Coffee chaff as a soil improver

There was something on GQT about coffee grounds that are not good for plants. This might be when people try to mulch plants with them . I think the caffeine in them can poison plants.

I think you'd be better digging it into your compost heap and adding it to your borders when it has rotted down.

Agree with bags

I seem to remember some bizarre EU law that it is totally illegal to use as a soil conditioner but ok to put in the compost heap. No doubt someone will be along to confirm or otherwise ...........

Well then I am in trouble, as I have used it on the garden. Our local Waitrose was putting out the used grounds for people to take away last year, but I haven't looked recently to see if they still do.

Auntiflo I didn't actually say I take any notice myself ........ ??

Coffee grounds on compost heaps are a good idea. Coffee chaff is not the same stuff but I expect it's also perfectly good compost-making material.

Thanks everyone. The coffee chaff is papery, a bit like Physalis outer covering, and does not contain caffeine as far as I am aware so if anyone reading this has experience of using it in the garden I would appreciate their advice. My intention was to use it in the compost heap as the "brown" layer, forgetting that during the winter I don't have much "green" stuff to go with it. I get about 5 sacks of it a month. So far I have used it in the compost heap and as a mulch. I will dig in the mulch once I can see where my bulbs are coming through. I've thought of using garrotta or similar to speed up decomposition. Urine might be good but I no longer have willing sons at home.