<p>There is a culinary notion of <em>terroir</em> adopted from the wine terminology which asserts that the specific characteristics of a environment and the <em>stuff</em> of the earth -- the substance -- does contribute greatly to agriculture. But it may take a good deal of investigation to discover which specific types of plants will really thrive. </p>

<p>Call it the <em>Homegrown Tomatoes</em> effect, but it may enrich the flavor merely by the psychological effect of telling your <s>victims</s>guests about the marvelous results you've achieved. They'll instinctively <em>look</em> for the coffee taste that you tell them might be in there.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-04T05:10:34.867Z
2016-02-04T05:10:34.867Z
luser droog
<p>Although the way plants digest food is very different to humans, the overall principle is the same: nutrients go in, and are completely broken down into very basic building blocks (amino acids, simple fats and sugars), and then rebuilt into whatever the organism needs.</p>

<p>This is why we can eat plants, which are made of plant protein, and reassemble them into animal protein in our bodies, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_flytrap">vice versa</a>. </p>

<p>While used coffee grounds will be a good source of the nutrients a plant needs to produce essentially more of the same stuff, it won't have any direct affect on the flavour (any more than any other good source of nutrients).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-01T16:52:35.463Z
2016-02-01T16:52:35.463Z
fredley
<p>Adding coffee grounds to a planting medium (e.g. soil) adds <a href="http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plants-shrubs-like-coffee-grounds-45743.html">fatty acids, essential oils and nutrients that enrich soil</a> which can help the growth of the plant and it may also affect the <a href="http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1997588/coffee-grounds-as-a-planting-medium">colour</a>. One thing to be careful of is that some coffee grounds increase the <a href="http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/diluted-coffee-for-plants.htm">acidity of the soil</a>. However, I can't find anything indicating that it will affect the flavour of the plant. So, by all means, grow your plants in coffee grounds, but don't expect any difference in flavour.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-04T05:12:37.697Z
Bad for blueberries then, which IIRC need a very acidic soil.
luser droog
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-04T11:26:51.263Z
If it increases soil acidity wouldn't it be *good* for blueberries?
Nick Udell
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-04T12:22:51.653Z
@NickUdell I was thinking exactly that.
Rob Murray
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-01T18:08:59.770Z
Oops. Misread it as "increase the pH".
luser droog
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-01T09:02:37.087Z
2016-02-01T14:03:41.147Z
2016-02-01T14:03:41.147Z
Rob Murray
<p>Is it possible to grow any kind of fruit or vegetable in coffee ground (instead of normal soil) so that they get coffee flavor? If yes, which fruit or vegetable works best and what do I have to consider when doing this?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T11:41:10.667Z
I was just thinking that can't this question comes under [Gardening and Landscaping](http://gardening.stackexchange.com/).
The Hungry Dictator
<flavor><growing><ground-coffee>
Is it possible to grow plants in used coffee ground so that they get coffee flavor?
Bob
# Is it possible to grow plants in used coffee ground so that they get coffee flavor?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-02-01)

Is it possible to grow any kind of fruit or vegetable in coffee ground (instead of normal soil) so that they get coffee flavor? If yes, which fruit or vegetable works best and what do I have to consider when doing this?

**Tags:** flavor, growing, ground-coffee

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I was just thinking that can't this question comes under [Gardening and Landscaping](http://gardening.stackexchange.com/).  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-02-01. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

Adding coffee grounds to a planting medium (e.g. soil) adds [fatty acids, essential oils and nutrients that enrich soil](http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plants-shrubs-like-coffee-grounds-45743.html) which can help the growth of the plant and it may also affect the [colour](http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1997588/coffee-grounds-as-a-planting-medium). One thing to be careful of is that some coffee grounds increase the [acidity of the soil](http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/diluted-coffee-for-plants.htm). However, I can't find anything indicating that it will affect the flavour of the plant. So, by all means, grow your plants in coffee grounds, but don't expect any difference in flavour.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Bad for blueberries then, which IIRC need a very acidic soil.  
> **username_5**: If it increases soil acidity wouldn't it be *good* for blueberries?  
> **username_4**: @NickUdell I was thinking exactly that.  
> **username_2**: Oops. Misread it as "increase the pH".  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-02-01. Score: 6

Although the way plants digest food is very different to humans, the overall principle is the same: nutrients go in, and are completely broken down into very basic building blocks (amino acids, simple fats and sugars), and then rebuilt into whatever the organism needs.

This is why we can eat plants, which are made of plant protein, and reassemble them into animal protein in our bodies, and [vice versa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_flytrap).

While used coffee grounds will be a good source of the nutrients a plant needs to produce essentially more of the same stuff, it won't have any direct affect on the flavour (any more than any other good source of nutrients).


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-02-04. Score: 2

There is a culinary notion of *terroir* adopted from the wine terminology which asserts that the specific characteristics of a environment and the *stuff* of the earth -- the substance -- does contribute greatly to agriculture. But it may take a good deal of investigation to discover which specific types of plants will really thrive.

Call it the *Homegrown Tomatoes* effect, but it may enrich the flavor merely by the psychological effect of telling your ~~victims~~guests about the marvelous results you've achieved. They'll instinctively *look* for the coffee taste that you tell them might be in there.


---

