When I was a kid, my mother would make me dump the daily coffee filter and used grounds in the gardens. I never knew what it was supposed to do. I just thought it was an easy way to trash the leftovers.

My neighbor and I were chatting the other day about the use of vinegar for palm trees. She had not heard of that little tip but did share that she used to dump coffee grounds in the garden. That triggered my memory and I got thinking that if both she and I did it, how many others also added grounds to their flower beds. Is it a Northern thing (we both grew up in the North) or does it happen anywhere?

I didn't get the geographic answer, but I did learn more about what coffee grounds can do. Used coffee and tea add nitrogen to the soil. Accordng to Sustainable Enterprises, sprinkling coffee grounds around a plant provides a nitrogen boost. Coffee grounds and eggshells also repel pests from plants. Added to a compost bin, used grounds heat up the pile and produce compost more quickly. It's interesting to read all the comments and ways folks use coffee grounds. Happy Florida Gardening.