Can we grow coffee?

If our supplies of coffee are cut off in this new war, what are we going to do? Can you make it through the day?
Has anyone tried to grow coffee bean plants?

My hands are trembling at the mere mention of a coffee shortage ;) It's a wonder I can even maintain my composure long enough to write this, LOL!

Slap my mouth and call me stupid, but I thought coffee beans grow on trees, which would rule out any possibility of quickly creating your own coffee supply. Here are the entries with the words coffee and chicory in our plants database. (Chicory is also used as a substitute for coffee.)

http://davesgarden.com/search/plants.php?search_text=coffee+%2B+chicory

I don't there are too many fundamentalists islams in South America, and remember, we grow coffee in Hawaii, too!

Columbia is corrrupt with drug lords, but I don't think terrorism is a real problem with South American Countries. We will have our coffee and sugar.....all caffiene addicts be it java or cola have nothing to worry about.

"eyes"

Coffee is still 4 bucks a can here at our local Super Wal-Mart, and I bought two big cans last week, just in case.

We also still have some whole bean coffee in the freezer, thanks to justmeLisa and Quyhn. :-) We probably have a months worth here. I don't want to think what life without coffee would be like.

LOL I am with you! Can't imagine life without coffee. (Not sure there is life without coffee!) :) I think coffee grows on bushes not trees though.

Okay, I finally got curious enough to go check it out for myself, and while I was at it, I added it to the Plants Database.

Daffydill, this is for you: http://davesgarden.com/plants/go/2057.html

Ozarksue, I learned that we were both right - it's a small tree (15 feet or so) in the wild, but pruned into a shrub when cultivated for coffee production.

If anyone has photos or more info to add, that would be wonderful :) And now if ya'll will excuse me, I'm going to pour myself another cup.....

Sitting here, with my cup of "Joe", I was just wondering. Think it might grow in areas of the south that are both warm and humid?

"eyes"

I have 2 coffee plants. One grown from seeds which I collected a greenhouse near us, and one bought there.. Guite slow growing at first.

Hi, Evert! Glad to see ya'! How long does it take from seed to fruit-bearing for coffee plants? If I was to get ahold of some seeds, how long would it be before I could harvest, roast and grind my "Joe"? How hard are the seeds to start (and how do you do it?)?

Pssst, Wingnut - check this out: http://davesgarden.com/plants/go/2057.html

If we started now, we'd have to wait at least 3-4 years to start harvesting any coffee berries :( Good thing there's plenty in the stores right now.....getting shaky at the thought of going that long without a cup of java!

Hey, Evert if you have any photos of your coffee plants, it would be a nice touch to this entry in the Plants Database - ditto for anyone else growing coffee plants!

Duh!! I just visited your link, Go_vols, right before I posted my message. ;-) But I have a great excuse! I woke up late and haven't had but two cups of coffee! LOL!

I've been meaning to tell you that I really appreciate your work on getting everyone to post plants in the database. I've got a few I'm planning to post about and will as soon as my life calms down a bit.

germinating takes a while... and old seeds are not viable, or very badly germinating. It takes time to get a producing plant as they say, and better producing plant you get from cutting. In the botanical of helsinki is nice coffee bushes.. I'm going to get some coffee seeds soon maybe, will tell you then. I'll put a link to photos here soon.

Thanks, Evert - you've contributed a lot to the database, and I'm thankful for everything you've put in there.

Wingnut, c'mon over here and let me fix ya up with a cup of my coffee that will make the dogs howl (my brother-in-law's opinion on my coffee.) One cup will get your day off to a fine start, and two will get you through until afternoon for sure! (heehee)

GoVols......what you puttin' in dat coffee??

"eyes"

hehehe, Eyes.....only the finest C. arabica beans I can get my hands on, honest! Grind 'em fresh every morning, and add an extra scoop for good measure. I don't like being able to see the bottom of my mug until it's empty :)

I'm with you there, GoVols.....can't stomach weak coffee or tea...thought maybe you had some Baileys Irish Creme going in there......LOL!

"eyes"

Hee-hee, Go-Vols! Weak coffe or tea, Eyes? Isn't that called water?! ICK!

I take after my Grandma Wall ~ she used to put a cup of grounds and three cups of water in a sauce pan and boil it, then drink it out of a saucer. That's how that 90 year old lady had enough spunk to get up every day to feed the chickens, feed the sheep, do her housework and spend the rest of the day working in her garden. She wouldn't have been able to sit still if she'd wanted to!