There is hardly a person who would not like to start their day with a cup of aromatic coffee. And the aroma of ground grains, which fills the whole apartment with a wonderful smell? What about flowers? The coffee tree pleases the eye with delicate white or cream buds. People who have seen coffee flowers are unlikely to be able to compare this spectacle with something. And few people think about the possibility of growing a coffee tree at home. But some varieties feel quite comfortable in the apartment. Add spice to your home this indoor flower - coffee tree. Growing a house takes a lot of effort. After all, it is difficult to call this plant unpretentious.
Soil preparation
The birthplace of the coffee tree is Ethiopia. Therefore, the conditions must be appropriate. It belongs to the madder family. Both excessive moisture and too dry soil are detrimental to this plant. The soil should consist of 2 parts of greenhouse soil, 3 parts of leafy soil, 1 part of river sand and 1 part of peat. You need to know that the coffee tree does not tolerate neutral soil. It must be acidic. Before landing on the bottompot, which should be narrow but long, you need to put drainage.
Landing
The coffee tree propagates in two ways: cuttings or seeds. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. However, it is necessary to proceed, first of all, from the availability of planting material.
Seeds
This method is more common. The disadvantages of this type of propagation include the fact that the seeds lose their germination capacity very quickly. Therefore, it is very unlikely that the planting material bought in the store will turn into a coffee tree. And even if a sprout appears, there is no likelihood that the tree will bloom and bear fruit. But the seeds that are collected directly from the plant and planted in the ground give good germination. But there is also the danger that they will lose the ability of the mother tree, and coffee flowers will not please you.
In order to make it easier for the sprout to break through, the seed, previously peeled and soaked in potassium permanganate, must be placed with the flat part down. The coffee tree should be planted to a depth of 1 centimeter and the soil should be moist but not wet. After planting, the pot must be covered with glass or plastic wrap. Since the homeland of the plant is Ethiopia, for its successful germination, it is necessary to create conditions similar to the tropics. It should be remembered that the coffee tree does not tolerate high humidity. The flower needs to be aired several times a week. To do this, it is enough to remove the glass or film. This procedure shouldlast a short time. If everything was done correctly, then in a few months you will see the first sprouts of your tree. In the second year, the flower will give shoots, which in no case should be cut off. After all, the number of ovaries that can form on it depends on the length of the shoot. But the flowers and grains, from which delicious coffee will turn out, the plant will give for 3 years. Therefore, you need to be patient. It would be logical to assume that the plant will produce coffee-colored flowers. However, it is not. It blooms with charming white fruits.
Shanks
The advantage of this propagation method is that you will get a plant identical to the mother. It will give flowers and, accordingly, a harvest much earlier than a coffee tree grown from seeds. However, this does not mean that planting a cutting and caring for it is less time consuming. In addition, not all cuttings take root.
Cuttings should be taken from the shoot of last year's growth. It is best to use planting material from the middle part of the crown. The cut must be made oblique. Each cutting should have 2 pairs of leaves. To make roots appear faster, you can scratch the bottom of the cutting with a needle and treat it with a solution of the Heteroauxin preparation before planting. If desired, you can leave it in this solution for 3-4 hours. Immediately before planting, the bottom of the cutting should be powdered with charcoal and planted strictly vertically in the soil prepared in advance. If you plant several cuttings, then you need to leave a distance between them. Whenall blanks will be in the ground, the soil should be watered with a solution of potassium permanganate. Further, all actions are similar to planting from seeds. It is necessary to create the effect of a greenhouse using glass or film, ventilate the plant and slowly accustom it to room temperature. If everything was done correctly, then after 40 days you will see the first kidneys.
If there is a need for a transplant, then this should be done only after the appearance of a new pair of leaves. Since the plant does not like to be disturbed, transplanting should only be done when absolutely necessary. Growing a coffee flower with your own hands from a cutting is quite simple. The main thing is to follow all the rules. Already in the first year you can see beautiful flowers and get the first harvest.
