Once you have sipped on your first cup of homegrown coffee, you will never go back. It may sound slightly overwhelming, even impossible to grow and harvest your coffee at home, however, if you have the right knowledge and conditions, you can easily grow your coffee plant at home.
As a passionate Horticulturist and fervent coffee connoisseur, I have combined my love for both in growing my different beans and flavors successfully.
Where Does Coffee Come From Originally?
Did you know that coffee is grown in over 70 countries today, they are called the Bean Belt. Coffee originated from Ethiopia and Sudan, though today Brazil has likewise become a major grower and exporter of coffee. There are also some plantations in Hawaii, , and Northern, and Central America, as well as some parts of Africa and Asia. However, Ethiopia and Brazil are still the favored coffee growers with some of the best plantations
If you’re intrigued by the origins of coffee, you’ll enjoy exploring our article on “Ethiopian Coffee Tours”.
The Coffee Plant
First, let us start with the Coffee Plant, or tree as some may have heard. Botanically Classified the Coffee plant is ideally a that may be referred to as a tree or bush. It comes from a family of plants called the Rubiaceous and is mostly native to subtropical countries such as Africa, and Southern Asia as we have mentioned.
What Does a Coffee Plant Look Like
Though there are different types of coffee plants, most of them essentially have similar features. The coffee plant has branches with waxy dark green leaves growing in pairs, to encourage photosynthesis that will eventually provide the energy needed for the cherries that contain the coffee beans to grow.
The Coffee Plant takes 3-5 years before it will start to produce fragrant white blossoms, resembling a jasmine flower. The flowers will grow out where the leaves and branches of the plant meet.
After around six weeks after the flowers have been pollinated, a cherry will grow, turning red, orange, yellow, or pink depending on the type of plant. It is from these cherries that you will get delicious coffee beans. The Coffee Plant can live between 30-40 years with some recorded to live for over 80 years.
Some Interesting Facts on Coffee Plants:
- The Growth and Flavor of the coffee produced from your plant will depend on the climate, elevation, soil type, and variety of seeds that you use.
- You should be able to get a good harvest of around 20-40 coffee beans daily from a healthy plant.
- Most coffee cherries will not ripen at the same time so they need to be picked at intervals.
- There is an average time of 9 months between flowering and harvesting Coffee Cherries.
- Bees love Coffee flowers and feed from the flowers ingesting some of the caffeine, similar to what humans do.
Common Types of Coffee Plants
We start with a few different varieties of coffee plants. Firstly, there are two basic types of Coffee Plants; the Arabica which originated from Ethiopia and that is the most popular, and then the Robusta which is a much stronger and more bitter type of coffee.
The Arabica is available in a few varieties including;
- Typica – A hardy Plant with a sweet flavor.
- Bourbon – Usually used to Cross with other Coffee plants, it has a Chocolate and Fruity taste.
- Gesha – A newer variety with notes of jasmine, honeysuckle, and tropical fruit.
- Kona – Grown in Hawaii Commercially it is light, sweet, and spicy.
- Maragogype – Larger Coffee beans with a buttery taste.
- Pacamara – a dwarf Sized Coffee Plant that has large beans and a balanced flavor.
- Villalobos – A hardy Plant that offers a sweet and balanced flavor.
Best Coffee Plant Variety
So the question on your mind may be, which is the best coffee plant variety to grow at home?
Well, the Arabica is the best type of coffee to plant at home as it is the hardiest, grows well in containers, and has the best flavors.
Here are a few reasons why the Arabica is your best choice for planting at home;
- Reliable – It is a reliable coffee plant that produces high-quality beans.
- Flavor – There are a few varieties of Arabica coffee plants, and they generally have the best flavors.
- Good Looking Plant – The Arabica is likewise an appealing plant with deep green glossy leaves and lovely scented white flowers.
- Indoor and Outdoor Plant – You can grow the plant indoors in a pot or outdoors in your garden, it grows around 7 feet tall.
