A detailed explanation with a photo of why the leaves on the coffee tree turn yellow, dry and turn black. Treatment of diseases and proper care of the plant at home.
Why do the leaves on the coffee tree turn yellow? This indicates problems with the root system. The roots can rot from an excess of moisture or dry out from its lack. In any case, it is necessary to normalize watering. Before the next watering, the soil in the pot should dry out by 3 cm. Experts recommend performing one abundant watering, so that the soil in the pot gets wet to the very bottom, and then water the flower as it dries earthy coma. Watering should be carried out with soft, settled water. Much attention should be paid to spraying.
Coffee tree leaves turn yellow due to lack of light. The plant must be placed near the windows on the south side of the house with shading. A southwest or southeast window will do. In winter, you can carry out the backlight with a fluorescent lamp.
The leaves of the coffee tree turn yellow if the wrong transplant was performed. The plant does not tolerate transplantation with a complete replacement of the soil. For a flower whose age exceeds 2-3 years, transfer to a larger pot or replacement of the topsoil is more suitable. If, nevertheless, it was transplanted with a complete replacement of the soil and its leaves turn yellow, the following must be done: place the plant in a greenhouse with high humidity air. To do this, you can take a large plastic bag and wrap it around the tree so that the package does not touch the foliage. Do not fertilize, reduce watering to a minimum. However, you need to search often. At least 1 time per day. Once every 4 days, 2 drops of epin per 1 glass of water or 4 drops of cyclone per 1 liter of water can be added to the spraying water. Zykron solution should be watered once a week. Recovery takes a long time. The plant is then considered recovered when it begins to drive out new foliage, and the old one does not turn yellow.
The leaves turn black and dry if the coffee tree is watered with hard water.. As a result, salts accumulate in the earth, which adversely affects root system. But you can not carry out a transplant with a complete replacement of the soil. enough to replace upper layer earth in a pot. Watering is carried out only with soft, boiled water without sediment.
The leaves of the coffee tree turn black from the aggregate adverse factors
. This may be overflow or overdrying of the soil, lack of light, especially in winter. The leaf of the coffee tree is stained Brown color if the roots overheat in summer (the plant stands on the south side of the house). In the latter case, it is shaded, abundant spraying is performed and moderate watering. Old leaves on the coffee tree often turn black and fall off. This is considered the norm. If this occurs with young foliage, the flower owner needs to change the growing conditions of the flower. For example, increase spraying, water after the top layer of the earth has dried, replace its top layer in a pot, water only with boiled water.
Brown spots on the leaves of the coffee tree indicate a violation of the watering regimen or bad condition soil. Watering should be carried out after the topsoil has dried. It often accumulates potassium salts from watering with hard water, which adversely affects the root system and the plant as a whole. In this case, either replace the top layer of earth in a pot, or transfer to a fresh substrate.
How to grow a coffee tree from beans, which will be maximally adapted to growing at home?
The coffee tree is exotic plant. It is very thermophilic and is grown at home as an ornamental. On the open ground do not grow coffee. The tree at home grows no more than 2 m in height. At proper care you can collect from it a large number of fruits and grains, but coffee plantations cannot be grown. Despite the exotic, grow room view coffee tree is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.
Indoor coffee tree: description
The coffee tree belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Africa is considered the birthplace of this plant, but coffee also grows well in the territory. South America, in Cuba. The plant is very thermophilic, evergreen.
The coffee tree, which is considered expensive and troublesome to care for, actually grows well in apartment conditions (if you choose dwarf varieties), and care is required no more than for any other indoor plant. As a rule, only small domestic trees are grown in Russia for decorative purposes.
Subject to the rules, they bear fruit, but in very small quantities.
The history of coffee goes back to the 12th and 13th centuries. Even then, the coffee drink was popular and is considered mandatory at many ceremonies.
Features of the structure of the plant:
- The home coffee tree looks like a small shrub with dense, dark green, leathery leaves that are slightly wavy along the edges.
- The leaves are arranged in tiers.
- The flowers of the tree are small, white, collected in small inflorescences resembling an umbrella.
- The fruit of coffee is not a large green berry. When the fruit ripens, the berry turns bright red. Inside the berry are 2 seeds about 1 cm in size.
