If coffee cherries are not readily available, green coffee can be purchased from a green coffee supplier, but it is essential that the bean is of a recent crop and recent shipment. The potential for germination will continue for almost four months, but after this time the germination rate is several fold less and germination time is significantly longer. Fresh seeds should germinate in 2.5 months, but old seeds can take as long as 6 months.

It is advisable to pre-germinate the seeds. First soak the coffee seeds in water for 24 hours. Then sow the seeds in damp sand or wet vermiculite in which the excess water has been drained. Otherwise, you can place the seeds between moist coffee sacks, which should be watered twice a day and drained well.

Once the coffee seed germinates, very carefully remove it from the sand, vermiculite, or burlap bags. Make a hole about 1.25 cm deep in a friable loam soil with a high humus content. Rotted manure, bone meal, and dried blood can also be added. If this type of soil is not readily available try a light weight and porous soil. Place the seed flat side down in the hole and sprinkle soil over the hole. Do not press the soil down firmly. Placing a 1/2 inch of mulched grass on top will help preserve moisture, but should be removed when the seed has fully germinated.

Image Source: Coffee Research

The seeds should be watered daily. Too much water or too little water will kill the seed. The soil should remain well drained, but moist at all times.

After germination, the coffee plant should either be left alone or carefully removed and planted in a soil with a low pH (acidic) and high nitrogen content. The soil should be porous. Therefore, course sand or basalt gravel dust can be added. Manure can also be added. A fertilizer that is appropriate for orchids can be used sparingly for the coffee plant to maintain mineral levels and a low pH.

Growing Coffee at Home
Preparing the Seeds | Plant Care

The Plant
The Plant Overview | Plant Growth | Arabica vs. Robusta | Arabica Coffee
Robusta Coffee | Arabica Varietals