blue uncurling

Delighted to find my blue Hosta coming up strong near the back patio. I pulled all the weeds away from around them and spread a generous mulch of black coffee grounds. Last year the slugs got to them early, but this time I haven't seen much sign of nibbling yet. (I was worried last fall they had a disease, but look very healthy. I think now it was just the usual autumn dieback, which I usually didn't pay attention to).

Also spread coffee grounds around the two Echinacea plants I have- yes, there's two! Another one survived next to the daylily corner by the driveway. They seem to be pretty hardy- next year I'm determined to start more from seed and grow them all over the place. Look how much this one has come along already.

Getting coffee grounds from the coffeshops nearby is going well. I tried at a few places; at one they wouldn't hold them for me and some other gardener got there first on occasion, wasting my trip (none are very close to the house). Another one inside a grocery store found it inconvenient to collect them for me, said they didn't have space to keep it until I came to pick up. But one the situation is working well- I drop off a five-gallon bucket and pick it up a day or two later, full to the top of black crumbly rich-smelling goodness. The guy there is always perfectly cheerful about it, too. Today I dropped it off and he just said: "the bucket?" and I said "yep, I'll be back for it tomorrow!"

I love being able to open the bucket and look around the yard trying to decide who will benefit next. I've spread grounds on most of the vegetable beds, the rhubarb and strawberries, and now am giving some to flowers and ornamentals. I think the next bucketful will go on the strawberry bed again, as the dark color there is starting to fade and soon fruit will be forming that needs protection from slugs. I like spreading grounds so much better than tending beer traps- and it smells lovely, too! (I always did love the fresh, rich smell of coffee, even though I hardly drink it).