Coffee tree: care at home. How to grow a coffee tree at home

A coffee tree most people associate with plantations and greenhouses, but it can also grow favorably at home if you create a comfortable environment for it. At the same time, you do not need to spend a lot of time and effort to care for this plant.

What does a coffee tree look like?

Sold in stores small plants with glossy dark green leaves that are elongated and wavy in shape. This is the coffee tree. At proper care it begins to bloom at the age of 3-4 years in summer, releasing beautiful flowers. They are collected in inflorescences, in the place of which red berries soon appear, they are edible, but their main value is their grains.

An adult tree in one flowering can produce up to 500 gr. grains, they need to be subjected further processing dry well and fry. According to many owners of coffee trees, coffee made from a crop grown by one's own hands is much tastier than store-bought.

Rules for caring for a coffee tree

The coffee tree is considered a rather unpretentious plant, the main thing is to provide proper lighting and temperature. For a coffee tree, home care should focus on flowering and grains. In this case, it will delight not only with an excellent appearance, but also with a harvest. So, the basic rules.

Basic lighting conditions

To get fragrant grains, it is necessary to provide the plant with the right lighting. The light should be bright but diffused. In no case should direct sunlight, especially midday, be allowed to enter. The ideal place would be an east, southeast or west window. In order for the plant to receive the necessary portion of light, there should be as much space around it as possible. more space, so other plants should be at least 40-50 cm apart.

Temperature regime

The coffee tree is a heat-loving plant, so it is extremely difficult to tolerate cold. In winter, even during severe frosts, the temperature should not fall below 16 degrees, but it is better to maintain from 18 to 20. Do not forget about dry air, which in winter time provided with power supplies. So that the coffee tree does not suffer, it must be watered. warm water. One of the biggest dangers for this plant is the lack of ventilation. However, there should be no draft during this procedure, otherwise the coffee tree will shed all the leaves.

Watering rules

In order for the plant to develop and bear fruit properly, you need to know how to water the coffee tree. Sometimes the instruction "Home care with a photo" helps to correctly calculate the watering schedule in order to prevent overdrying or a destructive bay. The coffee tree has two periods in a year: active and sleeping. During the active period (from March to October), the plant requires abundant watering, but it is important to ensure that it does not accumulate in the soil and pan. excess moisture. Water should be soft, it is desirable to defend it before watering. During the dormant period, watering should be reduced and carried out only after the top layer has dried.

Coffee tree trim

In the summer, the amount of top dressing is increased to once every ten days, any fertilizer without calcium is selected. The best option is universal mineral remedy. Feeding is not required during the dormant period.

How to transplant a coffee tree?

The plant needs to be transplanted once every 2-3 years, choose for this better March or April.

If the coffee tree has not yet reached middle age, this procedure is carried out annually. And the most mature plants can not be transplanted, but simply changed periodically upper layer soil.

The soil should be slightly acidic, heavy, with large quantity humus additives. The owner of a coffee tree can buy a ready-made mixture or make it yourself from sod and leaf soil, sand and clay.

The root system of this plant is powerful and deep. This must be taken into account when choosing a pot. It should be voluminous and high, with good drainage to avoid moisture stagnation.

Diseases of the coffee tree: prevention and treatment

• The main cause of diseases of this plant at home is improper care. For a coffee tree, home care turns into diseases if spots appear, the leaves curl and dry. Immediately it is necessary to remove the damaged areas of the plant, and then determine the cause of the lesion.
• A fungal disease often occurs due to soil overflow, the roots may have begun to rot. In this case, the roots are checked first, all damaged areas are removed with a sharp knife and sprinkled with crushed coal. Then the plant is dried and planted in new soil. The upper part is treated with insecticidal soap, blue vitriol or any other finished product from fungal diseases.
• The most dangerous pest of the coffee tree, which often appears at home, is the whitefly. The plant that this pest has struck is covered with white bloom and cobwebs. As soon as the first signs are detected, measures must be taken, otherwise the whitefly can lead to the death of the coffee tree. To get rid of the pest, the leaves are sprayed with soapy water for two weeks; in case of serious damage, each leaf is wiped.
• The whitefly is not the only pest, the owner of the coffee tree must be prepared for the appearance of the scale insect and powdery mildew. In this case, you will need alcohol, a solution of actellik or karbofos (based on 0.5 liters of water, 10 drops).

