Coffee trees grow in the tropics, in Madagascar, on plantations and in greenhouses. And they can also grow in an ordinary apartment, very far from the hot southern countries. And in order to create an evergreen corner in your own home, it takes quite a bit of effort and cost. So, let's look at how to grow and care for a coffee tree in the home, what newcomers need to know and how to avoid problems.
Where to begin?
First of all, you should choose the right place, because the coffee tree at home can grow up to 1.5-2 meters. Coffee should be in a very bright room, but not under direct sunlight, away from drafts and from heating appliances. The optimum temperature is about 25 ° C in summer and 14-18 ° C in winter.
Two weeks before planting the tree, it is necessary to prepare the soil. The earth should be light, breathable, with a low level of acidity. Suitable mixtures are:
- steamed sod land, river sand and peat, in a ratio of 1: 2: 2;
- peat turf, river sand, sheet earth, turf land. In the ratio 1: 2: 3: 4;
- peat turf, river sand, greenhouse land, sheet earth, in a ratio of 1: 1: 2: 3.
As a fertilizer, you can add 100 g of bone meal or horn shavings to 5 kg of land, and use a few pieces of charcoal to prevent the soil from becoming sour. The coffee tree is planted in high pots with good drainage.
When everything is ready, you can start growing your own personal tropical corner. Since growing a coffee tree at home from the seeds is very difficult, this method is not recommended, especially for beginners.
The simplest option is to purchase a seedling in a store with a root system already formed. But there is another way to grow a coffee tree at home. For this, two pairs of apical leaves are cut from the adult tree, 2 cm below the first pair, so that an oblique cut is obtained. Next, the cut is soaked in a solution of heteroauxin (0.5 tablets per 400 g of water) and sprinkled with wood ash. The stalk is placed in the ground until the first pair of leaves and covered with a jar. Roots will appear in 2-2.5 months, and when a new pair of leaves is formed, the stalk is transplanted into a pot about 10 cm in diameter.
How to take care of the coffee tree at home?
The main advantage of this plant is unpretentiousness. But in order to avoid common diseases of indoor coffee tree, you should pay attention to the following recommendations:
- watering. In the warm season, it is often necessary to water the tree and spray it regularly. Once a month, it is recommended to dry the soil. In the autumn-winter period, a tub or a pot with a tree should be insulated, watered once a week with slightly warm water.
- top dressing. As fertilizers used mullein, horny shavings and mineral mixtures, which include phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen.
- lighting. The more light, the better for a plant. In summer, you can take a tree on a balcony or on the street, but protect from direct sunlight. In winter, fluorescent lighting is required.
- transfer. Up to three years, coffee is transplanted every spring, and from four years - every 2-3 years.
Coffee Tree Diseases
The main diseases of the coffee tree at home are due to improper care. When spots appear, dry up and twist the leaves, remove the affected areas and inspect the plant carefully. To get rid of pests,
In 5-6 years you will be able to fully enjoy the fruits of your labor, and in a literal sense. True, the tree blooms only 2 days, but after 6 months you will get the real fruits of the coffee tree - small red or yellow berries. From berries, grains are harvested, processed which can be cooked with fine coffee. Just keep in mind that the level of caffeine in such a drink will be an order of magnitude higher than in ordinary coffee.