TL;DR
Using coffee grounds in your garden might seem like a clever trick to keep deer away, but there’s no solid scientific evidence that it works reliably. However, it may offer some secondary benefits—like improving soil for certain plants and deterring other pests—so it can be part of the strategy. For best results, pair it with proven tactics like planting fragrant herbs deer dislike, placing planting beds close to the house, and designing your landscape with deer‑resistance in mind. If you’d like help tailoring solutions to your property, call (201) 581-8076 or reach out here: Contact Us.
Do Coffee Grounds Keep Deer Away? We Consider Why it Might Work – And Look at Tried-And-True Deer Deterrent Measures for Your Gardens
Do you have deer problems? If deer populations thrive near your home, you may feel like giving up on growing some of the plants you love, especially if they have fragrant aromas that deer treat like an invitation to dinner.
In the face of deer problems, people turn to a wide range of inventive solutions. You find yourself ready to turn to home remedies to stop your deer invasion, asking your neighbors “do coffee grounds keep deer away?” Below, we discuss deer deterrents, why people like to put coffee grounds in their gardens, and whether you should consider it.
You might be surprised to know that a garden design company can be your best friend when it comes to keeping deer away. You don’t have to rely on synthetic solutions or unsightly motion-activated deterrents for success.
Borst Landscape & Design has over 30 years of experience in Bergen County. We’ll work with nature to control the uninvited dinner guests in your garden. Give us a call at (201) 581-8076, or online.
Do coffee grounds keep deer away?
While there’s no science confirming that coffee grounds keep deer away, putting grounds coffee in gardens as a deterrent is a common home remedy. Why?
Deer are led by their noses. They love to munch on tender plants with strong, pleasant aromas such as roses, azaleas, berries, clematis, chrysanthemum, and others. This can be really bad news for gardeners who love the same aromatic plants.
In theory, putting a layer of fresh coffee grounds around favorite plants will mask their smell for the deer and replace it with a bitter scent. Plus, coffee has a distinctly human-world smell that may activate the deer’s flight response because they will associate it with danger.
Is coffee good for your garden?
It’s possible that mulching with coffee grounds could have some benefits for your garden, depending on your soil content and what plants you grow.
- Coffee grounds are acidic and may help balance the soil pH if it is alkaline. But if your soil is already acidic or you have plants that are sensitive to acidic soil, you risk damaging them.
- Coffee grounds aren’t just for deer. Mulching with them can also help keep slugs away.
- Earthworms like coffee grounds, and a healthy earthworm population is great news for your soil
If you are planning to try the coffee ground remedy to keep deer away, make sure you speak with your landscaping companyto see what they advise for your soil. And remember, there are other totally-natural and reliable ways to discourage deer from snacking in your gardens.
Tried-and-True Tips
Before you go laying out the coffee grounds, consider using an intentional garden designto keep deer away.
Cover Scents:Instead of using coffee grounds to deter deer from favorite flowers, consider adding patches of strongly scented herbs among your garden beds to mask the smell of your flowers. Herbs like garlic, mint, lavender or chives smell fresh and inviting to humans and have a lovely appearance, but deer don’t like their smell at all.
Plant Close to Home: Work with your garden designer to plant favorite flowers near your house instead of elsewhere on your property. Deer are less likely to come near your home because they are naturally timid and frightened of the scents and noise of our lives. Plus, you will be able to keep a closer eye on your garden and chase away any brave deer that dare set foot there.
Borst has over 30 years of experience bringing natural and organic methods to garden design and maintenance, including deer and pest control. Give us a call at (201) 581-8076, or contact us online today.
FAQs
Q1: Will simply sprinkling coffee grounds around my plants stop deer from eating them?
A1: Not reliably. While the logic makes sense—coffee grounds may mask the scent of desirable plants and register as “human presence” to deer—there’s no scientific guarantee this method works consistently.
Q2: Are coffee grounds good for my garden beyond deer control?
A2: Yes, potentially. They’re acidic and might help if your soil is overly alkaline, and they’re appealing to earthworms, which is a good sign. But if your soil is already acidic or you grow plants that don’t tolerate acidity, using coffee grounds could backfire.
Q3: Does using coffee grounds harm the plants or soil?
A3: It can, if misapplied. Because coffee grounds are acidic, they may negatively affect soil pH for plants that prefer neutral to alkaline conditions. Application should be considered carefully and ideally discussed with a landscaping professional.
Q4: What are more dependable ways to keep deer away from my garden?
A4: Yes. Some recommended tactics include:
Planting strongly scented herbs (garlic, mint, lavender, chives) that deer tend to avoid.
Placement strategy: keep your more vulnerable plants close to your house, where deer are less likely to venture.
Designing your landscape (with help from a professional) so your planting beds, pathways and plant choices inherently discourage deer intrusion.
Q5: If I want to try coffee grounds anyway, how should I do it?
A5: Use them as one part of a broader deer‑resistance strategy—not the only method. Make sure your soil pH is suitable, apply a thin layer around plants you’re trying to protect, and monitor how it works. Also combine with scent deterrents or herb plantings for better effect.
Q6: Would you recommend doing this myself or hiring a pro?
A6: If you’re comfortable assessing your soil and applying home remedies, you can start on your own. But because deer can be persistent and the strategy needs to consider soil health, hardscape design, and plant placement, hiring a reliable landscaping firm such as Borst Landscape & Design is often a better choice. We handle everything—from design to installation to maintenance—so you don’t have to worry about trusting multiple vendors or DIY guesswork.
Photo byAndrea TummonsonUnsplash