I'd like to know where are the discussions about coffee located, in what forum. Or nobody's growing their own coffee? I got some Kona coffee seeds as a bday gift for DH and now I want to germinate them, to make the gift complete. I need some info regarding the mix to use for seeds, then for potting further. Searching the internet didn't bring too much info.

Thanks in advance.

I found this information http://www.coffeeresearch.org/...

Thanks Patti.

Still, no threads open here, on ATP? Would love to hear directly from other growers.

@AlohaHoya grows coffee and I'm sure she could answer all of your questions.

Thanks Zuzu, I will message her privately since I don't know where to start a discussion.

I tagged her name in my post, so she'll be aware that you're looking for answers (unless she's traveling someplace wonderful, as she often is, and doesn't have access to a computer).

I would grow coffee if I could.

Here I am....

I didn't get any notification, but Ruth Ross shanghaied me on Facebook this morning.... We grow coffee here at about 800 feet on the East Side of the Island of Hawaii....

How can I help? Mima...you should have no trouble growing coffee if you can grow Gardenias. Same family. Closely related. Coffee is more robust...

I don't have any idea 'how to grow coffee', but I can tell you "how coffee grows' here.

Coffee is grown all over this island: the wet side (with GOOD drainage) and the dry side (with irrigation). It must be relatively salt tolerant because our wind travels quite a bit over the ocean before it gets to us. Our soil/rain is acidic (pH around 5 to 6...seldom 6) and it grows in/on lava rock/soil. We get between 100" - 160" of rain yearly and our lowest temp has been 56deg. There is a big difference between day and night temps...the night temps can often be20 to 30 degrees cooler in the winter.

When Googling information, have you found any papers written by the University of Hawaii CTAHR (College of Tropical Horticulture and Human Resources (don't ask, I have no clue how HR got involved)? I'll try looking for some links....Coffee being the BIG business as it is here there is a lot of attention given by the Extension Service.

BTW - The seeds you got are actually the coffee beans... they sprout up all over the place here...very viable. If it weren't such a valuable crop I think coffee would be considered invasive!!!!

Specific questions? Dave...ever thought about a heated greenhouse?

Wow, thank you for such an ample response. I am not home now but I could not wait to check. Hard to write on the phone so I will write more afternoon, when I will get home.
Can't wait to start germinating them! And I deeply appreciate the responses!

Google has really good information ... type in to the Search Bar Growing Coffee Trees CTAHR and you will find all of the University of Hawaii publications and information.

How about the "Edibles and Preserving" forum for discussing coffee?
http://garden.org/forums/view/...

I remember reading (somewhere on the Internet ...) a thread by someone who raised a few coffee plants, harvested, dried, roasted, ground and brewed the beans. I wish I could remember where!

RickCorey said:I remember reading (somewhere on the Internet ...) a thread by someone who raised a few coffee plants, harvested, dried, roasted, ground and brewed the beans. I wish I could remember where!

Backyard Coffee by RobertB? There is also a thread which I can't find where Robert discusses this.

This might be the thread you're looking for, Evan.

The thread "Arabica Coffee Seeds Sprout!!" in Seeds forum

That's the one Zuzu, thanks!

Good idea to start a coffee thread there, Rick. Or are there any started already?

Nice thread by RobertB from last yeartoo! So interesting!

The "Idea" was what I was remembering, but the thread is right on also.

Mima said:
>> Or are there any started already?

None I could find. But they are a nice crowd, and interested in good food (and drink, probably).

Thanks again, Rick. Will nose around there too after Christmas.

I also enjoy the Farming forum becuase they're nice people.

Have a Happy and Merry!

Thank you, Meeeeerry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too!

Forgot to ask: after 24 hours of soaking, do I discard the beans that don't show any sign of embryo sprouting or would I take my chances with all of them?