Oh, coffee! Who among us doesn’t love to enjoy the taste and aroma of this invigorating beverage? Have you ever thought about having a coffee tree of your own? And not just any tree, but one you grow yourself, watching a small bean transform into a beautiful tree and eventually harvesting your own coffee crop.
So, if you’re tired of going to the store for coffee or have always dreamed of waking up your neighbors with the aroma of home-grown coffee, AdmiGram.com will tell you how to do it. It’s not difficult!
How to grow a coffee tree at home
What a coffee tree looks like
© Jennifer Jensen
A coffee tree is a beautiful plant, more like a lush bush than a tree if grown indoors. As a houseplant, it can reach a height of no more than 3 feet (1 meter), and dwarf varieties will grow no more than 15 inches (40 cm). But despite its size, a coffee tree will become a wonderful decoration for your interior.
Coffee produces beautiful white flowers, arranged in clusters of several. Coffee blooms in the spring, and after the tree is done flowering, each flower turns into a “berry,” which turns a rich red color by the beginning of winter. These “berries” ripen in just under a year.
The fruit of the coffee tree consists of elliptical berries of red or violet-blue color, with a thin layer of juicy pulp containing two seeds, pressed flat against each other. The seeds are covered with a thin silvery skin. Before roasting coffee beans, the skin and pulp are removed. 1.5 coffee beans are used for a single cup.
Sprouting coffee seeds
© Ronak Valobobhai / Unsplash
So, in order to grow your own coffee tree at home, you’ll need coffee seeds. Keep in mind that the seeds must be fresh and still viable. To prepare the seeds for planting, they need to be cleaned of pulp first, and then rinsed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
After that, place the seeds flat side down on the soil surface, about 1-2 inches (3-5 cm) apart from each other. You shouldn’t bury the seeds, as they’ll likely rot in the soil. The soil for planting coffee should be slightly acidic (pH 5-5.5). After sowing the seeds, water them with warm water and cover with glass or plastic wrap.
To prevent the seeds from rotting and to allow the soil to aerate, you should remove the glass or wrap for a few hours twice a week. Temperature also plays a significant role in seed germination, and it should be no less than 68 °F (20 °C) and no more than 86 °F (30 °C). The first sprouts will appear in about two months. Once a few pairs of true leaves have formed, the seedlings need to be transplanted.
Planting the seedlings in a flower pot
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The location of the coffee tree pot should be well-lit with bright and diffused light. Coffee needs to be protected from direct and intense sunlight. However, this applies to the summer period, while in winter, coffee should have the opportunity to bask in the sun.
Regular watering is necessary for coffee. In the summer, watering should be plentiful, while in winter, it should be moderate. It’s preferable to water coffee with settled water, and its temperature should be a few degrees higher than room temperature. In the summer, coffee needs additional spraying with water. In the winter, the “warm shower” can be less frequent or simply using a damp cloth to wipe the plant occasionally.
As for repotting the plant, young trees need to be repotted annually into a larger diameter pot (at least 10 inches or 5 cm larger). Mature plants should be repotted every 2-3 years. Pruning the plant should only be done when it no longer fits its designated space.
Considering that coffee trees grow in a subtropical climate, the plant requires a lot of bright light. Therefore, it’s best to place the pot on a windowsill facing the south. However, be careful not to expose the plant to direct sunlight, which could damage the leaves. In the summer, when it’s hot, you can place the coffee tree outdoors, for example on a balcony, but remember that it doesn’t like drafts.
Transplanting coffee seedlings into the ground or a larger pot
© Diego Catto / Unsplash
Like most other plants, it’s best to transplant the coffee tree in the spring, once every two years. The new pot it will be placed in should be 1-2 inches (3-5 cm) taller and wider than the previous one. Coffee trees prefer clay-rich, organically rich, phosphorus-rich, slightly acidic, and permeable soil.
During this period (spring to summer), the soil under the tree should be fertilized with a water mixture of manure and mineral fertilizers. To ensure the soil absorbs water and nutrients well and quickly, it should be regularly loosened. Coffee trees need regular watering, using soft and slightly warm water.
During the winter, you can reduce the amount of watering, but never allow the soil to dry out. During the tree’s growth, it’s preferable to maintain a slight acidity of the soil, which can be achieved by adding 2-3 drops of acetic acid or lemon juice to settled water, or a very small amount of lemon citric crystals.
Additionally, coffee trees enjoy a humid air environment, similar to the subtropical climate. To create similar conditions, the plants should be misted with water every day and given a warm shower once a week. An unexpected delight for the coffee tree owner is that this plant blooms in early spring.
Small white flowers appear at the base of the leaves, emitting a gentle, pleasant fragrance reminiscent of jasmine. The first fruits, coffee beans, start appearing closer to September or fall. That’s when you’ll be able to taste a completely new coffee from the fruits of your own coffee tree. You’ll surely enjoy it because it’s so gratifying to know that this coffee is your own harvest.
image on top: Jennifer Jensen
