© Illumini Studio / Getty Images Close-up of coffee beansIf you're looking for a simple and pretty year-round houseplant, the coffee tree might be just the ticket. Although coffee plants are native to humid highlands such as Ethiopia, they can also grow indoors. Coffee plants prefer bright but indirect sunlight, so one of the best places to grow them indoors is near a sunny window; Exposure to direct sunlight can cause the leaves to burn and turn brown. These plants also require high humidity, which can be achieved by misting, and they grow best in temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you live somewhere warm like Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Florida, or California, you may be able to grow coffee plants outdoors. As long as you make sure that the temperature isn't too low, that the plant gets enough water, and that it gets partial sun, you can grow a coffee plant in your garden. Since coffee plants naturally grow under tree canopies, shading them with other plants or trees is a good option and likely the best place for them to thrive outdoors.
While growing your own coffee grounds may seem like a tasty and inexpensive idea, remember that coffee plants take three to five years to mature and flower, and only produce berries (each containing two coffee beans) upon pollination. .
How to grow a coffee plant at home
© Photo / Getty Images Coffee plant in a cup-shaped potTo grow a coffee plant indoors, you can buy a small potted coffee plant or get some seeds from a nursery or big name store like Home Depot. Germination will take months if you start from seed. The seeds must first be soaked in water for a day; They can then be placed in wet sand, not soaked. Once they germinate, you can transfer them to a container with soil. Coffee plants grow best in a dense soil such as a peat mix.
Coffee plants like moist soil and should be watered weekly, or whenever the top inch of soil feels dry. It is important to use a well-drained pot to avoid saturating the soil. To keep the coffee plant moist inside, you can mist it once a day and place a small bowl of rocks and water in the bottom of the pot. When choosing the best spot in your home for your coffee plant, remember that it is important to keep the plant out of drafts in the winter and away from air conditioning vents in the summer. You can fertilize your coffee tree every two weeks in the spring and summer, but you won't need it in the winter.
How to prune a coffee tree
© Joe Raedle / Getty Images Trimming coffee plants with gloved handsLeft alone, coffee plants can grow anywhere from 6 to 15 feet tall and wide, but the size of your plant will cause them to overshadow your home or patio. Although your coffee tree won't need much pruning, pruning can help keep it in good shape and, as mentioned earlier, prevent it from becoming too tall. When new growth begins to emerge in the spring, cut back the stems just above a cross. Pruning at an angle of 45 degrees works best and it is important not to prune too much at once as this can shock your plant. If you want your tree to grow a little taller, you can prune it lower.
Although you probably won't be able to harvest your own coffee tree to make your own coffee, the plant's beautiful light green leaves and delicate white flowers will brighten up your indoor or outdoor garden. And if you want to pollinate your coffee plants, you can roast some of the beans.
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