- The coffee tree does not bloom immediately. Depending on the variety, you need to wait from 2 to 6 years.
All parts of the coffee tree contain caffeine, which helps repel pests. It is believed that the coffee tree helps to purify the air from heavy metals, nourishes the energy of a person, helps to strengthen the nervous system.
Can be grown at home the following types coffee trees:
- Arabian coffee. This is a favorite variety of many flower growers. The plant reaches a height of no more than 2 m. The leaves are slightly elongated, the flowers are white, small and very fragrant. May bloom several times a year. The fruit is small, red, inside 2-3 seeds. This variety has several varieties. The species called Nana is especially small and suitable for apartments.
- Liberian coffee. This variety is larger, taller with big leaves(up to 40 cm). Because of its size, it is not often grown indoors. The flowers are white, the fruits are yellowish-red with large seeds.
- Robusta. Low grade. The leaves are bright green, with veins and a small fluff. Flowers white, fragrant.
Caring for a coffee tree is not much different from the standard care of any other houseplant. Flowering of the coffee tree may be delayed if the care is not correct.
To show off your own coffee beans, you need to try to provide the plant with the most comfortable conditions:
- Lighting. Coffee loves a lot of light, but not direct rays, but diffused light. In winter, it is necessary to provide the plant with additional artificial lighting. The bright sun can damage a young plant, and a lack of light leads to slower growth, lack of flowering and fruiting.
- Temperature. Coffee is a heat-loving plant, but the plant does not like heat and stuffiness. Optimal conditions for cultivation is the air temperature not higher than 24 degrees. In winter, the plant needs to be allowed to rest, it slows down its growth, so it is advisable to reduce the temperature to 15 degrees. Lower temperatures are not recommended, as coffee tolerates cold worse than heat.
- . Water the plant as needed. The soil in the pot should always be slightly damp, but not muddy or dry. In summer, water more often, the water should be soft, room temperature. In winter, watering is reduced, but the tree is still periodically watered so that the soil does not dry out.
- Humidity. The coffee tree loves moist air. To maintain a sufficient level of humidity, you can use humidifiers, a tray of water, regular spraying. It is also necessary to wipe the leaves from dust regularly. With a lack of moisture, the tips of the leaves begin to dry out and curl up.
- . Coffee needs top dressing in spring and summer, when there is a period of active growth and flowering. You can feed the plant during this period every 2 weeks. As a top dressing suitable complex mineral fertilizer. For best results, it is recommended to alternate between and . From the second half of autumn until the next spring, it is not necessary to feed the plant.
- Transfer. The coffee tree grows well, so in young age it needs to be transplanted every year, choosing a larger pot. It is undesirable to disturb adult plants unnecessarily.
Landing and transfer: terms and rules
Growing a coffee tree is no more difficult than a lemon tree, if you know the basic rules and features. The easiest way to grow a tree is from coffee beans (of course, not roasted). The plant needs to be transplanted regularly as it grows.
Compliance with the rules of landing and transplantation is guaranteed good growth and survival of the tree:
- You can find a coffee bean in a store (gardening) or ask the owner of this tree for a seed.
- The coffee seed has a very dense shell, so the grain must be soaked in a solution of hydrochloric acid or just file a little to destroy the shell, otherwise the seed will not germinate.
- Also, the grain is soaked in a growth stimulator. A similar drug can be found in stores or ordered online.
- When planting, the soil should be slightly moist, loose. The seed does not go deep into the soil. A pot with a planted seed is placed on the windowsill in the brightest place. Greenhouse conditions you can not create, coffee rises well. The temperature should be above 20 degrees.
- Soil for planting and transplanting plants can be purchased at a specialized store or made independently. coffee tree love acidic soils with peat, sand, humus in equal proportions. You can add some crushed charcoal.
More convenient way reproduction, as the stalk gives roots faster, grows in width and begins to bloom earlier. Cuttings are cut from the selected mature tree. Each cutting must be at least 8 cm long and have 2 buds. Each cutting is planted in a separate container with a prepared moistened substrate. They need to be put in a warm place (temperature not lower than 27 degrees) with sufficient humidity, or covered with a film that needs to be opened periodically.
