A beautiful evergreen tree growing in the wild up to five meters, with glossy dark green leaves and white fragrant flowers appearing in the third or fourth year of growth, on the site of which green berries are formed, a bit like cherries. Ripening, they acquire a dark red color. It's about a coffee tree, cultivated everywhere in the tropical regions, which can be grown independently. Just have to be patient. It grows extremely slowly, and will please the first fruits, at least six years later. But in any case, indoor plants adorn the house, and the coffee tree is no exception. Undoubtedly, it will add elegance and some exoticism to the atmosphere of the house.
Properly selected soil is the first important indicator. Most experts recommend light soil for planting cacti, it is well drained. In addition to it, 20 percent perlite is mixed . Perlite is known to be a volcanic material and the closest substitute for the volcanic soil that a coffee tree prefers. Caring for a plant can not be called any special, it is quite unpretentious, but the most significant aspect is watering. The soil must be kept moist, but not moist.
Coffee tree: care
Water after irrigation should be well absorbed into the soil. To do this, it is better to put the pot with the plant in the place of discharge, leaving for a few minutes to allow excess water to glass. About 1/3 cup of room temperature water is poured near the root of the plant. Leaves are the first to signal how well it feels. Does he have enough heat and light, watering and fertilizers. If something is wrong, they will begin to turn and sag. In addition, from time to time they need to be wiped with a damp cloth. During the dark and cold months, fluorescent lamps will be needed to illuminate the plant .
Coffee tree: plant care in summer
If in winter the plant is enough to water once every two to three days, then in summer it requires more moisture. As a rule, in the summer the plant is taken out into the open air, but protected from bright sunlight and watered every day. In theory, a coffee tree survives cold weather, but at temperatures below 12 degrees it can die.
After five to six years of growth, white or pink flowers appear, reminiscent of jasmine in their appearance and aroma. To ripen, the fruit does not require any pollination of flowers, only for best yield results the plant should be fed with fertilizers. Every two weeks - from March to October, then once a month - from November to February.
Inside the ripe fruit are two beans, for which, in fact, they grow a coffee tree. Caring for the plant as a whole can be described as simple, but it must be correct.
Like any other plant, there are diseases in a coffee tree . If we talk about coffee grown on an industrial scale, then every part of the plant culture suffers from "their" predators. Nematodes attack the roots, the beetle grinder drills the trunk, the leaves devour the caterpillars of more than 100 species of butterflies and moths.
Coffee tree: diseases when growing plants at home
The main danger is whiteflies. Once pests are detected, it is necessary to spray soapy water onto the plant for two weeks.
Of the two main varieties of coffee tree - “Arabica” and “Robusta”, “Arabica” is more appreciated, since “Robusta” is more bitter in taste and less aromatic. Perhaps, it is for these reasons that Arabica is grown more in the world. In addition, Robusta contains about forty to fifty percent more caffeine than Arabica and is commonly used in coffee blends.