When to expect the harvest

With proper care and disease prevention, already 4-6 years after the acquisition of the plant, it will please the first harvest. Many prefer the Arabica coffee tree, home care for this variety is carried out as described above. Grains of this variety are distinguished by a wonderful aroma and rich taste. "Robusta" can also be chosen for home cultivation, but coffee from its fruits is less aromatic and has a bitter taste.

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Despite the doubts of many home plant lovers, the coffee tree is one of the most unpretentious and grateful. Caring for it will not take much time and effort, and diseases and pests, if they appear, can be quickly eliminated with the help of folk methods or special chemicals which are sold in flower shops.

The coffee tree is a small thermophilic plant. Coffee flowers are similar to jasmine, but they are more massive. The leaves are dark green, elliptical in shape. Ripe fruits are black-blue or red (ripe cherries), oblong in shape.

About 50 species of the coffee family are known. Most of the plants in the wild grow in the tropical climate of Africa, America, Asia. Many grow a coffee tree at home. There are several varieties that have adapted to life in temperate climate as a houseplant.

What varieties of coffee are best grown at home : description with photos

As ornamental plant The most popular are Arabian coffee (arabica), Liberian, and the Nana variety.

Arabian coffee

A compact plant common for growing at home. The leaves are dark, with an olive tint, the shape is elongated. Their surface is glossy, the inside is pale. Coffee flowers are collected in inflorescences up to 2 cm in size. The opening of the buds occurs gradually, and they remain fresh for several hours.

Ripe fruits of Arabian coffee are burgundy. In shape, 2 coffee beans in a pair are similar to round beans. The fruits ripen 8 months after the flowers are pollinated.

Variety Nana

Dwarf coffee, the maximum height of which is around 85 cm. The plant blooms very profusely, has a good yield with proper care. The tree can be given different shapes by trimming and pinching the tops.

Liberian

The leaves are oval, up to 40 cm long. Coffee fruits are red or slightly orange color. The height of the plant can be adjusted by trimming the crown.

Pictured is a young coffee tree

How to grow a coffee tree from a seed

For growing, ordinary ripe grains bought in a store, or taken from the tree itself, are suitable. The coffee bean has a hard, hard shell that makes it very difficult to grow. Therefore, before growing seeds, they need to be scarified. The shell is destroyed with a solution of sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, or a mechanical incision is made.

Seeds are soaked in a solution that stimulates growth (,). The soil for coffee needs soft and loose. It must be prepared 2 weeks before planting.

Place the seed in the substrate with a flat surface down, deepening by 1 cm. Cover the soil with a transparent film on top. A pot with planted grain is exposed in a warm place (at a temperature of 20-25 ° C) for faster germination. Direct sunlight should be avoided.

Coffee can hatch out of the ground in a month. When the first leaves appear, the plant can be transplanted into deeper pots with a diameter of about 7 cm.

Disadvantages of propagating coffee beans:

• fruits may appear no earlier than 3-4 years after planting;
• plant properties may not be transferred from the mother tree.

To speed up germination, seeds are soaked in a growth stimulant solution.

Growing a coffee tree from cuttings

It's over reliable way growing coffee than seeds. When cuttings, the plant not only grows faster, but also bears the first fruits. If all planting conditions are correctly observed, then the survival rate of coffee cuttings is almost 100%. The plant can bloom already in the first year after planting, and the size and number of fruits exceed those grown from grains.

For cuttings, shoots of last year's growths of the middle part of the crown are used, about 8 cm long. They need to be cut obliquely. There should be 2 pairs of leaves on the handle. Before planting, it must be left for several hours in solution. Then sprinkle the bottom of the cutting with charcoal.

Place the plant vertically in the ground. Sprinkle the lower part with leaves halfway with earth. At the end of planting, pour the soil with potassium permanganate and cover with polyethylene. Place the pot in warm place+25-27 o C.

Reference. Periodically, the film must be removed so that the soil is ventilated.

