Q: I am an avid coffee drinker. I dry my grounds so I can store them before using in my garden in spring but am I depleting the nitrogen by doing so?

A: You’re not depleting anything by drying because there is nothing in the grounds to deplete. Nitrogen is water soluble, so when you make coffee any nitrogen in the coffee bean is dissolved into your morning drink. You can use the grounds outdoors immediately after getting your caffeine fix if you want. Sprinkling the damp powder around plants is a fine use. The grounds add a little organic matter to the soil but not much else.

see

Using Coffee Grounds in the Garden