You can learn about and gain an appreciation for the labor-intensive process of producing coffee by growing coffee plants in your own backyard. In particular, during flowering or cherry development, it is a very low-maintenance plant that makes for interesting conversation. Do you know how to plant coffee beans?
Starting with a freshly picked coffee cherry is the best practice when growing coffee beans at home.
Growing coffee bean plants has intriguing potential for coffee lovers. How then do coffee tree seeds sprout? Learn how to grow coffee from seed by reading on.
Different Types Of Coffee Beans
As a coffee enthusiast, you might be the champion of light or dark roast coffee or you might prefer robusta over Arabica. Your sophisticated palate might be able to detect the tiniest tint in each coffee blend.
There is, however, always more to learn about coffees. Aside from the two dominant species, Arabica and Robusta, there are more than a hundred types of coffee beans.
Each bean has a unique flavor profile and varies in the amount of caffeine it contains.
But the growing area and the methods used during processing affect the bean flavor. The complex distinctions between aroma, acidity, body, and texture are all found here.
Coffee varieties are typically identified by the region from which they come. Colombian, Ethiopian, and Brazilian are a few of the more well-liked ones.
When we look at the main types, coffee beans are classified into four groups:
- Robusta (Coffea canephora)
- Arabica (Coffea arabica)
- Liberica (Coffea liberica)
- Excelsa (Coffea excelsa)
Let’s examine each of these major categories of coffee beans in more detail now.
Robusta Coffee Bean
Second to Arabica in terms of global cultivation of all the major varieties of coffee is Robusta. 30% of the world’s production is derived from this sub-Saharan African native.
What sets Robusta beans apart is their resistance to environmental factors and diseases. Hence their name.
Let’s look at a few more qualities that Robusta coffee beans have to offer. They:
- because they can withstand a range of altitudes, and are simpler to grow.
- Increase crop yields to reduce the amount of money you spend on production.
- almost two times as much caffeine as an Arabica bean.
- a combination of bitter, chocolate-like flavors with low acidity. It has a robust flavor and a nutty aftertaste.
Arabica Coffee Bean
Although the Arabica coffee plant originated in Ethiopia, Brazil is another well-known location for growing this variety. 70% of the coffee produced globally comes from this region.
Coffees made from Arabica beans have a milder flavor than those made from Robusta beans. However, after undergoing a lengthy roasting process, various beans begin to taste alike. The flavors are also affected by temperature and altitude.
We will only mention a few of the quirks that Arabica beans have.
- Due to their more challenging cultivation, Arabica beans can be twice as expensive as Robusta. The plant grows at great heights, and the leaf rust disease can completely destroy the crops.
- The flavor of Arabica beans is mild with a hint of sweetness.
- Better organic coffee beans have a bright body, an excellent flavor, and mild acidity.
Liberica Coffee Bean
This heirloom plant, which is native to Western and Central Africa, produces little and is hard to come by. A true coffee addict will enjoy the exotic experience of Liberica coffee, which makes up 1% of the global market for coffee.
In contrast to the two primary varieties of coffee, it has larger beans and a completely different flavor. Although hard to come by, the Liberica beans don’t go without their unique hidden qualities.
- Despite some harvesting challenges, tall Liberica trees offer incredible growing advantages. Access to water and a stronger root system are benefits of the tree’s height.
The plant can now be grown in areas with more extreme weather because of this. Unlike other coffee varietals, it can be grown in peat and clay soil. - The beans’ flavor and texture are full-bodied with notes of fruit and nuts as well as smoke.
- Liberia’s high price is exacerbated by its scarcity on the international market.
Excelsa Coffee Bean
Fewer than 7% of the world’s coffee supply is made up of Excelsa beans, which come from Southeast Asia. In coffee blends, this bean type is frequently used.
Coffee connoisseurs recently reclassified Excelsa as a Liberica variety even though it was previously thought to be a different species.
However, the two varieties taste and look entirely different from one another. They both may grow large 20 to 30 feet trees and thrive in high altitudes, but they part ways when it comes to taste.
If you choose to grow Excelsa beans, here are some more details. They:
- Grow on drought- and disease-resistant trees.
- possess a peculiar flavor profile that combines both fruity and light notes with roasted and dark notes.
- Since Excelsa cultivars are less bitter than pure Liberica type, they are frequently added to Robusta and Arabica blends.
How To Plant Coffee Beans?
Harvesting Coffee And Preparing The Coffee Seeds
Ripe coffee cherries should be plucked from healthy, productive trees that are free of disease or other afflictions. The cherry should be manually pulped, cleaned with water, and fermented in a small container until the pulp falls off. Simply rubbing the fermented coffee bean in your hands will reveal this information. Rewash with clean water. During any stage of washing, coffee beans that float should be thrown away. The coffee beans must then be dried to a moisture content of about 20% on mesh screens in the dry, open air—not in direct sunlight. You can choose the right stopping point by weighing the beans because the coffee will have a moisture content of between 60 and 70% after pulping. The bean should be dry on the outside and slightly soft and moist inside, or else you can bite it open to check. Alternatively, and in some regions, it is advantageous, that a pulped coffee bean can be used right away for planting.