What care is needed for a coffee tree at home

If there is no experience growing a coffee tree, you need to turn to reliable sources of information on how to care for a plant at home. Although the culture seems quite finicky, it is not difficult to grow it. The main thing is to follow certain rules.

The coffee tree needs good lighting

Placement and lighting

Light should be plentiful and diffused. The optimal place for growing is the south, southwest or southeast side of the house. In summer, it is better to keep the plant on loggias and terraces. In winter, place the coffee tree away from heat sources (batteries or stoves).

If there is not enough light (especially in winter period), can be used as additional source use an electric lamp.

Important. The coffee tree does not respond well to changes in position relative to incident light, so it is not recommended to turn it frequently.

Humidity and temperature

In order for the plant to develop normally, in spring and summer it will be comfortable at a temperature of about +25 ° C. In winter, the temperature cannot fall below +15 ° C. In the room where coffee grows, the humidity must be increased. To maintain optimal humidity, the plant is recommended to be sprayed frequently with water.

Watering

It is better to water the tree according to the schedule. From March to September, watering is carried out every day. In this case, you need to pay attention to whether water remains in the pan. Excess moisture can cause root rot. Water for irrigation is more suitable for melt and rain. It should not contain salts, lime, heavy metals, etc.

Water for irrigation should be well-settled

During the dormant period (in winter), the regularity of watering should be reduced to 1 time per week. This is necessary for the plant to accumulate strength for future fruiting.

Fertilizer

Coffee needs to be fed 1 time in 10 days during the growing season and flowering. Fertilizers with nitrogen and potassium are well suited for the plant. Phosphorus is needed for good fruiting. Can be purchased at the flower shop liquid fertilizers for azaleas.

A large amount of nitrogen is found in manure. This is a universal top dressing for the coffee tree. From the second half of autumn until the onset of spring heat, you can fertilize the crop no more than 1 time in 3 weeks.

crown formation

But in order to appearance crops remained well-groomed, dry branches should be cut regularly, wilted leaves should be cut off. Otherwise, plant growth will deteriorate. For timely flowering, long shoots of coffee should be cut in time.

The tree must be regularly removed dry twigs and leaves.

After 8-10 years of growth, the coffee tree loses its external decorative effect. There is a weakening of the branches from regular fruiting. To rejuvenate the culture, you can cut the crown 10 cm from the ground so that young shoots grow and a new one forms.

How to properly transplant

Young plants need a constant transplant (it is advisable to do this annually in March-April). As soon as coffee begins to bear fruit, it should be transplanted once every 3-5 years.

Narrow but tall pots are suitable for transplanting. Each new container should be larger than the previous one by no more than 5 cm in diameter. It can be transplanted into larger pots, but this will negatively affect the abundance of flowering and fruiting.

The fruit-bearing plant is transplanted by transshipment no later than one month after the fruit has been harvested. Pour drainage into the bottom of the pot first.

Reference. To adapt the culture for a while, it must be placed in a dark place, and sprayed from time to time.

Young plants need to be repotted regularly.

Priming

For coffee, a slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter and phosphorus is suitable, which passes moisture and air well. To prepare the substrate yourself, you need to take 2 parts of turf, 1 part of humus, 1 part of sour peat, 2 parts of sand. For young plants of sod land, you need to take 2 times less. Wood ash can be added to the ground for the coffee tree.

Potential Growing Problems

If small white spots are found on the leaves, this may indicate a lesion with a scale insect, sooty fungus, or aphids. To get rid of pests, the plant must be treated with a soap solution or solution (10 drops per 1 liter of water). In case of severe damage, 7-10 days after the first treatment, the leaves must be sprayed again. To combat the fungus, either special antifungal agents for houseplants are used.

When growing coffee, all recommendations regarding humidity and temperature of air and soil must be observed.

Diseases of the coffee tree, as a rule, appear when the rules for caring for it are not followed. Therefore, you need to constantly carefully inspect the plant for damage.

Flowering and dormancy

With proper care, coffee begins to actively bloom 3-4 years after planting. blooming plant in early spring. The flowers are white in color, smell pleasant (reminiscent of jasmine). The duration of the flowering of coffee is only a few days.

