How to Take Care of a Coffee Plant
Now that you’ve likely run out to the store to secure your own coffee plant, here are some essential tips for successfully caring for it. Aside from the exciting possibility of harvesting your own beans for a fresh cup of brew, this evergreen, easy-care plant is perfect for plant parenting newbies and experienced gardeners alike. Coffee plants thrive in humid, damp soil and should be kept in an area of your home or garden with indirect sun. Keep your plant shielded from harsh drafts or cool temperatures below 65 F, as it may cause damage, especially in the winter.
How to Grow Your Coffee Plant
Once your plant reaches about 8 inches in height, transfer it into a larger pot; use organic potting soil and make sure that the container drains well to avoid over-saturating the roots. When your plant has tripled in size, gradually repeat the repotting process to adjust to its growing structure. With proper conditions and care, your plant can grow up to 6 feet tall!
How to Harvest the Beans
Your coffee plant will begin flowering within one to three years, depending on its height, structure, and condition. When the plant enters the flowering phase (which lasts about one month), aromatic white flowers will begin to bloom. To grow fruit, the coffee plant will either self-pollinate (Arabica) or require cross-pollination (Robusta). Once the flower is pollinated, it will produce berries known as coffee cherries. Each fruit will yield about one to two coffee beans as they ripen over the next six months. When the coffee cherries change color from green to dark red, they are ready to pick.
How Much Coffee Will It Really Make?
Patience is a key component to harvesting your own coffee beans, as it can take months or even years to harvest. For the time being, you may still need to rely on your go-to, store-bought coffee while your plant matures. Unfortunately, to sustainably source your own coffee, you will need to grow about 30 coffee plants to produce enough beans for one cup of coffee (that’s a lot of space!). So your Trader Joe’s coffee plant probably won’t fill your coffee cup every day. Still, it’s a new and exciting contribution to your house plant collection!
