Cultivating Coffee

Coffee is cultivated in over fifty countries but since it is not able to withstand cold weather, it can only be cultivated between the tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. It cannot be grown in a place with too much heat or too much sun, which is why in the coffee plantations, taller trees are buried so they will provide shade to the coffee trees. There are two main varieties of coffee plants: Arabic Coffea that was originated in Ethiopia and in which is still grows wild and in parts of Yemen, and Robust Coffea, or Coffea Canephora.

The best beans are produced on the Arabic tree that grow anywhere from 900 to 1,800 meters; and amongst these, the best are those that grow in higher altitudes.

The Robust, as it name indicates, is a stronger plant, indigenous from Congo where it was discovered growing freely in 1898. It is less prone to diseases and survives with only small amounts of rain. The beans from the robust variety are cheaper to produce, and they are frequently added to the Arabic beans, which are more expensive, so as to keep the prices lower and they are also used for instant coffee.

The coffee tree or bush looks like a camellia. In its wild state, the Arabic will grow to be around 6 meters tall, but in cultivations they are usually kept at a height under 2 meters, so as to make recollecting it easier and to conserve its energy for the production of beans. In countries where there is a humid season and then a dry season, the trees tend to all blossom at the same time; in countries where it regularly rains, they blossom throughout the year. The coffee lets off an aroma similar to that of a jasmine, and last only around three days after which time, it falls and the fruit starts to grow out. Coffee trees have the weird particularity that at any given moment, there can be green unripe berries, as well as dark red colored ones, which are normally called “cherries” – this process usually takes around six months.

The trees can start giving fruit when they are around three and five years of age. And although they can continue to flower until they are more then one hundred years old, they produce their best crops during the first fifteen years. It is difficult to be precise about the production of a tree, since this depends, on big part of course, on how well taken care of and trimmed they are; but the average is just over 900 grams.

Desserts Recipes Cheese & citrus pie Tarts & Pies Quick Easy Brownies Holidays Favorites Pavlova Light Delicacies Coffee Cake Puddings Preparing Sweets Other Sites Site Map Instant Recipes Jams Jellies Spanish Desserts Homemade Desserts Chocolate Recipes Coffee Recipes Coffee Arab/European History Coffee Shops Coffee Heroes Coffee Facts And Figures Cultivating Coffee Coffee Harvesting and Cleaning Classification and Coffee Mixes Buying Your Own Coffee Beans Coffee Toasting and Grinding Coffee on the Stove Coffee Grinding How to Store Coffee How to Make a Good Cup of Coffee Cooking With Coffee Coffee Beauty Treatments Site Map Ice Cream Sherbet Recipes Pastry + Ice Cream Recipes Cake Pie Recipes Chinese Cooking Sweets Recipes Dessert Recipes Chocolate Dessert Ice Cream Recipes 100 Sweet Recipes Fruit Ice Cream Popsicle Recipes Contact the Cook Fruit Dessert Recipes Sweet & Salty Pie Recipes Marshmallows and Gummies Fruit Wine Cake Decoration Recipes Fried Snacks and Caramelized Peanuts Children Birthday Cake Recipes How to Make Jam; Making Jam Yogurt and Yogurt Ice Cream Recipes Christmas Dinner Recipes Barbecue Chef's Guide

Healthy Foods