After a while, small round fruits form. At first they are greenish, in the process of ripening they have a color. ripe cherries. The fruits contain a couple of grains. The fruit ripening period is about 8 months.

The dormant period of the coffee tree is in the winter. Within a few months, it is necessary to stop fertilizing the crop, and reduce watering. Lowering the indoor air temperature in winter allowable rate- a lot of stress for coffee. From this, the plant can get sick and die.

Useful properties and toxicity of the plant

The culture is not poisonous, so it can be safely kept in a house where there are children and animals.

Coffee can be safely grown at home as it is not poisonous

Benefits of coffee:

• bean drink helps eliminate headache, relieve fatigue;
• thanks to the enzyme dopamine improves mood;
• with asthenia, low blood pressure, a little coffee has a tonic effect;
• has antioxidant properties;
• coffee charcoal helps with poisoning, removes toxins;
• ground grains are effectively used in cosmetics against cellulite, for exfoliation and skin rejuvenation, etc.

The most active ingredient in beans is caffeine. Its main action is to stimulate the functions of the central nervous system, so coffee should not be drunk with hypertension, excitable people, and children under 12 years of age. With excessive use of the drink, addiction occurs, so it is not recommended to drink it more than 1-2 cups a day.

The coffee tree is an exotic crop that is used to growing in a hot tropical climate. Therefore, in order to grow it at home, it is necessary to adhere to certain conditions of detention.

We invite you to get acquainted with the intricacies of growing a coffee tree. Happy viewing!

Among indoor flower growers many who want to grow some exotic plant in their apartment. Coffee lovers dream of having their own evergreen tree, which will not only decorate the interior and delight with green wavy foliage, but also reward with coffee beans.

It may seem that this is impossible to achieve at home. In fact, coffee tree maintenance is easy, and compliance necessary conditions will achieve the desired result.

Of the variety of natural types of coffee, two are suitable for growing at home or in the office.:

• Coffea Arabica- Arabian coffee;
• Coffea Liberica- Liberian coffee.

The most popular among lovers of indoor plants is Arabian coffee, which natural environment habitat grows up to 3-5 m, and at home does not exceed 1.5-2.0 m. If the dimensions of the room allow and the rules for caring for the plant are followed, the height of the tree can reach 3 meters. In standard apartments, this is hardly possible, but in an office or winter garden is quite real.

Temperature and lighting

Coffee is a southern resident, but direct sunlight is contraindicated for him. Otherwise, beautiful shiny leaves may suffer, their edges will dry out and the plant will lose its decorative effect. The conditions of detention are considered optimal:

• Abundant diffuse lighting(east or west window).
• When placed on the south, southeast or southwest side necessarily shading at midday hours in summer and early spring.
• Fresh air and regular ventilation.
• No drafts– air flows during ventilation should not fall on the coffee tree.
• Maintenance in the spring and summer at a temperature of 22-26°C.
• Temperature drop in winter up to 16-18°С.

Temperatures below 15°C will cause the plant to drop buds and foliage, and air colder than 12°C can be detrimental to the tree. AT heating season flower pot should not be near heating appliances.

The coffee tree can also be on north side, but in this case, the growth process will be delayed, and it will not work to wait for flowering, especially grains, without sufficient sunlight.

Watering and humidity

Water coffee moderately, but regularly. The top layer of soil dried up by 1-3 cm is a signal for the next watering. Use only settled soft water. Hard water with a high salt content is unfavorable for the plant - the coffee tree will begin to hurt over time.

Coffee prefers moist air. Provide desired humidity(60-70%) you can use a humidifier. Many sources advise placing a flower pot on a pallet with pebbles filled with water. Such a measure cannot provide required humidity, because for high-quality hydration, you need to evaporate at least 1.5-2 liters per day daily.

Regular spraying with purified or boiled water, the temperature of which is a couple of degrees higher than room temperature, can help maintain optimal humidity. In the summer, a warm shower is very useful.

