How To Use Coffee Grounds For Garden Pests

While the majority of humans enjoy coffee, not all animals find it so appealing. In fact, when they encounter coffee grounds garden pests are often repelled by them, and that’s a good thing. So here are the critters you can expect to keep out of your garden when using this chemical-free and non-lethal option.

Ants

Ants can be very annoying little pests. Once they’ve moved in close by they’ll enter your home in search of food and of course create unsightly ant hills in your garden, lawn, or in cracks in your patio. Some ant types even actively farm aphids, which can cause serious damage to your plants.

Fortunately, coffee grounds repel ants and they hate walking over them. By creating rings of grounds around ant hills, over time they will often move out. You place lines of grounds where ants like to enter your home to block their path and keep them out.

Slugs And Snails

Not only are slugs and snails slimy but they also are notorious for eating garden flowers, herbs, and vegetables. And it just so happens that they are both very sensitive to the caffeine found in used coffee grounds. In fact, when they reach a pile of coffee grounds slugs and snails will typically change course and head in another direction. So simply place a ring of grounds around your plants to protect them from these hungry creepy crawlies,

Cats

Until you have a cat start using your garden as its own personal litter box, you most likely will think of all cats as cute cuddly pets. However, it won’t take long once this messy behavior starts, for you to consider them major pests.

Because they don’t like the smell of them, you can use coffee grounds to deter cats from using your garden. By regularly sprinkling used grounds in and around your garden cats will usually decide to find a new bathroom spot.

Moles

Moles are one of those backyard pests most of us will never see. However, if they have chosen to move onto your property you won’t be able to miss the extensive damage they can do to your lawn.

Two common examples are large mounds of dirt known as molehills and extensive feeding tunnels which are visible above ground. And as it turns out moles dislike coffee too. So by adding coffee grounds to mole holes, it can deter them from using them.

However, when using coffee grounds as pest control for moles, you shouldn’t expect them to totally solve your mole problem. While moles may stop using active holes that have grounds added to them, it won’t stop them from digging new holes in different locations on your property. But, it’s worth a try.

Mosquitoes

Many people are surprised to find out that you can even use coffee grounds for pest control against insects too, and specifically mosquitoes. These blood-suckers are not just pests they carry diseases as well.

Malaria, dengue fever, and encephalitis are just a few examples of what these bugs can transmit. Mosquitoes have a particular disliking for the smell and smoke created from burning coffee grounds. By lighting your used grounds and placing them in aluminum foil you can help to keep mosquitoes along with other insects away from backyard fun and relaxation.

When using coffee grounds garden pests will stay away, and you won’t have to worry about your children, pets, or soil being exposed to any dangerous substances.

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