The love for coffee can be found all over the world. Every coffee lover swears by it and who wouldn’t? The rich flavour and aroma of coffee are soothing and wonderful. The coffee plant is often considered to be a great addition to the household. A lot of people aren’t aware that coffee can be grown at home for decorative purposes and has other benefits as well.
Before you decide to grow a coffee plant, you need to make sure that you have dedicated a special place for the plants to grow. Finding an adequate space is one of the most important things for growing a coffee plant. This is because the plant tends to grow big with time so it’s very important that there is enough space for its growth.
There are several things you need to consider while growing a coffee plant. The soil needs to be moist but not too much. Coffee plants are usually grown in hilly and mountainous regions; therefore, the PH of the soil should ideally be around 6 to help the plant prosper. The soil should be nutritious and must allow the roots of the plant to penetrate deeper into the soil. The pot should allow enough draining of the water so that the soil strikes the balance between too dry and too moist.
As the plant grows, you need to keep fostering it. Hence, it’s ideal to have a coffee care routine. Also, you should water it enough so that the soil stays slightly moist. Every once in a while, you should keep checking the pH of the soil. Fertilizers are extremely important for growing a coffee plant and one should invest in quality fertilizers to enhance its growth.
With the passage of time, you need to repot the coffee plant. This can be best done around springtime. When it becomes taller than 2 feet, that is the best time to repot the coffee plant. Make sure you’re repotting responsibly. The roots need to thrive but at the same time putting a really small plant in a large pot is not advised.
The flowering of coffee plants is quite unusual. The process from planting a coffee plant and then growing into fruit production will require a few years of work and dedication. You have to be patient when it comes to caring for a coffee plant. Even after the plant has started producing cherries, initially, it could take a year for the cherries to ripen after the plant has flowered.
First, it starts producing green fruits and as they mature, they ripen from green to red and dark red. Within a few months, the cherries ripe completely and hence, you can harvest and remove the beans.
Here are some tips for you to remember while growing a coffee plant:
Keep the plant away from pets and children
Although the coffee plant has medicinal qualities, some parts of the plant are highly toxic. Small kids and pets may ingest it unknowingly which can lead to several health threats. So, it’s better to keep the kids and pets away from the coffee plant.
Call for pest control
The coffee plant attracts a lot of pests and mites. It is hence recommended to use natural organic pest control in order to keep your plant protected. If the pest problem still exists, make use of chemical pesticides to keep your plant healthy.
Learn more about roasting and grinding
When you harvest the coffee beans, it’s always better to have some hands-on knowledge about their roasting and grinding. This can be very beneficial in the future when you have to brew your own coffee.
Enjoy the process
The process of growing a coffee plant can be very tiring and time-consuming. In fact, growing any plant requires a lot of patience and dedication. So, instead of being in a hurry, enjoy the small milestones because in the end, it’s worth the wait.
