Growing Coffee Trees a Project

sidoney

Thanks! We already have citrus, stone fruit and more here. I'll have to find a spot that would suit it.

Koffee_Kosmo

sidoney wrote:

Thanks! We already have citrus, stone fruit and more here. I'll have to find a spot that would suit it.

They like it amongst other trees similar to a rain forest KK

Koffee_Kosmo

I have 2 surviving coffee trees of three ( one died ) They have been in small pots for a year or so Time to upgrade them to a new home I purchased some Garden Go / Easy Go tubs on wheels - these are to help a gardener move light stuff around However I decided to modify them and turn them into mobile pots for the Coffee trees Each holds 3 potting mix bags - The potting mix I selected has slow release fertiliser mixed in [attach=1] Front view [attach=2] See the wheels on the rear As they are sealed units I had to drill holes on the bottom for drainage [attach=3] Draniage holes drilled [attach=4] Geo fabric installed for ant control KK

Koffee_Kosmo

Continuing on I placed some rocks on the bottom to assist in drainage and give the EasyGo some bottom weight stability [attach=1] Then I added the potting mix X 3 bags [attach=2] And planted the coffee plants [attach=3] After a good water I then added some sugar cane mulch to help in water retention [attach=4] KK

Koffee_Kosmo

The freshly planted coffee trees in new deep pots that can be moved at the gardeners discretion [attachimg=1] Ohh The potting mix I used [attach=2] KK

sholayer

KK The trees are looking great, A note about a photo just above - you installed geofabric "to assist in ant control". I know nothing about ants etc but spoke to a horticultural advisor when I realised I had a problem with my tree. I have a 5 yo growing inside and it sometimes gets hit with mealy bug, ants are very useful in controlling this, they actually run around the tree eating the mealy bug. Do you have any ideas for budgies? - my new budgie is shredding the lovely new growth. :pan Chris

Koffee_Kosmo

Hiya Chris The ants can still climb up the side of the pots, no one can stop that I just don't want them to get an easy ride :angel: For your budgie I suggest you see a vet However we have a lovebird peach face and it loves to shred newspaper and he also likes to shred his cloth cage covers as well Here is an updated photo of the coffee trees after the repotting [attach=2] Here is a photo of the peach face [attach=1] KK

Koffee_Kosmo

A quick photo update New shoots sprouting on the coffee trees since repotting them [attach=1] [attach=2] KK

Lacehim

Nice KK. I have one planted in the yard, and some baby ones have sprouted around it (I tipped a few handfuls of unwanted black cherries on there for mulch), and I have one in a pot at the front door which is looking good. I scored a food processor with a plastic blade for $5 at the school fete today so I can finally process the 600gm of home grown beans that I've already processed last year. I just need to remove the parchment and they are ready to roast! 🙂 I got these beans from a neighbour who has 2/3 mature trees. Also I read that leaving the parchment on the beans is actually better for them during storage, and they can last a lot longer! 😉 A few days ago I roasted a very small batch that only came from my trees in my yard (over 2 years may I add). Can't wait to try them! They roasted very well in the KKTO, and must only be around 75gm.

askthecoffeeguy

my parents in law on the sunny coast have a mature tree about 3m high in their backyard which gives off many kgs of fruit each year - never got around to harvesting it though!

Lacehim

askthe coffeeguy wrote:

my parents in law on the sunny coast have a mature tree about 3m high in their backyard which gives off many kgs of fruit each year - never got around to harvesting it though!

If they let me know when they are red and ready for picking I can easily pop over to take them off their hands! 😉

RichardM

Lacehim: my maturing trees are doing well, but the one you gave me is up to 8 leaves now. I probably should put it outside.

derrilex

I'll jump on the back of KK's thread and map the progress of my plants. I started by soaking the beans as per KK until a little sprout came out. Then Potted them out into seedling trays. See what happens. I've planted about 30 Yirg seeds and 20 Pshite seeds.

Lacehim

I'm going to try some tree in my aquaponics set up when I get it running. Should be interesting. The bigger tree I have out the front has some cherries on it, but it's about to have a massive flowering! Should be interesting. 🙂

Koffee_Kosmo

I am sure you will have a high success rate Deririex Just two weeks ago I collected some tree dried cherries from locally grown coffee trees I also have some K7 beans from Notrern NSW At about our Queensland spring I will try again the process of soak and plant out [attach=1] photo of dried coffee berries KK

derrilex

All good KK. Lacehim, I have a hippy mate down here who is right into all the permaculture and aquaponics stuff. He is also the local newsagent so he gets all the cool mags to read. He comes up with all sorts of things I wouldn't have thought of. Signs of a man with too much time on his hands 😃 😃

Lacehim

Only got 12 beans off both trees this year. Maybe more on the way, but a bit disappointing.

Koffee_Kosmo

Lacehim wrote:

Only got 12 beans off both trees this year. Maybe more on the way, but a bit disappointing.

The larger the soil area the larger the crop Also lots of organic fertiliser is needed when in pots Try mixing some charcoal and sugar cane mulch with seaweed fertiliser in the soil and a good cover of sugarcane mulch on top to prevent the soil from drying out KK

Koffee_Kosmo

An update After repotting in large planter tubs the coffee trees have grown approx 300 mm (12") Probably need to fertilise soon but at present they are looking very healthy [attach=1] [attach=2] KK

Lacehim

Mine has flowered in spectacular fashion. I've never seen so many. My dward tree out the back doesn't get anywhere near as many. Cherries are starting to form now! 🙂 I might actually get a decent crop this time! Fingers crossed.