Cultivating Your Own Coffee Plant Indoors

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Roughly two decades ago, during a holiday in Nashville, Tennessee, I encountered my inaugural indoor coffee plant in a greenhouse. It was intriguing to discover the plant’s red “cherries” clustered together, each housing a pair of seeds – the coffee beans we are familiar with.

It was a revelation to me that coffee plants can thrive indoors. With diligent care and patience, they can even yield beans suitable for roasting, albeit sufficient for just a few cups. Moreover, Coffea arabica, with its vibrant green foliage, aromatic white blossoms, and bushy appearance, serves as an attractive and engaging indoor plant.

These plants are readily available at most large nurseries, as well as through houseplant catalogues and online platforms.

In their natural habitat near the equator, Coffea trees can reach heights of approximately 25 feet. However, when cultivated as indoor plants, they usually grow to about 6 feet and can be trimmed down for convenience without harm.

To cultivate your own, plant it in a potting mixture that drains well and maintains a pH level between 6.0 and 6.5, possibly supplemented with peat moss. Ensure the soil remains moderately moist – watering thoroughly every one to two weeks, and then waiting until the soil is partially dry before watering again.

Position the plant in a room with temperatures ranging from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, away from drafts, in a location with bright, indirect sunlight, such as near a sunny window.

To maintain sufficient humidity, mist the plant daily, use a humidifier, or place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water to create a humid microclimate.

Fertilize your coffee plant quarterly using a balanced fertilizer, adhering to the instructions on the package. Pruning can be done in spring if desired.

The Reward

When your coffee plant reaches an age of 3 to 5 years, it should begin to bloom. To produce beans, manually pollinate the flowers using a cotton swab or a small paintbrush, transferring pollen from one flower to another. Successful pollination will lead to the formation of cherries.

Harvest the cherries when they turn completely red. Spread them out to dry, rotating them regularly to prevent decay. After a couple of weeks, remove the dried skin and pulp to uncover the beans.

Roast the beans in a hot pan, stirring constantly until they turn brown. Once cooled, grind the beans and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of coffee made from your homegrown beans.

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Jessica Damiano, the writer behind the acclaimed Weekly Dirt Newsletter and regular gardening columns for The AP, offers more tips and advice. Subscribe to her newsletter for weekly gardening insights.

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