When the cuttings take root, they can be planted in permanent pots. The pot is better to choose a little more, as the plant grows strongly. When transplanting, prepare a fresh substrate (slightly damp) in a larger pot. The soil in the old pot needs to be moistened, slightly loosen the earth and carefully pull out the plant along with the earthy clod. The tree is placed in new pot, sprinkled with soil. You can water a little. Don't forget about drainage.
Diseases and pests: control and prevention
There are some peculiarities of caring for a coffee tree. It can hurt from improper care more often than from pests, since caffeine repels many insects.
For example, a coffee tree does not like to be disturbed, moved and rearranged - a change in rotation can lead to leaf fall.
Most often, the following diseases and pests occur in the coffee tree:
The coffee tree can become infected from other indoor plants, so they need to be inspected regularly for spots and larvae. With proper care, the likelihood of disease is minimized.
More information can be found in the video:
Having exotic plants in the apartment has become very fashionable today, Russian houses and apartments are decorated with lemons, tangerines and avocados. Would you like to grow a coffee tree at home?
This is not difficult, and there are different ways, or rather two. From seed and cuttings.
Some call it a tree, some call it a bush. The plant has dark green leaves, shiny as if polished, and blooms with delightful white flowers. After the flower fades, you get the fruits, which are the basis of the drink so beloved by many.
Surprisingly, if the idea is successful, every year your exotic "pet" will bear fruit, and you will enjoy coffee made from your "own" beans.
Most fast way acquire an exotic plant - find its stalk. Ask your friends or in the botanical garden. Such a tree will grow much faster, and it will begin to bear fruit quickly if you are lucky enough to get it from a tree that has already given its owner coffee seeds.
The cutting is planted in a small pot, about nine centimeters in diameter. The earth should be very light, airy. The mixture can be bought at the store, but add washed river sand. If possible, add to the ground wood ash, it will be very useful for a young tree.
Do not dig the cutting too deep, otherwise it may rot.
After you see that the root system has occupied almost the entire small pot, the coffee tree can be transplanted into a larger, ten to fifteen centimeter pot. The ground stays the same.
A plant planted by cuttings gives a dense crown, that is, it will grow in breadth, not in height. Agree, easy?
Tree grown from coffee beans
Growing it exotic tree from a grain is a slightly more complicated process, but that's why it's more exciting. You will need to buy coffee beans, naturally unroasted, and as fresh as possible.
You may well ask the seller when the beans were purchased by the store, because over time they lose their ability to grow, turning only into a product that, after roasting, becomes a fragrant drink.
After purchasing seeds, you can also choose one of the planting methods. Either immediately into the ground, or after soaking the grains for several days in water.
Why is it better to plant or soak a few? Some of them may simply not germinate, and this way you will be more confident in a positive result.
In order for the grain to germinate, both in the first and in the second case, the temperature in the room must be at least twenty-two degrees. The box should stand in a sunny room, but so that the sun does not burn the tender leaves of the sprout. Planted in the ground, the seed germinates in about two months. Transplant it into a pot after the appearance of two or three leaves.
Coffee tree: care
You figured out how to plant a coffee tree at home, and it grows slowly, pleasing to the eye. But the plant is something exotic, therefore, you need to take care of it more carefully.
Do not be afraid, he will not need anything supernatural, just follow a few recommendations:
- It loves moisture. Even if you regularly spray it, this may not be enough, the air in the room needs to be additionally moistened. If you purchase a special device that will take care of the microclimate of the room - great, otherwise, you will have to put water containers or place the pot on a special expanded clay tray, into which you add water all the time.
- Light is important for this plant, but do not rush to immediately transfer it to the sunniest room, a tree, especially a young one, does not tolerate direct rays. It is quite enough to simply put it by the window or on the windowsill, but not in rooms whose windows face north. It can grow there too, but slowly, without flowering and fruiting. Your exotic "pet" will need the most light at the time when it blooms and fruits are tied on it. But even then, under its direct rays miraculous leaves it is not desirable to exhibit, they will simply burn. In a word - just light, but not the scorching sun.
- The temperature in the room where the bush lives should not fall below fourteen degrees.
