Use coffee grounds against mosquitoes, snails, ants & co

The ground brown beans are a coveted luxury food, but they also have a high utility value. They are real all-rounders in the house and garden. Coffee grounds are not only an excellent fertilizer rich in minerals, but also known for their deterrent effect on various insects and pests. So it can effectively keep mosquitoes, snails and ants but also wasps and even cats away or keep them away. drive out.

Repel mosquitoes with coffee grounds

In warm and humid weather, mosquitoes are loyal and extremely annoying companions that can completely ruin one or the other warm summer evening outdoors. Sleep can also be a test of nerves, because these bloodsuckers are magically attracted to body odors and the CO2 content of the air we breathe. In order to protect oneself from these pests, one does not necessarily have to resort to chemical aids, which are usually not harmless and cause undesirable side effects for humans and pets can. This is where coffee grounds can be of great service.

• Allow the coffee grounds to dry well before use
• Then spread out on a baking sheet, wooden board, plate or similar
• Pour the dry set into a fireproof container
• Set it up in the desired place and light it
• Coffee grounds do not burn, they smolder or rather smolders
• The smell, which is extremely unpleasant for mosquitoes, develops
• It can keep these insects away or drive them away
• Wasps can also be effectively repelled with it

Use against snails

Snails, especially slugs, can cause enormous damage to vegetables but also to other plants and can lead to sensitive harvest losses in certain areas. There are numerous more or less effective means and options for fighting snails. In this way, isolated animals can be read again and again, which many people find very unpleasant. Commercially available slug pellets are often used, but this not only combats or eliminates harmful slugs. poisons, but also endangers useful and protected species such as the Roman snail. In addition, slug pellets can also be a hazard to pets such as B. represent dogs and cats.

• Coffee grounds are completely non-toxic and yet effective
• It is environmentally friendly and supports many microorganisms in the soil
• This does not apply to slugs
• Caffeine has a similar effect on snails as a neurotoxin
• Certain ingredients force snails to produce more mucus
• In high doses, it can be deadly for the animals
• Before applying, dry the set
• Distribute the dried coffee grounds evenly around the plants to be protected
• Or mix with soil beforehand and then apply
• Ideally create a barrier around the entire bed
• This requires a large amount of coffee grounds

The good effect of coffee grounds and coffee on slugs has been scientifically proven. The only disadvantage is the usually larger amount of coffee grounds that is required for a flat treatment. In a normal household, there are usually only comparatively small amounts, so that only individual plants can be protected.

But not only the sentence can be very effective. Parallel to other tinctures, the affected plants can also be sprayed with strong bean coffee, provided that it has cooled down. This thoroughly spoils the appetite of the animals. After a few days or after a rain shower, the effect is no longer there, so the whole thing has to be renewed or repaired. must be repeated.

Repel ants with coffee grounds

Ants are among the useful insect species that are worthy of protection, because in nature they are considered the health police, they devour dead insects and all kinds of vermin. In Germany they belong to the protected animal species. It can become problematic if they get out of hand or even spread in the house. These animals create so-called ant trails to orientate themselves. This must be interrupted in order to give them e.g. B. to cut the way into the house. This can be done by superimposing the scent trails they lay. In addition to cinnamon, coffee grounds are particularly suitable for this.

In order to prevent ants from getting into the house, one should first locate these routes. The coffee grounds are then spread over them. At best, you create a strip around the whole house. It is also a good idea to spread the coffee grounds in the joints of paving stones or terrace slabs. In the garden, it can make sense to work it into the compost or superficially into the soil on beds. The intense smell causes the ants to lose their bearings and, in the best case, look for a new place to stay.

Other possible uses of this all-rounder

You can do so much more with used coffee powder, e.g. e.g.:

Keep cats and martens away

In well-kept flower and vegetable beds, but also on the terrace or in the sandpit, cats can be very unpleasant. Again, coffee grounds are a good way to keep cats away from certain areas, as they too are very sensitive to smells. The dried coffee grounds are worked into the surface of the earth or laid flat on the area or area to be protected. distributed where these animals usually urinate.

If you want to use this remedy against martens, it only makes sense in closed rooms, i.e. a garage. That usually doesn't work outdoors. These animals can cause considerable damage to vehicles in particular. A marten may be kept away with a small bowl filled with coffee grounds, placed on the garage floor near the vehicle to be protected. For a long-lasting effect, however, the whole thing has to be renewed regularly.

control of pests

Coffee grounds are ideal for use in the garden, but can also protect houseplants from infestation with scale insects or fungus gnats that frolic in the substrate. With indoor plants, it is particularly important that the coffee grounds are thoroughly dried. If you use it fresh, this can lead to rot and mold growth in and on the substrate, which in turn can cause lasting damage to the plants. It is best to mix the substrate with the dried coffee grounds before planting. This is also recommended for potted plants. In the garden it can be used against potato beetles and aphids, among other things.

Colorado potato beetle

The most common remedies against Colorado potato beetles are wood ash and rock flour. Alternatively, you can use coffee grounds to combat the Colorado potato beetle. It is best to start collecting coffee grounds some time before planting potatoes in order to have a sufficient quantity available. The dried coffee powder is best thrown over the potato plants early in the morning. After about 4 - 6 weeks the whole thing is repeated.

Aphids and scale insects

To protect against aphids or scale insects, dry coffee grounds can be mixed into the soil when planting. On the other hand, if there is an infestation, you can pour boiling water over the coffee powder and strain it after it has cooled down.

• Then make a mixture of coffee water, soft soap and spirit
• Add a tablespoon of soft soap and spirit to one liter of liquid
• Spray or water over the plants about every 3 - 5 days
• Aphid infestations often occur simultaneously with ant infestations
• Ants nurture and care for the aphid colonies
• Coffee grounds and brew can fight aphid infestation and ant infestation at the same time
• Mixture of coffee and black tea in the form of a brew is also very effective
• Pour boiling water over a large amount of coffee or tea
• Then let it simmer while stirring a few times
• Then pour the brew through a coffee filter or a fine sieve
• Let the liquid cool down

The cooled or at most lukewarm liquid is now sprayed over the affected plants, preferably in the evening. cast. The following morning they are showered with clear water. Avoid spraying in direct sunlight.

What makes coffee grounds so valuable

Coffee is not only a valuable supplier of minerals, the tannins and bitter substances contained in the coffee grounds, which are responsible for the intense fragrance, are used in a variety of ways both in the house and in the garden. Mixed into the substrate, it enriches the soil with nitrogen, among other things, which makes many plants less susceptible to fungal pathogens and pests. pests such as B. Aphids, slugs and Colorado potato beetles can be combated in a natural way and cats can be kept away from beds. The sentence not only protects against pests, it can also supply the soil with important nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen, which benefit the plants.

The phosphorus contained in the coffee grounds promotes the formation of flowers and seeds. Ornamental plants and crops that have been fertilized with coffee grounds tend to show deficiency symptoms less frequently. In the soil, coffee grounds can also attract beneficial organisms such as earthworms, which in turn loosen the soil, it additionally enriched with nutrients and help to turn garden waste into an excellent natural fertilizer make. These are all good reasons not to throw coffee grounds carelessly in the trash, but to make the best possible use of its positive properties.

Learn more about insect repellents