Soil and top dressing

Only acidic soil is suitable for coffee; in neutral soil, the plant will wither and get sick. In order to create the optimal soil mixture, the following components are required:

• sour peat - 2 parts;
• leaf ground - 1 part;
• humus - 1 part;
• coarse sand - 1 part.

Add to the resulting mixture charcoal and sphagnum moss, finely chopped.

During the period of active growth (April-October), the coffee tree needs to be fed. Every two weeks, the plant is fed with complex compounds containing nitrogen and potassium.. Liquid fertilizers are best for azaleas, but granular fertilizers can also be used. For example, dissolve 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 6 g of potassium salt in 2 liters of water.

Coffee is fertilized only after the next watering - it is impossible to pour top dressing into dry soil, otherwise the roots may get burned. Supporters organic fertilizers can pour dry mullein into the pot.

Features of home care

In the summer, the plant is watered more often, in winter the amount of moisture is reduced, allowing the soil in the pot to dry out by half. During the dormant period (November-February), the coffee tree is not fed..

If all optimal conditions are met, closer to the third year of life, the coffee tree may bloom. Its beautiful fragrant white or pale cream flowers give way to fruit over time. The fruits are originally colored in green color but gradually turn red and look like ripe cherries.

Formation and pruning of the crown

A young plant needs to be pinched, removing the growing point. Then you get a beautiful bushy copy. mature plant does not like interference with natural development and does not need special pruning. It is worth removing dried shoots and shortening branches that are too long. spoiling the appearance of the tree.

Diseases and pests

Coffee is rarely attacked by pests. If insects are found on leaves and shoots, the plant is treated with modern insecticidal preparations.

Basically, coffee suffers from a lack of nutrition. This is manifested by blackening or lightening of the leaves, depending on the missing trace element. In this case, the plant needs to be fed with complex fertilizer.

Transfer

Young plants are transplanted annually using the recommended planting mix. When the tree is 3 years old, transplantation is carried out every 2 years.

In the process of transplantation, all conditions must be met:

• A new pot is chosen 3-5 cm wider than the previous one., giving preference to deep containers.
• Lay at the bottom of a new pot drainage layer of pebbles or expanded clay, then a small layer of earth.
• The coffee tree is taken out of the old pot, being careful not to damage the earthen ball. It is better to transplant after the next watering. and - then the earth will not crumble from the roots.
• The plant is placed in a new pot and voids are filled with soil mixture.
• Watering and planting in a slightly shaded area for adaptation.

Adult massive specimens are not transplanted, but every year they replace the topsoil.

Problems when growing at home

Owners of coffee trees may face some difficulties in growing. Coffee does not tolerate neighborhood with other indoor crops and. To achieve success, you need to choose a room free from any "green" inhabitants.

Yellowed or falling leaves indicate problems with watering - an excess or lack of moisture equally negatively affects the decorativeness of the plant.

A pot with a tree cannot be rearranged or rotated. As a result of a small turn, even by 20-30 degrees, coffee can drop foliage, and a flowering specimen can drop buds.

Conditions for a normal growing season

In order for the coffee tree to develop normally, you must follow all the care rules listed above. Maintaining optimal temperature, sufficient lighting, proper watering and regular feeding during growing season will lead to the active growth of coffee, which, when good conditions grows pretty fast.

Growing from seed

Coffee seeds can be purchased at flower shops or garden centers. The shell of coffee seeds is hard, so to speed up germination, you need to scarify them - file or cut. Then soak for 12-24 hours in a growth stimulator such as "Zircon" or "Kornevin". If such drugs are not at hand, you can do with plain water.

Seeds are buried in loose soil by 1-3 cm and put the pot on sunny place, where the temperature does not fall below 20-24°C. The pot is covered with glass or a transparent jar to create a greenhouse effect, not forgetting to ventilate sometimes. The soil in the pot should always be slightly damp.

Soaked seeds will germinate in about 1-1.5 months, dry ones will “sit” in the ground for a month longer.

cuttings

Cuttings are more preferable as a method of propagation of coffee, since in this case a fruit-bearing specimen can be obtained faster. If friends and acquaintances have a coffee tree, you can cut a cutting from it and root it.:

• For rooting use loose substrate, consisting of sand, sheet and sod land in equal proportions.
• Cuttings are buried in moist soil and cover with a transparent cap to create a greenhouse effect.
• Put the cuttings in a well-lit place and maintain a temperature of 25-27°C.
• Daily ventilate for 10-15 minutes while removing the cap.
• Watered as needed.