- It should be watered according to the classical scheme, for all indoor plants: in summer - very plentifully, every day, in winter - more moderately, twice a week. Constantly check if the earth in the pot is dry, it should be wet all the time.
- This plant loves very much when it is watered with soft water, filtered, rain or melt.
- The coffee tree will be very "thankful" to you if you constantly feed it. For these purposes, mineral and organic fertilizers. Useful advice the seller will give you about their choice, but it is better to use liquid ones.
Before choosing a place for a bush, think ten times. He really does not like manipulation and movement. Just by turning it, you will ensure that it completely sheds its leaves and stops blooming.
Growing in the wild up to five meters, with glossy dark green leaves and white fragrant flowers that appear in the third or fourth year of growth, in place of which green berries are formed, a bit reminiscent of cherries. When ripe, they acquire a dark red color. We are talking about a coffee tree cultivated throughout the tropical regions, which you can grow yourself. It's just that you'll have to be patient. It grows extremely slowly, and will please with the first fruits, at least in six years. But in any case, the house is also no exception. Undoubtedly, it will add elegance and some exoticism to the atmosphere of the house.
The right soil is the first important indicator. Most experts recommend light soil for planting cacti, it drains well. In addition to it, 20% volcanic material is known to be mixed in and the closest replacement for the volcanic soil that the coffee tree prefers. Plant care cannot be called any special, it is quite unpretentious, but the most essential aspect is watering. The soil must be kept moist, but not soggy.
Water after watering should be well absorbed into the soil. To do this, it is better to put the pot with the plant in the place of the drain, leaving it for a few minutes to allow excess water to drain. About 1/3 cup of room temperature water is poured near the root of the plant. The leaves are the first to signal how good it feels. Does it have enough heat and light, watering and fertilizers. If something is wrong, they will begin to grow brown and sag. In addition, from time to time they need to be wiped with a damp cloth. During the dark and cold months, plants will need
Coffee tree: plant care in summer
If in winter period it is enough to water the plant every two to three days, then in the summer it requires more moisture. As a rule, in the summer the plant is taken out to open air, but protect from bright sun rays and watered every day. In theory, the 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, reminiscent of their appearance and aroma of jasmine. To ripen, the fruits do not require any pollination of flowers, only for best results yields, 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, the coffee tree is grown. Caring for the plant as a whole can be described as simple, but it must be correct.
Like any other plant, there are diseases. If we talk about coffee grown on an industrial scale, then each part of the plant culture suffers from "its" predators. Roots are attacked by nematodes, a borer burrows through the trunk, and leaves are devoured by caterpillars of more than 100 species of butterflies and moths.
Coffee tree: diseases when growing a plant at home
The main danger is whiteflies. As soon as pests are detected, it is necessary to spray soapy water on the plant for two weeks.
Of the two main varieties of the coffee tree - "Arabica" and "Robusta", "Arabica" is more valued because "Robusta" is more bitter in taste and less aromatic. Perhaps, it is for these reasons that Arabica is grown more all over the world. In addition, Robusta contains about forty to fifty percent more caffeine than Arabica and is commonly used in coffee blends.
AT last years evergreen coffee tree has become popular indoor flower, it is bred by plant lovers at home. Observing the basic rules of care, performing timely top dressing and regular watering, you can achieve the appearance of fragrant flowers and coffee fruits on your windowsills.
How to grow a coffee tree
In nature, Arabian Arabica reaches several meters and looks like a real tree. It grows in Africa, Asia and South America, where the weather is warm throughout the year. Growing a coffee tree at home requires an initial knowledge of the plant's preferences and how to propagate it. It is very unpretentious, even a novice florist can handle the care.
from seed
Growing a coffee tree from seed is easy. To do this, they are bought in a store or taken from friends. The grains of the plant are covered with a dense shell and in the photo do not look like those from which the drink is prepared. For quick germination, you need to follow the sequence:
- Soak seeds in warm water with the addition of a growth stimulant or diluted vodka.
- Remove the shell from the surface with a knife, you can simply file it from one edge.
- Prepare soil for planting. Suitable ready composition for flowers that are sold in the store.
- Plant the grains to a depth of 1-1.5 cm, pour water.
