Growing coffee

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Growing coffee

On a different note . Last night I found another thread on growing coffee ( @ home ) Nothing wrong with that of course, but would it make sense to merge if thats possible and have just one ?
Just a thought .
E.P.

Yep, That would be mine I started last year
It has a few technical & where to buy coffee trees links

KK

[Lacehim]

Re: Growing coffee

Got a dwarf coffee tree from Bunnings at the weekend. How many do you need for it to be worthwhile?

Says it fruits in the second year!

Any tips on planting?

Not even a year old and Ive got some berries!!!!

Not sure if there will be anything there, not if Ill have enough... its still a bush and Ive only got one! ;D Seems to have survived.. might buy a few more.

[tonyt]

Re: Growing coffee

Not sure if there will be anything there, not if Ill have enough.

hi lacehim, the cherries will certainly have something in them if you fertilise them monthly and water them weekly over winter. the beans will grow inside the empty cherries.

[Thundergod]

Re: Growing coffee

I only got less than a handful last year (their first year) but heres a picture of some of this years crop.
It will surpass last years by far.

[tonyt]

Re: Growing coffee

heres a picture of some of this years crop.

that tree looks good TG.

[Thundergod]

Re: Growing coffee

Thanks Tony.

A little fertilizer and water and a lot of luck methinks.

[Lacehim]

Re: Growing coffee

Any tips on what sort of fertiliser to use?

[elbeano]

Re: Growing coffee

Dont use any fertiliser ,use leaf mould and humus and build your soil up to protect the new capillary roots that are forming.These roots are vital for feeding the new growth.The humus will also provide moisture retention during the up coming dry winter and provide food for the worms that keep your soil alive and healthy.Organic material only.There is a commercial plantation that uses this technique and they harvest for 6 months of the year and the coffee aint too bad either!

[tonyt]

Re: Growing coffee

Dont use any fertiliser ,use leaf mould and humus and build your soil up

i use both. i always have a fairly thick mulch (either bought or leaves/etc from my yard) as well as some fertiliser. urea is useful after harvesting because its high in nitrogen and promotes leaf growth (you can also piss on your plantation when no-ones watching - thats organic). later i use some stuff called miracle-gro, which is a water based fertiliser that can be hosed on. its not coffee specific (is anything?) but the trees seem to be OK and they give heavy crops over a long period and i dont get many floaters. how the coffee would taste with a purely organic regime i cant say, but fertiliser is only one of the variables that affect the end product.

i was talking to elvis the other day and said i wouldnt mention this, but its too interesting to pass over. some of my coffee cherries from last year are being processed for me by cockroaches. i decided to dry a couple of trays of cherries in their skins instead of pulping them, so i left them out on the back deck. i was not sure how id get them out of their hard dry skins later, but i find the cockroaches in the garden love them and have eaten the skins off a lot of them. they dont eat the parchment underneath. i figure if kopi luwak, the shit-processed coffee from indonesia can fetch such high prices, then cockroach-processed coffee cant be too disastrous. ill see when ive got all the beans out and have a taste. if you dont hear from me youll know why.

[elbeano]

Re: Growing coffee

Being from Qld I might have to feed mine to some canetoads and then we can have a state of origin type cupping session. ;D

[Thundergod]

Re: Growing coffee

Any tips on what sort of fertiliser to use?

Ive been finishing off and old packet of multi-purpose Thrive (disolvable) but have just bought some Osmocote granules (Fruit, Citrus Trees and Shrubs).

i use both.

Ditto.
Mine also has a ground cover of oregano that keeps the weeds at bay, keeps the moisture in and tastes good.

[A_M]

Re: Growing coffee

Have a range of ages now..

3 that are 2 or 3 years old but have been transplanted.

3 at about 18Months

And have another 12  that are about 15cm high that have been put into the yard.  With another 10 in pots at about  8 to 10cm high.

Have given about a dozen away....

Should have a part hedge on one side and a scattering throughout the yard.  If I am at all lucky I might even get enough in a year or two to provide more than a cup or two  ;D

Then I will be chasing cherry crushers and other items   

[sidewayss]

Re: Growing coffee

Anyone have any advice where i can source seeds to plant or is seedlings only available?

TG, AM, tonyt, KK, If you got any seeds to provide for me, im willing to come to an arrangement?

Gary at G

[Thundergod]

Re: Growing coffee

Id give you some seeds Gary but ATM mine are all green.
Youll have to wait.

[A_M]

Re: Growing coffee

Anyone have any advice where i can source seeds to plant or is seedlings only available?

TG, AM, tonyt, KK, If you got any seeds to provide for me, im willing to come to an arrangement?

Gary at G

Ok I have some that should be OK. PM if you wish to get some suss seads in the mail  ;D

The trick is how to germinate etc.

I soak a handful for some time and check for the little bud...  You can read more on this on cs and other places.

Then when there are enough exhibiting the same, then scoop out and scatter in a wet area that has lots of natural mulch (not too deep coverage and under a shady tree / bush) and sprinkle (not too deep coverage)  a 50/50 mix of potty-mix and 5 in 1 vegy soil mix.

Water when I remember... And leave until they are about 4 or 5 cm in hight... Often in clumps as the beans are sticky and can end up in a clump.

Have found that if in an area that has some protection from wind and sun, I get an almost 50% - 75% success rate.

PS. Do not hold ya breath :-)   They can be slow little buggers  ;D