After rooting, the cuttings are planted in separate pots.

How to grow from seeds

Of course, it is impossible to grow coffee from roasted beans sold in stores. However, you can buy green beans that have not passed heat treatment, and try to germinate them in the way described above. Although the possibility of germination of store grains is minimal.

Conclusion

Coffee tree at home is not a myth, but a reality. Waiting for coffee beans in our latitudes is difficult, but possible. At favorable conditions from an adult tree it will be possible to collect up to 0.5 kg of grains, however, this will require good care and patience.

AT last years evergreen coffee tree has become popular indoor flower, it is bred by plant lovers at home. By following the basic rules of care, performing timely feeding and regular watering, you can achieve the appearance of fragrant flowers and coffee fruits on your windowsills.

How to grow a coffee tree

In nature, Arabian Arabica reaches several meters and looks like a real tree. It grows in Africa, Asia and South America where the weather is warm throughout the year. Growing a coffee tree at home requires an initial knowledge of the plant's preferences and how to propagate it. It is very unpretentious, even a novice florist can handle the care.

from seed

Growing a coffee tree from seed is easy. To do this, they are bought in a store or taken from friends. The grains of the plant are covered with a dense shell and in the photo do not look like those from which the drink is prepared. For quick germination, you need to follow the sequence:

1. Soak the seeds in warm water with the addition of a growth stimulant or diluted vodka.
2. Remove the shell from the surface with a knife, you can simply file it from one edge.
3. Prepare soil for planting. Suitable ready-made composition for flowers, which is sold in the store.
4. Plant the grains to a depth of 1-1.5 cm, pour water.
5. close container cling film or a simple cellophane bag. The earth should not be filled up to the very top of the pot, so that the sprouts do not rest against the film after emergence.
6. Put the pot in the light, without direct sunlight.
7. At the place of germination, it is required to observe optimal temperature, which is equal to 22-24 degrees. These conditions correspond natural climate suitable for the plant.
8. After germination, remove the film and water the sprout as the soil dries.

From a cutting

The second method, which is used for plant propagation, is to get a coffee tree from a cutting. This method is faster, because a process from the crown is taken as the raw material for rooting. In order to choose good cutting, you need to look at the photo, how coffee grows and cut upper part with two or three leaves at a distance of 15-20 cm. The stalk is placed in water with the addition of the Kornevin preparation. Experienced flower growers it is advised to use a proven recipe and instead dissolve natural honey at the tip of a teaspoon in a glass of water.

You can place the cut off shoot in a pot of soil, but then you need to periodically open the cut point and check whether the roots have formed. If the stalk is watered too abundantly, rotting may occur. Above the pot, you should make a mini-greenhouse, covering the sprout with a transparent plastic bottle cut in half. After 1-2 weeks, when the roots form and the plant begins to produce new leaves, the greenhouse must be removed.

Caring for a coffee tree at home

Having studied the information on how to grow coffee, you need to learn how to care for a coffee tree so that it grows and increases in size. If all the procedures are carried out correctly, then soon its height will become 1-1.5 meters. Caring for a coffee tree is simple and does not require special skills. Houseplant growers advise:

1. Put coffee in the sun, where there is no draft. Suitable light window sill or flower stand by the window facing south. Lack of lighting will affect growth and fruiting.
2. Make sure that the temperature in the room is maintained at 15-20 degrees. Some plants need to rest in winter, but coffee can be in warm room all year round. However, you can not put it near the battery so that the leaves do not dry out.
3. Do not turn the flower pot. Any change causes the leaves to fall off, so you need to mark one of the sides of the pot and keep an eye on how it stands.
4. As the crown grows, trim the upper shoots.

Transfer

For the first time, a coffee tree transplant at home is done after the stalk or sprout begins to produce side branches. Next time you need to transplant the plant after the first year, when the tree becomes more than 50 cm tall. Do not immediately take a spacious pot or often transplant a houseplant coffee. When transplanting, care must be taken so as not to damage the overgrown root system. The soil is chosen acidic, with an admixture of sand, as in the homeland of coffee. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the tank.

