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E
ver wondered about the origins of the
coffee that makes your favourite brew? The
best beans come from the tropical zone (or
coffee belt). What’s so special about this area?
The coffee belt enjoys a relatively moderate
climate. The trees are grown at high elevations
for the cycle of warm days, cooler nights, and
a balance of shade and sun. Most plantations
have either tall shade trees and/or afternoon
clouds. The top growing regions, like Hawaii’s
Kona Coast, also offer rich volcanic soil.
Not exactly Kiwi conditions, but yes, the
Coffea arabica variety can grow here, more
successfully in the warmer north. The coffee
tree has value in its own right with a lush
leafy appearance and delightful fragrant white
blossoms, and those ‘just in time for Christmas’
red cherries. But getting those cherries to ripen
is the tough for us here in NZ.
And of course, after all that, will the roasted
beans produce a good cuppa? One way to find
out: plant trees and wait three or four years for
the mature plants to produce a crop.
KIWI COFFEE PLANTATION?
In New Zealand, there are a few small but
promising commercial test plots, like those
of Rob and Carol Schluter of Kaitaia’s Ikarus
Coffee Roasters. According to this Northland
coffee grower, the plants will grow well in just
about anyone’s frost-free garden, will flower
and even produce cherries. “But there’s often
a problem with bean-set within the fruit. The
plants need lots of heat for the beans to harden
inside the cherry and become usable.”
growing instructions.” It does make a unique
gift for someone you are struggling to find the
right present for.
Plants do not like frost, nor to be sunburnt.
They prefer warm dappled shade. Pests: Mealy
bug, passion vine hoppers, scale and aphids.
Coffee does not react well to oil-based sprays.
To avoid the possibility of damaging your coffee
plant through frost or sun, it is recommended
to grow it indoors as a pot plant. If growing
in pots, fertilise a few times a year or more
frequently during the growing season. Use a
quality potting mix combined with extra pumice
or sand to prevent a soggy growing medium. To
prevent the roots sitting in water, place pebbles
between the pot and saucer. Coffee dislikes
wet feet, which result in blackened leaf tips.
The coffee tree can grow between two to
four metres in size. Account for this if using a
container. Do place the plant outside in summer
for pollination, and look for filtered sunlight.
GROW YOUR OWN FROM BEANS...
THEY ARE SEEDS, AFTER ALL
Can you grow from beans? Yes, you can.
Use unroasted fresh green beans. Soak them
overnight in warm water in a warm spot. Press
into moist seed-raising mix, cover with plastic
and place in a warm spot with good light –
either on a heat pad or a sunny windowsill –
until germination occurs.
This can take several weeks, but it’s a great
way to produce lots of plants cheaply. Plant
out when about 20cm tall and only during the
warmer months. Just like the taller trees, coffee
seedlings are susceptible to sunburn and root
rot, and should be kept warm but well shaded,
moist but not wet.
GOT CHERRIES! ON TO THE BEANS...
Harvest the cherries when dark red. Soak the
pulp beans mass in warm water overnight.
Remove all the slimy pulp using your hands,
sieve, etc.
Dry the cleaned beans and roast in your oven
or a coffee roaster. Once completely cool,
they’re ready for grinding to make your test
brew and
enjoy!
After a handful of test trees showed promise,
they started over 600 coffee plants in
greenhouses, and then planted the established
seedlings in the ground. They will keep working
on optimum fertilization, irrigation, wind
protection, etc, in this ambitious experiment,
hoping for a coffee harvest in four years or so.
TIPS TO GROW YOUR OWN
People do grow coffee plants on the
Coromandel. At your garden centre, look for
established plants from Incredible Edibles.
Paul Green, owner of Aeroview, the largest
nursery on the Coromandel, promises to have
plenty of coffee plants on hand. “Surprisingly, I
sell quite a few, which we provide with detailed
Wait...can coffee trees
even grow here??
382 Ngati Maru Highway
•
Thames
•
07-868 7960
Aeroview
FOR ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS
PEN I NSULA WI DE
Plenty of parking • Open 7 days 8:30 - 5:30
•
The largest range of fruit trees and berry fruits
... large and small ... peninsula-wide
• A wide selection of native trees and shrubs and well
hardened flowers and vegetable plants
•
A fantastic variety of herbs
•
Potting mixes, compost, mulches, peat, pea straw,
organic mixes, seed raising mix, orchid mix
•
Fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides
• A great gift shop • Qualified, knowledgable staff
Morris & James Pottery
Ceramic pots, hanging
baskets and lots, lots more
Love Your
Coffee
?
YOUR
OWN?
So do bees –
the blossoms
that is.
In Hawaii,
beekeepers offer
coffee blossom honey!
GROW
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COROMANDEL LIFE LATE SPRING/HOLIDAY