Choosing a seat
In order for the coffee tree to grow quickly and bear fruit, it needs to choose the right place. It loves diffused light, fresh air and space. This flowerpot must be placed on the western or eastern window. If too much space gets on the plant, it will get burned. Then yellow spots will appear on the glossy green leaves. If this happens, the coffee tree should be immediately protected from direct sunlight. If the plant does not have enough light, its growth rate will be somewhat slowed down. In the future, this may also affect the flowering of the miracle tree.
Care
The plant does not tolerate any neighborhood. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a separate place for it. The height of the coffee tree depends on the variety, but on average it reaches 1.5 meters. The average growth per year is 10 centimeters and falls in the spring and summer months. In order to get a beautiful and he althy plant, you need to create conditions that are as close to natural as possible. The average summer temperature should range from +250 to +300. And in winter, the temperature regime should be somewhat lower. The optimal average air temperature during hibernation is +160. Under such conditions, coffee flowers rest from growth and prepare for the next growing season.
Do not forget that the coffee tree belongs to moisture-loving plants. However, watering should be done only in the pan. This is due to the fact that with excessive moisture, the root system can rot. During the period of active growth, the flowerpot needs more watering. But in winter, you need to water the plant less, while preventing the soil from drying out. If the soil is too dry or too wet, the coffee tree will shed its leaves. Also, the flowerpot needs systematic spraying. Water for these purposes must be defended. Drafts are fatal to the coffee tree.
With proper care, the tree will bloom with charming white flowers. But, unfortunately, they will bloom only 2 days. Then you will need to wait for the fruit to ripen. This process takes 6 to 8 months. Do not forget about weeding, which should be carried out systematically. The maximum yield can be obtained from a tree whose age varies from 6 to 30 years. And the weight of the grains that this will giveplant, can reach 500 grams. The color of coffee beans is red. They turn brown after roasting.
Summing up all of the above, we can conclude that for optimal growth, the plant needs a bright room that is constantly ventilated, diffused light, compliance with drinking and temperature conditions.
Transfer
The plant does not like to be disturbed once again. Therefore, it is necessary to transplant a coffee tree 1 time in 2 years. The difference between the old and new pot should be about 5 centimeters. It should be long and rather narrow.
It is desirable to transplant in the spring. The soil should be the same as for planting. After transplanting, it is advisable to mulch the soil with dry mullein.
Feeding
Don't forget to feed. Without it, the coffee tree will ache and wither. During the growth period, it must be fed at least once every 10 days. To do this, you can use mineral fertilizers with trace elements or water infusion of mullein. And it is best to alternate these two types of top dressing. In autumn, the coffee tree has a need for potassium, and in spring for nitrogen. This must be taken into account when feeding. But during the period of fruit formation, it is desirable to feed the plant with bone meal.
Fertilizer
The plant also needs fertilizer. For this purpose, a dry mullein is suitable, which can be used to mulch the soil. Any fertilizer intended for plants of the rose family is also suitable. You need to fertilize the coffee tree 1 time permonth. With sufficient nutrition, it will produce delicious coffee flowers.
Pests
The coffee tree is quite vulnerable. The flower instantly reacts to adverse conditions and is susceptible to attack by pests. The most common among them are spider mites and scale insects. As soon as you notice pests on the leaves, you need to immediately treat them with special preparations. Weaker chemicals can be used. However, it is likely that they will not cope with pests at a time, and the procedure will have to be repeated after 10 days. And you can use stronger drugs. These include, for example, a solution of the drug "Keltan". You need to spray not only the leaves, but also the trunk.
Wonder tree with glossy green leaves is an unusual and beautiful plant. The reward for your hard work will be delicate white flowers (and not, as many people think, coffee-colored flowers). The coffee tree will please not only during the flowering period, but also during the harvest. Signs of improper care of the plant are the brown edges of the leaves, their fall or the appearance of yellow spots. This is due to excessive or insufficient watering, temperature mismatch, drafts or direct sunlight. Any apartment will be decorated with this flower - a coffee tree. His photo does not exaggerate the natural beauty.
