How to Grow Own Coffee Plant Indoors…?

In many parts of the world coffee is more than just a drink, it culture, its an economy by itself, its savoured across the globe in many forms like in India its famously taken in form of Filter Coffee, In some parts of the world it’s Expresso, some parts of the world its latte, whether you are barista (coffee brewing expert) or an novice to coffee, there is always something one can learn about this beloved beverage.

So, let’s see how one can grow this beloved coffee plant indoors….!

How to Grow Your Own Coffee Plant Indoors…? 

It’s actually much easier than you think to grow your own coffee bean plant at home as it actually makes a really great houseplant that doesn’t need too much looking after.

They are beautiful plants and if you put in some initial work and care with the seedling, to help it grow, it will thrive and become a stunning addition to your home.

It’s worth noting though, that coffee plants can grow quite tall so you need to make sure you have the space to accommodate one, once it is grown. If you are limited for space then you could stunt the plant’s growth by not re-potting it once it reaches the height you are happy with. That way it will stay small enough for your room although it might not flower under these circumstances.

Are coffee plants easy to care for……..?

To answer this question we asked our friends from CoffeeBitz, on online journal for coffee grinder reviews. The said that the coffee plan is a very resilient plant so even if you don’t have green thumbs, or are a total beginner, it is an easy one to take care of with limited involvement on a daily basis. In fact, the only time you need to give it attention is as a seedling when it needs regular tending to keep the soil moist and keep it out of sunlight.

The coffee plant doesn’t lose its leaves either – it’s an evergreen – so it creates a stunning plant for your home at any time of year and doesn’t create a mess in the winter with dropped leaves.

You can usually buy baby coffee plants in garden centres and as long as you give the seedlings some initial attention and care, you should end up with a nice strong plant.

What do I do with the seedlings……? 

Seedlings are normally sold at around four inches high and generally come in a set with around five plants in each pot so the first thing you need to do is separate the plants from each other.

The easiest way is to leave them overnight in a bowl of warm water, then the next day you can separate them and put them into their own small flower pot. You should use specialist seedling organic soil to plant them in to ensure they get all the right nutrients.

You should end up with around five individual plants once you have separated all the seedlings from each other, and bearing in mind they can grow really tall, you might want to give some of them away to friends and family once they are strong enough.

What conditions do they thrive in…..?

They should be kept from indirect sunlight so don’t put them right in front of a window but perhaps near to one with enough shade not to get too hot or burn in the sunlight.

The plants need to be watered regularly so the soil is damp but not soaked – you don’t want to drown the seedlings before they have a chance to grow. Make sure the pots you use have drainage holes for the water to seep out.

If you overwater them, the plants will die so the drainage is important – if you don’t water them they will also die so it’s important to get the balance just right. The soil should be moist to the touch and not left to dry out.

What about when they start to grow….? 

Once the plants have doubled in height you will need to re-pot them and this will be a continuous process as they grow. If you don’t put them in a bigger pot their roots will become bound and the plant could die.

Every time the plants grow a significant amount they will need a new bigger pot to give them room to continue growing. Eventually you should only need to change up the pots once a year or so.

Be aware that coffee plants can grow to around six feet tall within a few years so make sure you have the space for that to happen. Once your plant is fully grown it will start to flower.

If your plant starts to get too tall for your room then you can keep it at the perfect height by not changing the pot – that way the plant won’t have the space to grow more and you can keep your coffee plant at exactly the size you require.

Will I get coffee from my house plant…..?

The flowers will pollinate and become coffee cherries – inside of which you will find the coffee beans.  Having one coffee plant isn’t likely to give you enough beans to create even a pot of coffee but if you have many of them you never know!

If you kept all five of your seedlings and had the space to let them grow to full height then you might end up with enough of a harvest to create your own coffee but you will then need to gather the beans when they are ready.

To make coffee you would need to put the beans through a roasting and grinding process, like the professionals, so it could end up being a lot of work for just one pot of coffee – however, if it creates your very own, hand-made perfect cup of coffee it might just be worth all the extra effort.

Not all coffee plants will flower and if you don’t re-pot it regularly it might not flower either as it won’t be able to grow bigger, but even without the flowers and coffee beans, they are beautiful house plants to look after.

Conclusion

It is relatively easy to grow your own coffee plant indoors as long as you keep it out of direct sunlight and keep the soil moist through regular watering – without drowning it.

Too much sun will kill them so be careful not to leave them within an area that gets too much light and heat, and they need their soil to be constantly moist to help them to thrive. .

Be aware that a coffee plant can grow to around six feet tall so if you have a tiny flat it might not be the best choice of house plant for you – however, with a bigger space it will be a beautiful plant to add to your house plant collection.

A coffee plant is also a great talking point for friends and visitors as it’s quite unusual and many people imagine that they are hard to look after, or that they only grow in places with hot temperatures like Kenya – so having one in your living room will create a lot of interest to visitors.

If you are planning to grow it to make your own coffee and save costs you might want to think again as you won’t get enough beans from a single coffee plant to make even a single pot of coffee – not to mention you’d have to go through the whole roasting and grounding process before you could even make a cup!

A coffee plant in the home is a lovely addition but it should be looked upon as purely an interesting house plant which doesn’t require too much care and attention, rather than a replacement for visiting your local coffee house.

You can also visit:Cafe Madras, Cafe Coffee Day – Mahakali Caves Road

Author:

Sarah is a freelance food writer and has written for several online and print publications, including CoffeeBitz.com. When not in front of her computer working on article or researching lesser-known 18th century women writers, she can be found in her local farmers market selling herbs grown from her own backyard.