How Are Coffee Beans Grown? Coffee Bean Cultivation Conditions: Well-Fed and Well-Watered

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Introduction to Coffee Bean Cultivation by FrontStreet Coffee

The areas suitable for coffee cultivation are known as the "coffee cultivation zone." This coffee paradise is mostly located in countries with mountainous terrain between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

1. Site Selection and Land Preparation

Coffee trees are warm-loving plants. The cultivation site is generally chosen in areas with ample sunlight. Additionally, their growth does not require excessive moisture, and the soil fertility doesn't need to be too high. Generally, idle land, plains, or hillsides with well-drained sandy soil are suitable, while also ensuring good permeability. After selecting the site, fertilizer is evenly spread in the field according to the requirement of 2000 jin per mu (approximately 1333 kg per hectare), followed by deep plowing. At the same time, the soil needs to be finely broken and leveled. You can either create ditches and beds or skip this step.

2. Timely Sowing

Coffee bean cultivation is generally carried out in late April each year, when the temperature can basically reach about 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, meeting the germination requirements of coffee beans. Before sowing, we need to soak the seeds in warm water for a day, then rinse them with clean water, wrap them in damp cotton cloth, and generally after 3 to 4 days, most of the seeds will have sprouted. At this point, sowing can begin. When sowing, it's generally done in rows with 60 cm spacing, covered with a thin layer of soil. If the soil is relatively dry, it needs to be watered once before sowing, which can promote seedling emergence. Under normal circumstances, seedlings will emerge in about ten days.

3. Reasonable Density Planting

After about half a month, coffee bean seedlings can basically grow to 3 to 4 centimeters. At this time, we can first remove some seedlings that are particularly weak or densely growing in the field. When the seedlings grow to about 10 to 15 centimeters, they can be thinned out, generally spaced at 30 centimeters between each plant.

4. Field Management

About 5 to 7 days after planting, it's necessary to check the growth of seedlings in the field and promptly replenish any missing seedlings. After the coffee bean seedlings grow new branches and leaves, we need to carry out appropriate intertillage and weeding to maintain soil permeability. Water management for coffee beans is actually relatively simple because coffee beans have quite good drought resistance. Generally, as long as there's a certain level of humidity, they can grow normally. Therefore, we only need to water according to the living conditions of the coffee beans. Generally, after planting and watering, we wait until the flowering period to water again, and at the same time, stop watering when the fruit is close to maturity. Since the growth of coffee beans does not require excessive nutrients, besides the base fertilizer, generally only one top dressing is needed. When the seedlings grow to about 30 to 40 centimeters, apply an appropriate amount of phosphate fertilizer and ammonia fertilizer, which can prevent the coffee beans from lodging.

5. Pest and Disease Control

The most common disease affecting coffee beans is gray leaf spot, which is a fungal infection disease. It mainly affects the branches and leaves of coffee beans. In the early stages of the disease, brown spots appear on the leaf surface. As the condition gradually worsens, gray mold appears, eventually leading to the entire plant wilting or even waterlogging. We can use Zineb solution for prevention and control. The most common pest is mainly aphids, which can be directly controlled using dimethoate emulsion for spraying.

Knowledge Points

High-altitude cultivation areas are generally at elevations between 4000 to 6000 feet. The cultivation temperature needs to be between 15-25 degrees Celsius. The annual rainfall must reach 1500-2000 millimeters, and the rainfall timing should align with the flowering cycle of coffee trees.

In Summary

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Important Notice :

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