- Self-Pollinating – Because the Arabica is self-pollinating, as opposed to the Robusta, you will only need a single plant to produce fruit.
The Best Temperatures for Coffee Plants
Though the coffee plant originates from more tropical and subtropical climate areas, essentially it does not do well in direct sunlight, and prefers diffused light usually in the morning, and shade in the afternoon.
Coffee Plants will grow at optimal levels in temperatures around 70 – 80 Fahrenheit during the day, and 65 – 70 Fahrenheit at night, (21 – 26 Celsius, and 18 – 21 Celsius). Higher temperatures are not ideal for growing coffee plants if you want to harvest their beans.
You may also have heard of certain Hardiness Zones that Coffee Plants are more suited to, they are usually between 10 and 11 though, zones that are between 7 – 9 are suitable if you have a warm area in your home or garden. You can look at the hardiness zones in the image below;
Lighting Required by Coffee Plants
The Coffee plant is an evergreen flowering plant, that enjoys slightly more tropical weather conditions, has some more intricate lighting requirements;
- Indoor Coffee Plants – indoor Coffee Plants enjoy very bright indirect sunlight and can tolerate some direct morning sunlight. Though it is best to keep them away from direct sunlight from noon to afternoon. You can place the plant next to a window that gets plenty of bright morning sunlight.
- Outdoor Coffee Plants – Outdoors in their natural habitat coffee plants grow in “bright forest shade” areas. Thus you can plant them underneath trees or larger plants so that they get bright, dappled sunlight, especially in the morning, and more shade during the afternoons. Ideally, the light and temperature requirements of a coffee plant will depend on whether you are in a low or high-latitude area.
Coffee plants that are receiving too much light will show brown spots on their leaves, meaning the leaves have been scorched by the sun. In some areas, it is a better choice to keep coffee plants as indoor plants.
How to Plant and Grow Your Coffee Plant at Home
So now that we have a bit more of an understanding of the coffee plant itself, here are some step-by-step guides on how to grow your coffee plant at home. We will be doing a guide for planting in a pot from seedling up to harvesting;
1. When To Plant
You can plant from seed, but keep in mind it will take several years for the plant to mature, or you can choose a plant from your local nursery. Try to plant when temperatures are warmer and more consistent. Planting outside should be in spring when there is no more frost and higher temperatures.
2. Soil Type
Coffee plants do thrive in compost-based soils that are loamy and well-draining because they have long roots that do not like to get their root tips wet. The plant needs soil with a more acidic pH of around 5.0 – 6.0. They do not like lime as a fertilizer and will thrive better on well-rotted manure as fertilizer.
3. Planting Your Coffee Seeds
You can start with your seeds in pots and replant in your garden, or keep them in a pot in your home. You will need a fresh green seed from a local nursery or someone else who has a coffee plant. Plant your seed in the prepared soil an inch deep, and cover it with a seed-raising mix. The soil should be kept moist but not wet, and your seeds will take between four to six weeks to germinate. Once your seedling is big enough you can transfer it to a larger pot or your garden, keep in mind that the temperatures need to be right, and the plant should not be in direct sunlight.
4. How Big Does the Coffee Plant Grow
When choosing a pot or suitable spot for your coffee plant, you must be familiar with its size and dimensions. The Coffee plants can grow between 30 and 39 feet tall and have an open branching system, with leaves that are around 2.5 to 4.5 inches long and 1.5 to 3 inches broad. They have white flowers growing in axillary Clusters and they have seeds, or cherries that grow in a drupe.
Caring for Your Coffee Plant
If you take good care of your coffee plant with good feeding and watering practices, and ensure that it has the right temperatures to flourish, it can be quite easy to care for.
1. Watering
Your coffee plant does require ample water, especially for it to bloom; the soil should be moist but never drenched. However do not overwater, as it will start to turn yellow and wilt. During cooler seasons, you can reduce watering
2. Fertilizing and Mulching
Coffee Plants do enjoy Humidity and a good Mulch. The best materials to use for mulching include;
- Napier Grass
- Guinea Grass
- Guatemala Grass
- Banana Trash
- Coffee Pulp
- Coffee Husk
- Sorghum Straw
- Maize stover
Keep in mind all these materials need to be fully dried in sunlight before they can be used for mulching. You can also use a good all-purpose slow-release fertilizer the first three months after planting, and then opt for a citrus fertilizer that is more acidic once a month.