Germinating Coffee Beans
In the event that coffee cherries are not easily accessible, green coffee can be bought from a supplier; however, it is crucial that the bean is from a recent crop and recent shipment. I suggest ordering green coffee from Sweet Maria’s and requesting the newest crop. Additionally, Sweet Maria’s offers home coffee arabica gardening advice.
For almost four months, there is still a chance of germination, but after that, the likelihood of germination decreases dramatically and germination takes a lot longer. However, stale seeds can take up to six months to germinate. New seeds should do so in 2.5 months. Even better coffee is served in Pergamino. Plant the coffee, facing down, in the pergamino if this option is available.
Pre-germination of the seeds is advised. To begin with, give the coffee seeds a 24-hour soak in water. After that, plant the seeds in wet vermiculite or damp sand after draining any extra water. The seeds can also be planted between wet coffee sacks, which should be watered twice daily and well-drained.
After the coffee seed sprouts, carefully remove it from the burlap, vermiculite, or sandbags. Create a hole in friable loam soil with a high humus content that is 1.25 cm deep. You can also include dried blood, bone meal, and rotten manure. If this kind of soil is not easily accessible, try lightweight, porous soil. Sprinkle soil over the hole after setting the seed in the hole flat-side down. Never firmly compact the soil. Though it should be taken off once the seed has fully germinated, adding a 1/2 inch of mulched grass on top will aid in moisture conservation.
Daily irrigation of the seeds is required. A seed will die if it receives too much or too little water. The soil must constantly be moist but well-drained.
The coffee plant should be left alone after germination or carefully removed and planted in soil with a low pH (acidic) and high nitrogen content. The soil ought to be permeable. So, coarse sand or basalt gravel dust may be included. Another ingredient is manure. To maintain mineral levels and a low pH, a fertilizer made for orchids can be used sparingly on coffee plants.
Coffee Plant Care
The ideal setting for coffee plant growth is one that resembles the tropical, mid-elevation mountainside where it naturally occurs: plenty of water with good drainage, high humidity, relatively cool temperatures, and rich, slightly acidic soil.
If the weather is similar to what they would find in their natural habitat, coffee plants can be grown outside. Coffee plants thrive indoors when placed close to a window, but not in direct sunlight. Keep the plant away from drafts, such as those caused by air conditioning, at all times. The soil needs to be watered at least once a week to stay moist.
Water
These plants need to be watered frequently and thoroughly because they love water. The soil should maintain a constant, even moisture level without becoming soggy. Never allow the soil to dry out completely.
Light
In latitudes with lower solar radiation, coffee plants prefer partial shade or full sunlight. They don’t do well in direct, harsh sunlight because they are understory plants, living beneath the forest canopy. Too much direct sunlight will cause the leaves of coffee plants to brown.
Soil
Coffee plants should be planted in potting soil with a rich peat base and excellent drainage. If your plant is not flourishing, add organic matter, such as sphagnum peat moss, to lower the pH of the soil because coffee plants prefer acidic soil. Closer to 6 to 6.5 is the preferred pH range.
Temperature And Humidity
The ideal temperature range for coffee plants is between 65 and 70 degrees at night and between 70 and 80 degrees during the day. Although higher (hotter) temperatures can speed up growth, they are not the best conditions for growing plants for their beans. A slow, steady ripening process is required for the fruits.
Additionally, because these plants naturally grow on the sides of tropical mountains, they do well in extremely humid environments that frequently experience heavy rain and fog. It should be sufficient if the humidity is at least 50%. The leaf edges could start to brown if the air is too dry. To increase the humidity, mist the plant every day.
Fertilizer
During the growing season, fertilize every two weeks with a weak liquid fertilizer. In the winter, reduce fertilizer application to once or twice per month.
What Are Potential Problems With Coffee Plant?
Brown Spots On Leaves
Your coffee plant’s leaves may develop brown spots from fungus diseases like leaf spots. In order to fix the problem, cut off the inner branches and remove the affected leaves and stems. This will improve air circulation for your plant.
Brown Leaves That Fall Off
Leaf scorch, also known as “too much sun,” is the most common cause of leaves that turn brown and drop off. Giving your coffee plant more diffused light will take care of the former problem.
Can Coffee Be Grown In The US?
In the earth’s equatorial zone, coffee is grown in temperate, tropical, and subtropical climates. The coffee-growing region is also known as the ‘bean belt.
The coffee plant needs a lot of water and sunlight. Both frost and excessive direct sunlight are intolerable to it.
Yes, the “bean belt” is where the majority of coffee farms are located. The good news is that the United States is making some innovative efforts to grow coffee.
Although it hasn’t yet been grown extensively, U.S. homeowners can grow their own coffee beans. Coffee plants are commercially grown in Hawaii, Texas, and California. The latter boasts more than 30 farms where more than 30,000 trees are grown.
The Bottom Line
It’s very simple to grow coffee plants. In Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Central Africa, coffee beans are frequently grown. Although the United States may be synonymous with the widespread urban coffee culture, it is difficult to claim that it is the birthplace of coffee.
It’s time to start planting now that you are aware of the primary varieties of coffee you can grow at home. Happy coffee planting, everyone!