About this episode

Grumpy addresses a myth about coffee grounds. Also: Grumpy’s complaint about deer whining.

Question of the week

“A well-meaning environmentalist wrote in a national publication, ‘We should throw our coffee grounds in our flower beds and recycle.’ Is that true, or does it damage something I care about? I throw junk mail in the trash and don’t feel guilty.” – Anthony

Grumpy’s answer: Coffee grounds are very good for the soil as they decompose and provide organic matter that is important for plant growth. Some people believe coffee grounds keep the soil moist even at night, but I can tell you that’s not true. They are good for soil amendment, but I wouldn’t count on them changing the color of flowers very quickly.

Complaint of the week

Deer Jammer

Every time I write about a plant, any plant, on my Facebook page “Grumpy Garden,” which of course you all read regularly, it doesn’t matter what plant it is. It could be lilac, hydrangea, lily, peony, kohlrabi, prickly pear, snail’s vine, or Spanish moss. Where do all you complainers live anyway? In King Henry VIII’s hunting grounds? I mean, listen, if deer are eating up your whole garden, do something about it! You could plant herbs and other things with oily, aromatic leaves, because deer don’t like those. You could use deer pellets like “Deer Out” or “Liquid Fence” and spray them on your plants. But please stop pestering me about deer every time I talk about any plant in the world. If you want to know if deer eat a particular plant, google “deer” and the name of the plant you are interested in and you will find out.

About Ask Grumpy

Ask Grumpy is a podcast with Steve Bender, also known as Southern Living Grumpy Gardener. For more than 30 years, Grumpy has been giving advice on what to grow, when to plant, and how to care for just about everything in your garden. Tune in every Wednesday and Saturday for short episodes in which Grumpy answers reader questions, solves seasonal puzzles, and offers essential advice for gardeners with his very grumpy sense of humor. Be sure to follow Ask Grumpy on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen so you don’t miss an episode.

Editor’s Note: Please note that this transcript has not undergone our standard editing process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors.