The coffee plant (lat. Coffea arabica) is considered easy to care for. If you like, you can definitely harvest your own coffee. However, this requires a lot of patience, because the coffee plant grows very slowly and only blooms when it is a few years old.
How do you properly care for a coffee plant?
To optimally care for a coffee plant (Coffea arabica), you need a bright, sunny to partially shaded location, regular watering in slightly dry soil and monthly fertilization from April to September. Make sure that the temperature does not fall below 15 °C and that suitable, bright accommodation is ensured in winter.
The right soil and the best location
Sunny and warm, that's how your coffee plant likes it best. A partially shaded location is ideal for young plants. You should only slowly get your Coffea arabica used to the midday sun. The same applies if you want to put your coffee plant in the garden or on the balcony in summer. Cool nights can quickly damage the plant.
Water and fertilize the coffee plant properly
A coffee plant is best watered “as you feel”. Use your finger to test how dry or moist the soil is. Only when the top layer has dried slightly should you water the Coffea arabica again. Occasional spraying with lime-free water or a shower of rain is a blessing for the coffee plant. Add some liquid fertilizer (€8.00 on Amazon) to the irrigation water once a month or use slow-release fertilizer.
When and how should I prune my coffee plant?
The coffee plant does not need to be pruned regularly. If it is too big for you, then you can definitely use a knife or secateurs. The plant can tolerate vigorous pruning. The best time for this is spring. You can then use some of the cuttings as cuttings for propagation.
How do I care for the coffee plant in winter?
The coffee plant should under no circumstances overwinter in the garden. It is not hardy and needs suitable winter quarters. Water your coffee plant more sparingly in winter and make sure it is bright enough. Both too little light and too much water could result in yellow or brown leaves. Fertilizing is not necessary in winter.
Can I grow coffee plants myself?
If you grow a coffee plant yourself, you should have a lot of patience. Seed germination can take up to four weeks at a minimum of 25°C. Even after that, the coffee plant doesn't grow particularly quickly. If you use cuttings instead of seeds, growing them is a little easier and less time-consuming.
The most important care tips in brief:
- Location: bright and sunny to partially shaded
- easy care
- grows quite slowly
- water regularly when the soil is slightly dry
- fertilize from April to September
- cut compatible
- not hardy
- Temperature not below 15 °C all year round, ideal: 20 °C to 24 °C
- Propagation by cuttings or sowing
- good as a houseplant
- Free-range farming possible in summer
- only blooms after a few years
Tip
The slow-growing coffee plant is suitable as a houseplant and can also be grown in the garden in summer.
