What are the conditions for growing coffee beans? How do you grow high-quality coffee beans?

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What are the conditions for growing coffee beans? How do you grow high-quality coffee beans?

Many people think that Taiwan is not suitable for growing coffee, or that it is impossible for Taiwan to grow good coffee. The so-called good coffee refers to high quality coffee. Apart from the varieties, the most important factor in coffee cultivation and quality is the climatic conditions of the growing area. The coffee produced in some areas is bitter, in some areas it is sour, but in some areas it has a very special flavor. The main factor is the climate pattern of the area.

1. Reference conditions for coffee cultivation

The environment will affect the quality of coffee. Environment refers to the local soil and climatic conditions in which coffee is grown, such as latitude, temperature, altitude and rainfall. The following are the basic conditions for growing coffee.

Latitude: 24 °S-25 °N (i.e. tropical and subtropical).

Altitude: from sea level to 2500 m above sea level Basically, robusta coffee is grown at low elevations, from plain to 300,400m above sea level; Arabica coffee is suitable for cultivation from 400m to 2500 m above sea level.

Latitude: tropical-2000 to 2500 m above sea level

Subtropics-300 to 1500 m above sea level

Temperature: 15 °C to 24 °C, basically not less than 5 °C, nor higher than 30 °C. Too high and too low will shadow the growth of coffee trees. Coffee trees are particularly afraid of low temperature frost and are vulnerable to frost at 0 ℃. High heat will cause leaf burns, inhibit the growth of coffee trees, and make coffee trees dormant.

Rainfall: the average annual rainfall is between 2000--2300mm, the annual rainfall is not lower than 800--1300mm. Except for the dry period, it is best to have a long and average rainfall period.

The relationship between latitude, height, rainfall, temperature and variety is the basic data for growing coffee for reference. They should use each other as reference. Among them, rainfall and temperature are more important, that is to say, when choosing the place to grow coffee, we should pay attention to the local rainfall and temperature. If the annual rainfall is insufficient, it will affect the normal growth of coffee trees. Continuous high temperature will also affect the growth of coffee trees, the temperature is too low, in case of frost, coffee trees will be damaged by frost, resulting in fallen leaves, seriously affecting flowering and fruiting. If you encounter too much rainfall during flowering, you will also pollinate to the flowers.

Although there is a traditional saying that there is a coffee production zone between latitude 25 degrees south and latitude 25 degrees north (there is another saying that there is a coffee belt between the Tropic of Cancer). In fact, coffee is also grown in Ryukyu, Japan, which is located at more than 25 degrees north latitude, and in Nepal, which is located at more than 26 degrees north latitude. Australian coffee is also grown in the vast Yanhai area below 25 degrees south latitude, between Brisbane and Shirley. Therefore, the so-called coffee belt between latitude 25 degrees north and south actually no longer exists. At best, most of the countries that grow coffee are located in this area. There is a saying that the coffee grown near the Tropic of Cancer is of the best quality, which is a baseless advertisement. Just listen to it. If there is a basis, please take it out, and the advertisement should also have a basis, isn't it?

As for the question of variety and latitude and height, in the case of arabica, Arabica coffee trees are prone to injury and stop growing during high temperatures because they are not heat-resistant. It is generally planted in the land with high altitude and cool temperature. Near the equator, the temperature at flatlands and low elevations has always been above 35-40 degrees, which is not suitable for growing coffee. The position suitable for planting is naturally pulled up to more than 2000-2500 meters. As for areas above 1500 meters in the subtropics, there will probably be low temperatures in winter, which will cause frost damage and are not suitable for growing coffee. Although the temperature in some areas is as high as 30 ℃ in summer, it is easy to stop the growth of coffee trees. Because it is not a long-term continuous high temperature, coupled with the large temperature difference between day and night, the shadow of coffee trees is not as serious as frost damage. Arabica coffee can be grown between flat land and 1500 meters above sea level.

If you want to grow coffee in mountainous areas in Taiwan, it is recommended that the planting height should not be higher than 8-1000 meters above sea level. The most suitable height is between 500 and 800 meters. Take the cold damage that occurred in March 2005 as an example. During that cold spell, a lot of snow fell in the mountains above 800 meters above sea level, and most of the crops were covered with snow. Although there was no snow in the 700-800 meters area, it suffered frost damage. As a result, coffee production in these areas was greatly reduced in 2005.

If the average annual rainfall is less than 800 degrees, the lack of moisture will cause the coffee trees to die or stagnate. In such areas, consideration must be given to the availability of underground water sources or the use of water-saving drip irrigation.

Therefore, the so-called world coffee planting belt must be between the Tropic of Cancer and the view that coffee must be planted in the mountains, which should be slightly adjusted. Coffee cultivation is mainly based on local climatic conditions and water supply.

two。 Basic conditions suitable for growing Coffee in Taiwan

The geographical location of Taiwan is between 21.9 and 25.2 degrees north latitude, and there is a great difference in temperature between the south and the north.

