Coffee Exotic On The Windowsill

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Few of us do not like to indulge in a cup of aromatic coffee in the morning (no matter what kind the literature people consider it to be). It is not only the taste of this drink that is attractive - the coffee tree looks no less charming. And what is especially nice - it is quite possible to grow it at home, and the most patient growers can wait for real coffee fruits

Thanks to Peter I

One of the favorite drinks in Russia is coffee. True, our cool climate does not allow the cultivation of coffee trees on domestic lands. But with a great desire and diligence, a coffee plant can be tamed on your home windowsill. It all started from the time of Peter I. It was he who brought coffee from Holland in the 17th century. However, this miracle drink was known as early as the 13th century in Ethiopia. The most interesting in terms of taste are the Congolese, Liberian and Arabian varieties of coffee trees. In particular, the famous Arabica and Robusta are obtained from Arabian and Congolese.

Flowers are like jasmine, and the fruit is like a cherry

The coffee tree looks very decorative: a dark green crown of leathery, shiny, large leaves is crowned with a grayish straight trunk. Although a coffee tree is usually pruned to 2m, in nature it can grow up to 6m in height. Snow-white, jasmine-like flowers, collected in 8-16 pieces in inflorescences, coquettishly peep through the luxurious crown.

Fruiting begins already in the third year, but serious harvests are harvested no earlier than 5 years later. After ripening, cherry fruits, which are initially covered with a dense yellow-green skin, soften somewhat, acquiring a violet-blue or reddish tint. The fruit consists of a sweet and sour pulp and two seeds. The grain color and aroma familiar to us acquire thanks to three-minute roasting and subsequent rapid cooling.

Light is needed even in winter

To grow a coffee tree at home, you need to pick up unroasted beans or plant cuttings. For planting, a high container is used, at the bottom of which good drainage is placed and a substrate of greenhouse and deciduous land with washed river sand and high peat is added. It will be useful to add charcoal to the soil to avoid acidification of the earth.

The place for the tree is chosen quite light (but not in direct sunlight), with good air access, without drafts. The temperature in winter is maintained at least + 15C, while the leaves need additional lighting, and it is important for the roots not to overcool. It is not worth keeping a tree near the battery - overheating will have a very negative effect on the development of the plant. Provide regular and abundant watering with leaf sprays in the spring and summer. In winter, light soil moisture is sufficient. Water is used at room temperature. With proper care for the first year, the tree can grow up to 20 cm.

Afraid of ticks and scale insects

A young coffee tree is transplanted every 2 years in the spring. Older plants are left in the same place a little longer. When relocating a tree, be careful not to damage the delicate roots. After moving, it is advisable to leave the plant in partial shade for two weeks, regularly spraying.

Monthly, you need to alternately feed the plant with fertilizer for pink flowers and dry mullein, gradually reducing the portions. And in winter, they stop feeding altogether. Insufficient care leads to the appearance of a scabbard on the tree, which can be removed with a swab dipped in soapy water or alcohol. Coffee rust, spider mites, and bean borers can all grow on the plant as a result of low humidity. In this case, the affected leaves are removed, and the tree is treated with actellik or insecticidal soap.

The best twig for cutting

The coffee tree propagates vegetatively and by seed. Cutting has a number of advantages, although at home they use the seed method more often, because after rooting, flowering can immediately occur, and at the same time the characteristics of the mother plant are fully preserved. The downside is the need to form a crown.

The most beautiful and healthy branch from the middle of the crown of the previous growth is suitable for the cutting. In this case, the tree must be fruitful. Branch pruning is carried out, stepping back 3 cm from the lower leaves, and with at least two pairs of leaves on it.

Fresh air for seedlings

The seeds of the coffee tree gradually lose their germination, so it is better to plant them as soon as the fruits are ripe. Peeled from the pulp, they are washed with a solution of potassium permanganate. For disembarkation, pre-prepared land is used. The seeds are deepened 1 cm into the holes with the flat side down. The distance between the seedlings should be more than 3 cm. After they are covered with glass, previously watered with a solution of potassium permanganate.

The container should be placed in a warm place, and the seedlings should be provided with daily ventilation and moderate watering. Seedlings appear in 1, 5. After the germination of 3 pairs of leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into small pots and shaded. Rooted plants are placed in a bright place.