorful it will be the next winter.

Here's a way to propagate: Put your cuttings in a bucket of water and once they root, plant them in the ground, and they seem to do just fine.  They are not fussy about soil, like sun, and after a year will start giving you a colorful winter backdrop.

Captured from a previous post by Jerry Lewis, Master Gardener (January 2013)

CKagan, Master Gardener

Planning is Key to Garden Success

 

“Anyone who thinks that gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year. For gardening begins in January with the dream.”

This quote by Josephine Nuese, author of The Country Garden, is the excuse gardeners use to ignore the snow covered yards and bare limbed trees to settle in with the seed catalogs and gardening books.

In February the dreaming is over and the important task of planning begins for home gardeners. Whether planning to grow vegetables, herbs or flowers, it’s time to choose what, where and when.

An important part of planning is having information about your yard and garden.  Note what light is available DURING THE GROWING SEASON – full sun for 6 or more hours each day during the growing season, part sun/shade, and full shade. For some plants it is important to know if the site is wet or dry.

Since the soil in your garden is the container for your plants, have it analyzed through Penn State with a soil test. These are available in Penn State Extension Offices for around $9. Call the offices before you go. The results will help you decide if you need to add anything to your soil to help the plants grow well. Once you receive the results, call your Extension Office if you need help in understanding them.

George Weigel, Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist and author, notes in the Pennsylvania Getting Started Garden Guide, “you can’t put whatever you like wherever you want.” If you want to have the best chance of success, get information about what you want to plant by checking catalog descriptions, seed packs or plant markers.

UPDATE: Franklin County, PA, is now solidly in Zone 7a according to the 2023 USDA Hardiness Zone map. Click to go to the 2023 USDA Hardiness Zone Map for Pennsylvania.

(Look for plants that are listed for Zone 6b, the Franklin County USDA Hardiness Zone. ) Hardiness zones are areas with the same temperature - the coldest zone is 1 and the warmest is 10. In buying plants, especially from catalogs, check where they are grown. Plants shipped from other hardiness zones may not thrive in our area. Checking out Master Gardener plants sales is a great place to start. They are either grown locally or selected for optimal growth in their area.

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

TRiViA - Sage

Sage (Salvia officinalis) 

Considering the use of Sage by Benjamin Franklin to deter counterfeiting of Colonial money, perhaps we could nominate it to be the Pennsylvania State Herb.

In 1737 Benjamin Franklin used the art of nature printing to transfer a Sage leaf image onto the back of paper money bills.  The distinctive contours of leaf spines, stems and veins were meant to thwart counterfeiters and Franklin’s workers managed to keep the printing technique a secret that has puzzled modern scholars.

In the Language of Flowers Sage means domestic virtue. It was said that a Sage plant will be healthy when all is well and will wilt when things go badly. 

White Sage (Salvia apiana) is not typically used for cooking but is well known as an incense to burn for spiritual purposes. Leaves are picked and then rolled into a 'smudge stick'. This stick is then burned in an attempt to purify one’s body or home, reminiscent of how it was used by California settlers. We will need several fields of White Sage for 2020.

Sage was used as meat preservative in ancient Greece and Rome.  A University of Arizona study found this herb does have anti-bacterial effects. Sage extracts have a long history of use as food antioxidants, where they help delay the onset of rancidity and preserve color, flavor, and nutrients. #sage #smudging #money

Are you interested herbs? Check out the Herb Sampler at this Blog  POST : [  gardenandlifenotes.blogspot.com/2021/01/herb-sampler-my-book.html  ]

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon at this LINK. [ https://www.amazon.com/Herb-Sampler-Second-Carol-Kagan/dp/1482067463  ]

Plants for Winter Interest: Harry Lauder Walking Stick

Harry Lauder Walking Stick in Winter

Tree/shrub

Perennial
Growth: to 10 ft.
Culture: Sun to partial shade; drought tolerant
Flowers: Unremarkable
Grown for unusual twisted, corkscrew branches
Hardy: Zones 4b-8 (Franklin County is Zone 6b)
Winter interest plant
----------------------------------------------------------------

This intriguing shrub (Corylus avellana 'Contorta') lends plenty of winter interest when sited to show off its silhouette with twisted, corkscrew branches. Every Harry Lauder's Walking Stick was propagated from a single plant that was discovered in an English hedgerow in the 19th century.  When planning your landscape changes, consider this plant for sites that will show off its winter interest.

Not its best feature, it does have textured green leaves that fade to pale yellow in fall. Hardy in zones 4B-8, it has a slow growth rate and can reach 10’. It has a high tolerance for drought, likes sun or part shade and does well in most soils.

A member of the hazel family, it produces flowers called catkins which may hold on into winter, though it does not produce nuts. Usually grafted onto Turkish hazel (Corylus colurna) rootstock, gardeners need to prune off any suckers to prevent the plant reverting to the rootstock characteristics.

Icy coating is beautiful winter display.

You want to know why the name, don’t you? Presumably it was named after Harry Lauder, an early 20^th C. English vaudevillian who carried a crooked walking stick with him on stage. In real life, he also collected crooked walking sticks which were sold at auction for very high prices. Check out this link [CANES] to see some of his canes and walking sticks.