Latitude: Taiwan is the main coffee growing area from Pingtung in the south to Taichung in the middle, with latitudes between 22.7 and 24 degrees. (the Blue Mountain area of Jamaica is about 18.2 degrees north latitude, and the Kona area of Hawaii is about 19.7 degrees north latitude, which is very close to the latitude of Hengchun. )

Climate: the climate of Taiwan is subtropical in the south of central China and temperate in the north and alpine areas.

Temperature: the average temperature is between 15 and 24 ℃.

Rainfall: the average annual rainfall in Taiwan is between 1500 and 2300 tons. Rainfall in the central and southern regions is concentrated between May and August. Rainfall can be evenly distributed to the best, if the rainfall is too concentrated, indicating that the rain will be very strong during the rainfall, causing damage to coffee trees.

Soil: Sandy loam is the most suitable for growing coffee, coffee needs slightly acidic geology. The pH value is between 5.2 and 6.2. The drainage of sandy loam is good, and the drainage of loam is poor, so it is easy to cause damage due to stagnant water. At present, there is another paradoxical delight that coffee grown in volcanic soil is of the best quality. In fact, not all good coffee is grown in volcanic geology around the world. Don't be affected by this kind of advertisement.

The soil composition requirements for the growth of coffee trees:

3. Four tests of growing coffee in Taiwan: typhoon, flooding, high temperature and frost damage

Taiwan area has a subtropical climate, with high temperature and humidity, more rainfall in summer and more typhoons. Typhoons often bring abundant rainfall. Strong wind and heavy rain can easily hurt coffee trees. Because the coffee tree has many leaves, thick crown layer, shallow root system, and is not resistant to strong winds, it is easy to be blown down by typhoons. In particular, Pingtung belongs to the plain terrain, which will be more seriously damaged by wind and rain. Crops are vulnerable to typhoons because of the lack of natural windshield topography in the plains.

The drainage of the plain terrain is also relatively poor, and stagnant water will occur in the relatively low-lying areas of the coffee garden after heavy rain. If the drainage is poor, in the case of long-term rain, long-term stagnant water or a large amount of stagnant water will cause coffee trees to die gradually due to water injury.

High temperature will burn coffee leaves, leaf photosynthesis is affected, the growth of coffee trees is inhibited, making coffee trees dormant. Located in the plain area of Gaoping area in southern Taiwan, the annual high temperature period is from April to August. If you want to grow coffee in these areas, you should choose soil or areas with good drainage and make the necessary drainage facilities. Consideration should also be given to strengthening shading and windproof facilities and lowering the temperature of the coffee park to facilitate the growth of coffee trees. The perfect windproof facilities can prevent the hard-run coffee garden from being destroyed by the typhoon overnight and the whole garden will be lost.

4. The influence of cold spell and low temperature on coffee trees:

A super cold spell in March 2005 was a blessing for Taiwan's coffee industry. Because we do not have any data on coffee cultivation, especially the effect of low temperature on arabica coffee trees. When coffee trees are planted in all parts of Taiwan, from the plains to the mountains, they are hit by cold currents and frosts. It is providing us with an opportunity to observe and understand which places are more suitable for planting and easier to take care of; those areas may be vulnerable to frost damage, and planting should be avoided in order to reduce unnecessary losses. Although it is generally believed that coffee trees are planted in mountains above 1000 meters, their quality is the best. However, in the case of Taiwan, crops in mountains above 800 meters are vulnerable to frost caused by low temperatures in winter, so don't plant them in mountainous areas that are too high.

Secondly, the so-called Arabica coffee should be planted at more than 1000 meters in order to have a better quality, which refers to coffee grown near the equator. Taiwan is located at more than 22 degrees north latitude, and the climatic conditions at the same height are obviously different. That is, the condition near the equator at an altitude of 1000 meters is about 500m to 700m in Taiwan. No matter how high it is, the operating risk is greater than that of planting on flat land.

The effect of low temperature on coffee trees is to cause bruising, causing damage to buds and flowers, as well as damage, withering, drying and falling of leaf cells. Three to four days after the injury, the leaves drooped, and the leaves were scraped by the wind, and gradually dried and fell off. In other words, evergreen coffee trees cause serious defoliation after being damaged. If the leaves fall to the ground, although it will not cause the death of the whole plant, the lighter ones will lead to the yield of the same year, and the serious ones will cause the result of the next year. If there is a low temperature for years, there may be years of lack of fruit.

Therefore, the area where there will be low temperature and frost reduction is not suitable for growing coffee, which is the basic knowledge of coffee planting. In the case of Taiwan, the north of the central part and the high altitude areas (500-700 meters in the middle and 600-800 meters in the south) are not suitable for growing coffee. The planting risk is relatively high.

However, there may be exceptions, that is, the damage to coffee trees under shade trees will be reduced. Shading trees have the effect of shading and windbreak, which will reduce the damage of cold current. If you want to grow coffee in the middle and high altitude mountain areas, in order to reduce the cold spell damage, you must consider matching shade trees. Or choose the slope that takes shelter from the wind to avoid being directly hit by the plug wind.

