Could You Grow Your Own Coffee?

Is it possible to grow your own Coffee?

Well, yes, it is! Even in the UK, if you have a warm greenhouse or conservatory in which to keep your coffee plant. But as well as how to grow your own coffee plant and prepare the beans for your morning brew,, let’s look at a few facts, a bit of history and a current concern.

Coffee Plant Facts

Did you know that coffee is the world’s most important commercial crop plant? So even more important than rice, a staple food for so many millions of people!
Coffee is probably the world’s favourite drink.
The coffee plant is a small tree, growing up to 7m high.
Timber for coffee trees is used to make furniture and huts. It is a strong, dense wood.
Coffee beans are actually the seeds of the coffee fruit.
The coffee plant has scented flowers.
There are approximately 125 species of Coffea or coffee.
Originating from northeast tropical Africa, coffee trees are now grown in Asia and Australia and South America. See the map: the green areas are where coffee is a native plant; brown where it has been successfully introduced.

Coffee distribution map, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

A Bit of History about Coffee

There is an Ethiopian legend which tells the tale of how coffee was discovered. A goat herder named Kaldi noticed that his goats couldn’t sleep after eating the berries of the Coffea tree. Instead of sleeping they sprang around, full of energy.

Kaldi told the local abbot about his goats’ behaviour. The abbot made a drink with the berries and stayed awake through long hours of evening and night-time prayers. So impressed with how alert he felt, the abbot shared the drink with the other monks.

The tale of the wakeful beans spread…

By the 16th century, coffee was also being drunk in Arabia, Persia, Egypt, Syria and Turkey. European travellers and merchants spread the roasted beans through the 16th and 17th centuries. It gained the Papal blessing, Pope Clement VIII even joked it should be baptized! He was an early caffeine addict then 😉

Coffee reached North America in the mid-17th century. By the late 18th century, Thomas Jefferson could claim that coffee was the favourite drink of the civilized world. It had certainly become a profitable food crop worldwide.

Is our daily caffeine hit under threat?

However, Coffea plants did not thrive in all the places where entrepreneurs tried to grow them. Growing conditions were not always right for a commercial crop. And there are real problems today.

For example, Arabica coffee is climate sensitive and will only grow in humid mountain forests.

Wild Arabica coffee, Coffea arabica, is crucial for genetic diversity. Especially so as the trees grown in the coffee plantations are from quite a small genetic stock. The limited gene bank of the commercial, cultivated plants reduces their ability to cope with climate change and disease.

Deforestation and climate change have caused Arabica coffee trees to come under the Vulnerable extinction risk category. Worst case scenario? Wild Arabica could be extinct by 2080.

Foliage, flowers, and fruit of the Coffee, Jamaica. – Oil painting by Marianne North, 1872, Kew

How do you grow your own coffee plant?

Perhaps, then, we should be trying to produce some of our own coffee, if only on a very domestic scale.

But how difficult is it?

Perversely, given the climate change issues, you may find that a coffee tree is surprisingly easy to grow – if you can give it the right conditions. It needs to be kept frost free and not in bright sunlight; think morning sun not afternoon sun. As a houseplant, conservatory plant or greenhouse plant it is a delight. Glossy green leaves and jasmine scented white flowers and the ability to keep it small by pruning – what’s not to like?

It’s probably best to grow your own coffee tree in a pot; re-pot to a larger size as it grows. (As you would a citrus tree, for example). The soil should be neutral to slightly acidic; say pH6 – pH7. Water with rainwater; chlorinated tap water is not the coffee tree’s drink of choice.

During the warmer summer months, it will happily sit outside, but be sure to keep it watered. Remember this plant loves warm humid conditions.

Although not particularly prone to pests, your coffee tree may suffer from mealy bug or scale. Treat organically as you would any infestation.

If you keep your coffee bush inside, and possibly even if it goes outside in summer, you will need to hand pollinate the flowers if you want fruit. Because from the fruit come the beans!

Homegrown espresso, anyone?

Now, this is not the point at which you think you can start your own coffee empire from your warm, damp, courtyard garden in Bristol. You will struggle to replicate the conditions for a decent crop of coffee beans.

However, you will almost certainly find your coffee tree will produce enough fruit, or berries, at around 5 years old. This is when you can have a go at producing a bit of coffee for yourself.

Strip the skins off
Dry the seeds, aka beans, that are inside; usually two per fruit
Roast in your oven. Carefully, so as not to burn them; try a low heat
Grind them as you would bought coffee beans
Brew your home-grown coffee and drink

It may not be the finest arabica coffee you’ve ever tasted – but it won’t be the worst either!

One of the main problems with the “grow your own coffee” experiment is the issue with getting enough of the berries to ripen at the same time. It can take weeks to generate enough beans for a decent brew of coffee. The answer is to pick and roast the beans in small batches as they become ripe. Stored in an airtight jar, they should keep until you have enough to grind for elevenses.

Grow Your Own Coffee…interested?

It is some years since I’ve grown a coffee bush as a houseplant. That one I had as a cutting from a friend who had a plant nursery specialising in unusual house plants. But after writing this article for you, I’m very tempted to grow one again. The scent alone is worth growing a coffee plant for. I remember it as sweeter than the ‘houseplant jasmine’ you can buy in garden centres. And the bonus of “grow your own coffee” is likely to be as much fun now as it was then!

Ah yes, taking cuttings from plants. If you fancy the personal approach, ask about Plews bespoke Gardening Lessons, where your classroom is actually your own garden, where you can learn how to grow your own coffee trees, vegetables, flowers for a cutting garden and more. Have a read through this pdf download for info.

Whatever you do, enjoy your garden and if Plews can help you with anything, please do get in touch. For example – Our Garden Consultancy & Advice Visits may help with some of your issues. Or does your planting need a rethink?

For further gardening advice and inspiration, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below. You could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest Facebook and YouTube too.

Feeling nosey? You can have a peek at the progress of my garden renovation, Spitfires and Slow Worms, on Instagram and Facebook

You’ll get to see it in person if you come to the Plews Gardening Workshops Current ones on Eventbrite for you to book into. Follow for updates on topics and dates on Plews website, Instagram, Eventbrite, Facebook

Plus get your local garden club, allotment, WI, U3A or other group to ask me along to give a talk (and bring plants 😉)