PARSLEY: 2021 Herb of the Year

 

Italian Parsley (Petroselinum crispum neapolitanum)

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is the 2021 Herb of the Year™ of the International Herb Association. It is one of the most familiar of the culinary herbs used for both flavoring and garnish.

There are two common types of Parsley - the curly variety and flat-leaved variety, also known as Italian Parsley (Petroselinum crispum neapolitanum). Although they can be substituted for one another, Italian Parsley is generally preferred for its richer, more robust taste. Chefs value parsley for its ability to blend other flavors and it should be added  to hot dishes at the last minute or to simmering dishes no more than 30 minutes before done.

Parsley is a biennial plant that is typically grown as an annual. When left to overwinter it will usually return the next year and bloom. The plant attracts several species of wildlife. Swallowtail butterfly larvae can be found feeding on its bright, green feather-like leaves for several weeks before going into their chrysalises. Bees and other pollinators will visit the flowers in the second year and small birds such as Goldfinches will eat the seeds. Seeds may be saved for future planting.

It is hardy in Zones 4-8, prefers a sun to part-sun and well-drained site. Plants can be grown from seed but because germination is slow, they are often started indoors, winter-sown, or bought as starter plants. Plant them 8-10” apart near the last frost date. A member of the same family as Dill, Parsley has a long tap root and, once established, does not transplant well.

Harvest parsley throughout the growing season by cutting stems at the bottom. It can be held fresh in water for several days. To dry small amounts, wash and dry it. Wrap a paper towel over and around, making sure no edges are open. Secure with a rubber band and label. Do not put in a container or plastic. The paper towel will absorb the moisture as it evaporates from the herbs and the frost-free refrigerator feature will help it evaporate from the towel. This should be dry in 2-3 weeks. Parsley can be dried and stored for out-of-season use in containers away from light. Check the contents a few days later to make sure it is dry.

Carol Kagan, Certified Penn State Extension Master Gardener, Franklin County

Interested in herbs? Check out my book, Herb Sampler. Available on Amazon @[   https://www.amazon.com/Herb-Sampler-Second-Carol-Kagan/dp/1482067463  ]  . Want more information on the Herb Sampler? Check out this Blog POST  [https://gardenandlifenotes.blogspot.com/2021/01/herb-sampler-my-book.html]

Coffee Revs Up Your Morning and Compost

Photo: Pixabay

A recent post on the Penn State Extension Master Gardener Facebook page reminded me of this post.

Stopping by the Master Gardener compost pile I noticed a large plastic bag which turned out to be full of coffee grounds. Why are these here? This prompted me to see what’s up with coffee grounds and compost.

Composting is the process where natural materials are broken down by microorganisms to form a nutrient rich, soil-like material call humus or compost. Compost uses two different materials:  Green matter, such as vegetable scraps, grass clippings and, yes, coffee grounds, and brown matter like dead leaves, straw, shredded paper and non-diseased plants. Composting is an easy way to reduce waste and create a valuable gardening supply.

Coffee grounds are the granules that are left after brewing coffee. These are considered green matter in the compost pile. Checking Penn State Extension sources as well as Extension Services in other states revealed that coffee grounds are a good addition to compost as part of the green matter. They can be added to vermicomposting or worm composting. This is a natural method using worms to help compost food and organic scraps. It can be done year-round, indoors and outdoors. 

What’s in Coffee Grounds?

The Brooklyn Feed Website reports “Starbucks commissioned a study in 1995 to better understand the make-up of the organic matter we call coffee grounds.” See the chart for the information provided.

Applying coffee grinds directly to your garden: Coffee grounds can be applied directly as a top dressing/mulch to acid loving plants like blueberries, hydrangeas, and azaleas. Adding brown material such as leaves and dried grass to the mulch will help keep a balanced soil pH.

I am quoting Linda Chalker-Smith, Univ. of Washington, on her bottom line to this topic:

"Recommendations

Given the incomplete and conflicting scientific data so far, the scientific jury is still out reviewing the evidence. Nevertheless, I do feel comfortable in making some general observations and recommendations for those of you who would like to try coffee grounds as part of your compost pile or as a mulch:

In compost

• Percentages of 10 to 20 percent of total compost volume have been reported as optimal for compost quality and effectiveness, while over 30 percent can be detrimental.

• Only small amounts of coffee grounds are required for effective disease suppression. Therefore, I recommend using no more than 20% by volume of coffee grounds in a compost pile. A diverse feedstock will ensure a diversity of microorganisms.

• Don’t assume coffee grounds will make an acidic compost; pH levels will undoubtedly change over time. For mulching

• Coffee grounds are finely textured and easily compacted.

• Compacted coffee grounds create a barrier to moisture and air movement, especially when applied in thick layers.

• Therefore, I recommend against using pure coffee grounds as a mulch; instead, try using a thin layer (no more than half an inch) of coffee grounds and cover with a thicker (four inches) layer of coarse organic mulch like wood chips."

More information about composting for the home garden is available at:

Penn State Extension: Home Composting Guide

Washington State University: Myth of Coffee Grounds (pdf)

Bucks County, PA: Coffee Grounds for the Gardener

~ Carol Kagan, Master Gardener

~   ~   ~   ~

                                HERB SAMPLER Second Edition

Buy one for yourself and consider getting a few more. They make great hostess gifts, housewarming, and anytime gifts.

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it.