Common sense of Coffee Tree planting

Coffee trees grow in the tropics between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Cancer and near the equator. There are also great differences in appearance among the so-called world coffee growth zones, caffeine varieties and regional factors. With long green leaves ranging from yellowish green to dark green or even to brass, these shiny trees are wavy, which is more pronounced in Robasda than in Arabica.

Although coffee trees need irrigation, pruning, weeding, fertilization and root protection, if the soil is not the best condition for coffee trees, it will not bear fruit for several years. The coffee tree grows most luxuriantly in the soil full of nitrogen, potassium carbonate and phosphoric acid. When the tree is 4-5 years old, the first fruit will soon reach the yield peak, and will continue to bear fruit if it is well cared for in 20-25 years.

One of the characteristics of a coffee tree is that its fruit can bear fruit several times a year, and another is that flowers and fruits (also known as cherries) coexist at different stages of ripening. The style of the whole coffee industry is influenced by the fickle nature. If the fruit is too ripe, the beans in it will rot. If it is not ripe enough, the beans picked will not ripen by themselves. So bean pickers often go back to the same tree several times to look for ripe fruit-trying to get only 2 pounds of green coffee beans, usually an average of 2 pounds a year. Keep this in mind the next time you buy coffee.

Coffee farmers who produce low-grade coffee beans like to use labor-saving methods to harvest beans, but in this way, because the quality is not pure, it impairs the flavor of coffee and lowers the grade of coffee. The way to pick coffee beans in some parts of Africa is to shake coffee trees, shake the fruit off the ground, and pick it up from the ground before the fruit is injured and rotten. Secondary coffee is produced in most parts of Brazil, where coffee is picked by plucking all the leaves, flowers, overheated and green fruits from the branches at a time, and it takes two years for such damaged coffee trees to return to normal.

The delicate white flowers of coffee trees are a rare spectacle, which smells like oranges and jasmine. Sometimes it is just a tree blooming alone; for example, a young bride, sometimes the whole coffee garden is in full bloom, looking like a sea of white flowers, beautiful and intoxicating, but the flowering period is fleeting. Within two or three days, the petals dispersed with the wind, leaving only the remaining fragrance to spin around in the air.

Before long, small fruits appeared in piles, first green, then yellow, then red and crimson, and when they almost turned black, they could be harvested in Jamaica. Bats were the first to know whether the fruit was ripe or not. They sucked coffee pulp at night, telling farmers that the fruit was ripe and ready to be harvested. The oval fruits gather tightly around the branches, and the slender, smooth dark green toothed leaves are opposite on both sides of the branches. The leaves on the sunny side are harder and the back is softer and paler, and the edges are fan-shaped. The branches are also opposite from the trunk.

Evergreen trees are usually bred in nurseries, grow into seedlings, and then move to coffee farms a year later, in full compliance with the way the early Arabs planted and cultivated coffee trees. In the first four or five years of its growth, the coffee tree will continue to take root downward, develop its trunk upward, and develop its branches into an umbrella shape so that it can bear rich fruit in the future.

There are three main commercial varieties of coffee trees, and there are different classifications under these three varieties. Arabica coffee (arabica) coffee is the most important and the best quality coffee beans, derived from Isopia, is currently the most widely cultivated coffee. Lieberita Coffee (liberica) originates from Liberia Nobasta (robusta) originates from Congo. The name of the latter shows that it is stout, able to resist bad weather and disease; it does not need much manual care when preparing land, weeding and pruning, and can be allowed to grow in the wild of woodland. Although it tastes more bitter than Arabica, its quality is much lower than that of Arabica. Most Africans drink Nobasta coffee. Because of its high output, it is used to make instant coffee. Arabica coffee is suitable for growing at an altitude of 2000,000ft above sea level-the higher the altitude, the better the quality, while Liburita and Nobasta are best grown below 2000 feet above sea level.

Coffee trees can only grow in the tropics and subtropics. Coffee trees can grow in different climates, soils, elevations and rainfall in the middle of the "coffee belt". In Africa's hot and humid canyons and forest rainforests, coffee trees thrive; in cold, foggy, windy Central America it still produces high-quality coffee beans; and in the Caribbean, where the climate is changeable, drought and torrential rain, it still blossoms and bears fruit. These factors are the secret that coffee beans have different flavors and a wide variety.

The ideal growth environment is a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, an appropriate altitude and annual rainfall (between 40 and 120 inches). The timing of rainfall is very important, it is best to have intervals of heavy rain and strong sunshine during maturity, and a period of dry weather is needed for harvest. Any form of soil is suitable, but the best soil is a mixture of decomposed volcanic soil, humic soil and permeable soil.

The sunshine time during the day is not very long, a few hours is enough. The hillside is an ideal location because of its short viewing time and good drainage. Coffee trees like wet roots, tall trees with most leaves planted in the coffee garden, on the one hand to protect against the wind, on the other hand shade.

As for the disasters of coffee trees, frost damage and leaf diseases are the most common killers.