Watering

Indoors, it is difficult to maintain the desired humidity, so regular watering of the coffee tree is very important. Watering should not be too often - 2-3 times a week, so that the roots do not rot. If the air is too dry, place an open pan with clean water and ventilate more often. The owner can guess that the plant is not getting enough water by the way the edges of the leaves begin to dry. In this case, you need to add a constant weekly spraying from the spray bottle.

top dressing

A prerequisite for the full development is top dressing of the coffee tree. The first months, when there is an active growth of branches and crowns, you should feed the soil every week. Store-bought fertilizer for flowers based on useful minerals and micronutrients. Every year in the spring, before flowering, apply liquid nitrogen and potassium fertilizers. After fruit set, be sure to mix phosphorus in the form of bone meal into the ground.

reproduction

You can get several from one adult plant in two ways: make cuttings, or germinate grains. Such a method as propagation of a coffee tree by cuttings is rarely used, because the shoots take root with difficulty. The method of growing from seeds is much easier. Coffee begins to bloom after 2 years from the start of planting. In nature, insects play the role of pollinators; at home, you need to take a squirrel brush or a piece of cotton wool and transfer pollen from one flower to another. The ripening process of berries lasts 4-5 months. After that, you can use them for reproduction.

Diseases of the coffee tree

Houseplant lovers know that diseases of the home coffee tree are rare. If this happens, you can find out about the trouble by the color and condition of the sheets, as in the photo. They turn yellow or blacken from the edges, become stained, fold into tubules. Often insect pests attack coffee - aphids, ground flies, scale insects. They attach the larvae to the underside of the leaves. They are sprayed with a special store composition, or with water diluted 1: 4 with vodka. With a lack of iron, you need to stick rusty nails into the ground.

The coffee tree is exotic plant. It is very thermophilic and is grown at home as an ornamental. On the open ground do not grow coffee. The tree at home grows no more than 2 m in height. With proper care, you can collect a small amount of fruits and grains from it, but you will not be able to grow coffee plantations. Despite the exotic, grow room view coffee tree is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.

Indoor coffee tree: description

The coffee tree belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Africa is considered the birthplace of this plant, but coffee also grows well in South America, in Cuba. The plant is very thermophilic, evergreen.

The coffee tree, which is considered expensive and troublesome to care for, actually grows well in apartment conditions (if you choose dwarf varieties), and care is required no more than for any other indoor plant. As a rule, only small domestic trees are grown in Russia for decorative purposes.

Subject to the rules, they bear fruit, but in very small quantities.

The history of coffee goes back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Even then, the coffee drink was popular and is considered mandatory at many ceremonies.

Features of the structure of the plant:

• Homemade coffee tree is like small bush with dense dark green leathery leaves, slightly wavy along the edges.
• The leaves are arranged in tiers.
• The flowers of the tree are small, white, collected in small inflorescences resembling an umbrella.
• The fruit of coffee is not a large green berry. When the fruit ripens, the berry turns bright red. Inside the berry are 2 seeds about 1 cm in size.
• The coffee tree does not bloom immediately. Depending on the variety, you need to wait from 2 to 6 years.

All parts of the coffee tree contain caffeine, which helps repel pests. It is believed that the coffee tree helps to purify the air of heavy metals, nourishes a person's energy, and helps strengthen the nervous system.

At home, you can grow the following types of coffee trees:

• Arabian coffee. This is a favorite variety of many flower growers. The plant reaches a height of no more than 2 m. The leaves are slightly elongated, the flowers are white, small and very fragrant. May bloom several times a year. The fruit is small, red, inside 2-3 seeds. This variety has several varieties. The species called Nana is especially small and suitable for apartments.
• Liberian coffee. This variety is larger, taller with large leaves (up to 40 cm). Because of its size, it is not often grown indoors. The flowers are white, the fruits are yellowish-red with large seeds.
• Robusta. Low grade. The leaves are bright green, with veins and a small fluff. Flowers white, fragrant.

