If you love coffee, then why not grow your own? These plants are easy to care for and they do not require much maintenance. If starting from scratch sounds daunting try picking some fresh coffee cherry off an already established plant!
Pick ripe coffee cherries by hand, then pulp them. Once you do this, the beans will flop off of their own accord and into your waiting container!
Discard any floating pieces for best results- it’s important that all of these are cleaned before drying. Dry them in a bright position, but not on direct sunshine.
I was excited to find out that the beans are supposed be soft and moist on one side with cracked dry skin. I could bite into it without feeling anything hard at all! If you don’t live in an area where coffee is grown, buy your supply from a green-coffee supplier who can guarantee freshness for their product.
The time it takes for your seeds to germinate can be very different. Some take 2 1/2 months while others need 6 whole weeks!
How to Sprout Coffee Seeds
After you have your seeds, soak them in water for 24 hours. Drain and then sow on damp sand or wet vermiculite.
Once they’re germinated coffee tree seeds can be removed from their moistened medium. Place them in a hole with rich soil with high humus content that contains bone meal, but not too much, because this will reduce its fertility levels!
After sowing the seeds, do not press down on them. Instead 1/2 inch of mulched grass should be placed over top to conserve moisture and remove it when germination has occurred.
Watering daily is key for successful growth! Once the seed is done germinating, transplant it in a soil with low pH and high in nutrient content.
Place the coffee plant inside and provide artificial lighting. Water it once a week, drain thoroughly in order to prevent root rot or pests like aphids which can thrive on stagnant water; use an organic fertilizer according to directions when planting. Keep the soil moist at all times.
Patience is a virtue! It’s not easy waiting for 3 years to get fruit, but the reward of eating coffee cherries at the end makes it all worth a while. Reduce watering in winter to encourage flowering.
Once the weather starts warming up, water your plant well to shock it into bloom. As soon as summer arrives and fruit begins maturing on these plants you’ll be able harvest them for a cup of drip!
Trust me, it is more than possible to grow your own coffee plant even if you don’t live in tropical climate. All it takes, is just a bit of effort to mimic these conditions.