Ways to Use Upcycled Burlap Coffee Sacks in Your Garden

The burlap sacks that carried your coffee have a second life in the garden.

The large burlap sacks that green coffee travels in — from farms in Ethiopia, Guatemala, Colombia, and beyond, all the way to our roastery in Springdale — are upcycled into a genuinely useful garden material. They're made from natural jute fibers, fully biodegradable, breathable, and free of bleach or synthetic coatings. When buried in soil, they break down naturally and return nutrients to the earth.

A few things to know before you start: choose natural jute bags that haven't been deodorized, bleached, or sprayed with chemicals. The retired coffee sacks we carry are exactly that — unprocessed, natural, and ready to go back to work.

1. Weed control

Lay burlap over freshly tilled garden beds — ideally after pulling weeds first, but you can place it directly over weeds too. Cut slits where you want to plant, slip your plants through into the soil, and cover the burlap with mulch or anchor it with U-shaped garden pins. For paths, layer sand, bark, or gravel over the top.

For stubborn weeds, add a layer of cardboard or newspaper under the burlap first. The double barrier smothers even persistent growers. Burlap lets water filter through to the soil and will degrade naturally over one growing season — plan to replace it the following year.

2. Weather protection

Burlap insulates plants from frost and sun without trapping moisture. For cold protection: build a small teepee of stakes around the plant, leaving a few inches of clearance, then wrap the frame loosely with burlap. For low-lying crops like lettuce, lay a length of burlap directly over them on cold nights — remove it once temperatures warm up to prevent overheating.

For summer shade: cut a large coffee sack open along the two long sides to create a wide panel. Nail it to treated stakes slightly taller than your plants and position it over heat-sensitive greens. This can prevent bolting when summer sun gets intense.

3. Pest protection

Burlap works as a physical barrier against rabbits, mice, and deer. Build a simple cube frame from 2×2 lumber and staple burlap to the sides — make it large enough so the fabric doesn't touch the plants. For deer, add a "roof" panel.

Laid flat over newly sown seeds and secured with stakes or rocks, burlap also protects germinating seeds from birds and small animals. Remove it once seedlings are established.

4. Planters and basket liners

Burlap makes an excellent liner for wire planter baskets — it's strong, breathable, and keeps soil from washing out while still letting excess water drain. To create a decorative planter, simply fill the center of a burlap piece with soil and plants, pull up the sides, and tie loosely with rope.

Because burlap is naturally strong and breathable, it's also the traditional wrap for root balls of trees and shrubs being transplanted.

5. Growing and storing root vegetables

Potatoes grow remarkably well in tall burlap sacks — fill with good-quality soil, plant your seed potatoes, and let them grow. Tomatoes and peppers work too; just fold the top edge down to allow sunlight in.

For winter storage: place root vegetables directly into the sack and fold over the top to seal, or layer them in sand inside the sack. The natural breathability prevents moisture buildup and mold — exactly what you want for storing winter veg.

Coffee and gardening — two of the best things. If you'd like a sack of your own, we sell our retired coffee burlap sacks while supplies last — large (~27"×42") and medium half-bags available. Origins vary, and most have the Swiss Water® Process logo printed on the front.

— Carol