Caring for a coffee tree is not much different from the standard care of any other houseplant. Flowering of the coffee tree may be delayed if the care is not correct.

To show off your own coffee beans, you need to try to provide the plant with the most comfortable conditions:

• Lighting. Coffee loves a lot of light, but not direct rays, but diffused light. In winter, it is necessary to provide the plant with additional artificial lighting. The bright sun can damage a young plant, and a lack of light leads to slower growth, lack of flowering and fruiting.
• Temperature. Coffee is a heat-loving plant, but the plant does not like heat and stuffiness. Optimal conditions for cultivation is the air temperature not higher than 24 degrees. In winter, the plant needs to be allowed to rest, it slows down its growth, so it is advisable to reduce the temperature to 15 degrees. More low temperatures are not recommended, as coffee tolerates cold worse than heat.
• . Water the plant as needed. The soil in the pot should always be slightly damp, but not muddy or dry. In summer, water more often, the water should be soft, room temperature. In winter, watering is reduced, but the tree is still periodically watered so that the soil does not dry out.
• Humidity. The coffee tree loves moist air. For supporting sufficient level humidity can use humidifiers, water tray, regular spraying. It is also necessary to wipe the leaves from dust regularly. With a lack of moisture, the tips of the leaves begin to dry out and curl up.
• . Coffee needs top dressing in spring and summer, when there is a period of active growth and flowering. You can feed the plant during this period every 2 weeks. As a top dressing suitable complex mineral fertilizer. For best results, it is recommended to alternate between and . From the second half of autumn until the next spring, it is not necessary to feed the plant.
• Transfer. The coffee tree grows well, so at a young age it needs to be replanted every year, choosing a larger pot. It is undesirable to disturb adult plants unnecessarily.

Landing and transfer: terms and rules

Growing a coffee tree is no more difficult than a lemon tree, if you know the basic rules and features. The easiest way to grow a tree is from coffee beans (of course, not roasted). The plant needs to be transplanted regularly as it grows.

Compliance with the rules of landing and transplantation is guaranteed good growth and survival of the tree:

• You can find a coffee bean in a store (gardening) or ask the owner of this tree for a seed.
• The coffee seed has a very dense shell, so the grain must be soaked in a solution of hydrochloric acid or just filed a little to destroy the shell, otherwise the seed will not germinate.
• Also, the grain is soaked in a growth stimulator. A similar drug can be found in stores or ordered online.
• When planting, the soil should be slightly moist, loose. The seed does not go deep into the soil. A pot with a planted seed is placed on the windowsill in the brightest place. Greenhouse conditions can not be created, coffee sprouts well. The temperature should be above 20 degrees.
• Soil for planting and transplanting plants can be purchased at a specialized store or made independently. coffee tree love acidic soils with peat, sand, humus in equal proportions. You can add some crushed charcoal.

More convenient way reproduction, since the stalk gives roots faster, grows in width and begins to bloom earlier. Cuttings are cut from the selected mature tree. Each cutting must be at least 8 cm long and have 2 buds. Each cutting is planted in a separate container with a prepared moistened substrate. They need to be put in a warm place (temperature not lower than 27 degrees) with sufficient humidity, or covered with a film that needs to be opened periodically.

When the cuttings take root, they can be planted in permanent pots. The pot is better to choose a little more, as the plant grows strongly. When transplanting, a fresh substrate (slightly damp) is prepared in a pot bigger size. The soil in the old pot needs to be moistened, slightly loosen the earth and carefully pull out the plant along with the earthy clod. The tree is placed in a new pot, sprinkled with soil. You can water a little. Don't forget about drainage.

Diseases and pests: control and prevention

There are some peculiarities of caring for a coffee tree. It can get sick from improper care more often than from pests, since caffeine repels many insects.

For example, a coffee tree does not like to be disturbed, moved and rearranged - a change in rotation can lead to leaf fall.

Most often, the following diseases and pests occur in the coffee tree:

The coffee tree can become infected from other indoor plants, so they need to be inspected regularly for spots and larvae. With proper care, the likelihood of disease is minimized.

More information can be found in the video: