For those coffee lovers like myself…
I enjoyed researching about coffee and wanted to share some quick points about sun grown vs shade grown, about the different brands of coffee on the market and maybe inspire you to grown your own coffee plant or maybe host a coffee tasting party. You’d be surprised how little is known about coffee…
Sun Grown Coffee
* Beans have no protection from the suns heat and
the pests that destroy the crops
* The more pests the more chemicals are used
* Those chemicals seep into the soil and leak into the watersheds causing health problems to the locals
* Massive deforestation to keep coffee plants under the sun
* Consuming this type of coffee causes allergies and organ problems over time
* Beans have less nutrients which creates low quality flavors
Shade Grown Coffee
* Creates biodiversity in the forest with different plants, insects and animals creating safer homes
* Reduces deforestation
* Beans are packed with more nutrients creating a
more dense, rich and higher quality flavor
* The more birds the more pest control
* Trees help keep carbon out of the atmosphere
- Folgers uses a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans – Sun grown with pesticide
- Nescafe uses a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans – Sun grown with pesticide & toxic processing methods
- Nespresso uses 90% – 95% Arabicas with some Robusta – does not state they do or don’t use pesticides
- Lavazza uses 70% Robusta and 30% Arabica – Does not state they do or don’t use pesticides
- Green Mountain uses 100% Arabica beans – Does not state they do or don’t use pesticides
- Peets Coffee uses 100% Arabica beans – Pesticide used depending on location/regulations
- The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf uses 100% Arabica beans – 100% shade grown no pesticides
- Sprouts bulk coffee uses 100% Arabica beans – No public information from where they source the beans
- Wholefoods Allegro coffee uses 100% Arabica beans – 100% shade grown no pesticides
- Dunkin’ uses 100% Arabica beans – Sun grown with Monsanto
- Starbucks uses 100% Arabica beans – Sun grown with Monsanto
- McDonald’s uses 100% Arabica beans – Sun grown with Monsanto
- Tim Hortons uses 100% Arabica beans – Sun grown with Monsanto
This is my second Arabica coffee bean plant. The first one was a quarter of the size of this and it dried out because I did not research before purchasing. After doing my research I was able to maintain and grow the second one.
After reading so much about coffee I decided to buy my own coffee plant.
Helpful tips that worked for my plant:
– These home grown plants needs partial shade and 4-6 hours of indirect sunlight.
– Plant loves warm humid temperatures between 60-70F (15-24C). If grown indoors mist the plant once a week. Keep soil most but not soggy.
– Use pre-made potting mix formulated for acid loving plants like citrus and cactus.
– They love acidic soil so save your ground coffee after brewing and place a handful or two around the edge of the planter, not too close to the trunk (pH between 6.0 and 6.5).
– After cracking eggs for breakfast, wash egg shells and let dry. Grind to powder and mix into soil not too close to the trunk.
– Prune to maintain shape and remove any dead or damaged branches.
– Indoor coffee plant takes 3-5 years to produce.
– Coffee cherries start green then turn to yellow and finally bright red when ripe.
– Harvest cherries when fully red and allow them to dry before processing
** Notice the leaves on mine have brown edges, that is because I have underwatered, did not mist regularly and did not add fertilizer in the spring.
Interesting read from Purity Coffee under Blog click here.