- Close the container with cling film or a simple plastic bag. The earth should not be filled up to the very top of the pot, so that the sprouts do not rest against the film after emergence.
- Put the pot in the light, without direct sunlight.
- At the place of germination, it is required to observe optimum temperature, which is equal to 22-24 degrees. These conditions correspond to the natural climate suitable for the plant.
- After germination, remove the film and water the sprout as the soil dries.
From a cutting
The second method, which is used for plant propagation, is to get a coffee tree from a cutting. This method is faster, because a process from the crown is taken as the raw material for rooting. In order to choose a good stalk, you need to look at the photo of how coffee grows and cut off the upper part with two or three leaves at a distance of 15-20 cm. The stalk is placed in water with the addition of Kornevin. Experienced flower growers it is advised to use a proven recipe and instead dissolve natural honey at the tip of a teaspoon in a glass of water.
You can place the cut off shoot in a pot of soil, but then you need to periodically open the cut point and check whether the roots have formed. If the stalk is watered too abundantly, rotting may occur. Above the pot, you should make a mini-greenhouse, covering the sprout with a transparent plastic bottle cut in half. After 1-2 weeks, when the roots form and the plant begins to produce new leaves, the greenhouse must be removed.
Caring for a coffee tree at home
Having studied the information on how to grow coffee, you need to learn how to care for a coffee tree so that it grows and increases in size. If all the procedures are carried out correctly, then soon its height will become 1-1.5 meters. Caring for a coffee tree is simple and does not require special skills. Houseplant growers advise:
- Put coffee in the sun, where there is no draft. Suitable light window sill or flower stand by the window facing south. Lack of lighting will affect growth and fruiting.
- Make sure that the temperature in the room is maintained at 15-20 degrees. Some plants in winter time should rest, but coffee can be in warm room all year round. However, you can not put it near the battery so that the leaves do not dry out.
- Do not turn the flower pot. Any change causes the leaves to fall off, so you need to mark one of the sides of the pot and keep an eye on how it stands.
- As the crown grows, trim the upper shoots.
Transfer
For the first time, a coffee tree transplant at home is done after the stalk or sprout begins to produce side branches. The next time you need to transplant a plant after the first year, when the tree becomes more than 50 cm tall. Do not immediately take a spacious pot or often transplant a houseplant coffee. When transplanting, care must be taken not to damage the overgrown root system. The soil is chosen acidic, with an admixture of sand, as in the homeland of coffee. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the tank.
Watering
AT indoors it is difficult to maintain the desired humidity, so regular watering of the coffee tree is very important. Watering should not be too often - 2-3 times a week, so that the roots do not rot. If the air is too dry, place an open pan with clean water and ventilate more often. The owner can guess that the plant is not getting enough water by the way the edges of the leaves begin to dry. In this case, you need to add a constant weekly spraying from the spray bottle.
top dressing
A prerequisite for the full development is top dressing of the coffee tree. The first months when active growth branches and crowns, you should feed the soil every week. Store-bought fertilizer for flowers based on useful minerals and trace elements is suitable. Every year in the spring, before flowering, apply liquid nitrogen and potassium fertilizers. After fruit set, be sure to mix phosphorus in the form of bone meal into the ground.
reproduction
You can get several from one adult plant in two ways: make cuttings, or germinate grains. Such a method as propagation of a coffee tree by cuttings is rarely used, because the shoots take root with difficulty. The method of growing from seeds is much easier. Coffee begins to bloom after 2 years from the start of planting. In nature, insects play the role of pollinators; at home, you need to take a squirrel brush or a piece of cotton wool and transfer pollen from one flower to another. The ripening process of berries lasts 4-5 months. After that, you can use them for reproduction.
Diseases of the coffee tree
Houseplant lovers know that diseases of the home coffee tree are rare. If this happens, you can find out about the trouble by the color and condition of the sheets, as in the photo. They turn yellow or blacken from the edges, become stained, fold into tubules. Often insect pests attack coffee - aphids, ground flies, scale insects. They attach the larvae to reverse side leaves. They are sprayed with a special store composition, or with water diluted 1: 4 with vodka. With a lack of iron, you need to stick rusty nails into the ground.