3. Pruning Your Coffee Plant
As mentioned, coffee plants can grow up to 7 feet or more, and you will need to prune them to keep them at a consistent height, especially if they are grown in a pot. Pruning similarly helps to keep the plant wieldy and in a dense shape, which in turn will have the cherries growing closer together.
How Long Does the Coffee Plant Take to Grow
The Time from seedling up to harvesting your Coffee Plant will differ according to the type and variety of coffee plant. Most Arabica coffee plants take 3 to 4 years to bear fruit, and you will have one main harvest yearly.
Harvesting Your Coffee Beans
When your coffee plant is mature it will produce fragrant white flowers, and eventually cherries that may vary in color according to the coffee plant variety. You can hand-pick the ripe cherries, and there are two methods to process them;
- Dry Processing – You will remove the husk and skin and lay your seeds in the sun to dry. This method is ideal for drier regions and for coffee types with stronger flavors.
- Wet Processing – For this process, the cherries are soaked in water and the beans are squeezed out of the softened cherries. The beans are then soaked until they sink to the bottom of the bucket ( bad seeds and excess flesh will float and be discarded). Now you can dry the beans on a mesh
- Roasting Your Beans – One option is to use an oven and a pan to dry the beans, or you can even use a coffee machine for a more precise roast. However, if you’re interested in a detailed guide on roasting green coffee beans in your oven, we have an article just for you. Discover how to achieve the perfect roast by following our step-by-step instructions in our guide on ‘How to Roast Green Coffee Beans in Your Oven’.
Common Pests and Diseases in Coffee Plants
But before we end there, I should inform you about some of the common pests and diseases that Coffee plants, especially outdoor coffee plants, are prone to suffer;
- Mealybugs – They suck sap from plants and attract other insects. You can use neem oil to deter them.
- Aphids – Likewise sap-sucking insects that plague all plants. They too can be treated with neem oil.
- Coffee rust is caused by spores carried in the wind that cause your leaves to wither and die. A good copper-based fungicide will help with this.
- Coffee Berry Disease – If you notice lesions on your coffee berries that are dark and soft or on the stalks, it may be Berry Disease. There is not much you can do, just remove the diseased berries and branches, and use a copper-based fungicide.
- Red Spider Mite – The Mites thrive in warm conditions and feed off the sap of your coffee plants causing the leaves to drop. You can regularly spray the leaves and clean off nests and webbing to deal with infestations.
- Xylella Fastidiosa – Also called Xylella it is a bacterium known to affect coffee plants causing leaf scorch and killing your plant. Most coffee plants raised in the UK are at low risk of this disease, so ideally source your seeds or plants grown in the UK.
In Conclusion
As you can see growing your coffee at home is a fascinating though lengthy process. However, it is rewarding with a coffee plant that will add aesthetic appeal to your home and a lovely home brew of your own in a few years.
Frequently Asked Questions About; How to Grow a Coffee Plant at Home.
Can I grow a coffee plant in my house?
Ideally, you should grow your coffee plant in your home as a potted plant’s temperatures are more easily controllable. However, keep in mind that you need the right spot that is warm, with indirect sunlight or diffused sunlight. The Plant Grows up to 7 feet tall, so you will need a suitable pot that will be able to hold a long and extensive root system.
Is there a difference between a coffee plant and a coffee tree?
The Coffee Plant is Botanically Classified as an evergreen shrub from the Rubiaceous family, so ideally, it is classified as a tree or a bush.
What temperature does the coffee plant need?
Coffee plants are not winter hardy and require higher temperatures to thrive between around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. They need to be well protected in lower temperatures, which is why, in colder areas, it is wiser to keep them indoors.