What time of year does coffee bloom?
Coffee plants typically flower once or twice a year, depending on the climate. In kenya, where the weather follows a bimodal rainfall pattern, coffee flowering occurs in two cycles: main flowering (march – april) happens after the long rainy season, leading to the primary coffee harvest from october to december. Higher yielding coffee plots may require 25% more fertiliser. Use lime or preferably, dolomite (ca + mg) at 500 g per plant every two years and apply before the end of the rainy season. Use the last rains to wash the lime into the soil or water in well by hand or irrigation.The highest coffee yields are obtained on freely drained soils where water is not limiting. Thorough soil preparation prior to planting, and maintenance of pH between 5.In most countries, coffee is harvested once per year. Some countries, however, have climates that are conducive to growing coffee nearly all year long. In these countries, there is a smaller secondary crop, called the fly crop.
How often do you water a coffee plant?
Never let the Coffee plant dry out completely. Not even in winter! It is best to water the Coffee plant once a week all year round. In the winter it may be a smaller amount. Prune your coffee plant about every one to two years.Pruning is the removal of dead and unproductive branches and stems to rejuvenate and improve the growth of the coffee tree. Pruning is one of the most important tasks undertaken in the coffee garden and is crucial in maintaining good tree health and maximising the tree’s productive capacity and longevity.Pinching back the plant will not only restrain the tree’s height but will encourage a bushier appearance. The coffee plant should be pruned back during the spring months to maintain a fuller, bushy appearance and generally shape the plant.
What is the lifespan of a coffee plant?
The average lifespan of a coffee tree is 20 years, and each will produce around 40,000 beans during this period. Did you know that coffee plants are actually trees that can grow up to an impressive 10 metres in the wild? Or that it takes around two years for a coffee plant to flower for the first time?Coffee plants can live more than a hundred years! On farms, the economic lifespan is often limited to 20 to 30 years because of harvesting practices. Plants are generally most productive between 7 and 20 years of age.