Did you know that the way in which the coffee tree is cultivated directly affects how that final brew tastes, in much the same way as wine takes on the different characteristics of its grapes?
That means that coffee grown at high altitudes will taste different to coffee that is germinated and tended in sunny soil in a lowland valley. From planting to germinating, growing and harvesting, every step of coffee tree care plays an important role.
Planting: Where, When, and How
There are two optimum regions and altitudes for planting coffee. The first is the subtropical region at an altitude of around 1800-3600 feet. It characteristically has well-defined rainy versus dry seasons, enabling coffee growers to mark one planting season, and one harvesting season respectively, in the calendar year. Mexico and parts of Brazil are among those benefiting from these conditions.
The second best region and climate for planting coffee is found around the equatorial belt, in countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia where the coffee is planted at higher altitudes of between 3600 and 6300 feet. Coffee farmers here take advantage of the fact that they get two rainy seasons to harvest coffee twice a year, and the humidity in these parts of the world also prompts the coffee plants to flower almost all year round. The Arabica coffee or ‘mountain coffee’ as it is also called, currently accounts for about 70% of the world’s coffee production, and is mainly grown in the above regions at high altitudes because it is not so tolerant of warm conditions. Cool summers, warm winters and heavy moisture are generally the prime conditions for growing the more delicate Arabica.
It is however also possible to grow a more robust type of coffee – aptly called ‘Robusta’ – at much lower altitudes: around 3000 feet below sea level in regions 10 degrees north or south of the equator. Robusta is more resilient to the forces of nature and warmer climate, and is also generally is more bitter than Arabica as it contains almost twice the amount of caffeine. Vietnam is the biggest producer of Robusta coffee in the world. Arabica and Robusta are the two most widespread types of coffee beans in the world, and most likely what you are drinking in the mornings!
From Seedling to Tree, to Seedling.
Coffee seeds actually tend to be germinated before they are planted. The first stage of growing coffee usually involves placing the coffee seeds in a warm, moist environment, such as moist polystyrene in a nursery or moist straw or burlap bags on a bed of straw, ideally in the shade. In these initial stages the coffee farmers will closely inspect and sort the seeds to check that they are all germinating well.
After sprouting, the seedlings are moved from their nursery and planted in individual pots with specifically formulated soils, to be watered and shaded until they reach between 20-40 cm. Next, they are ready to be planted in the field. The planting process is normally carried out during the wet season, enabling the young trees to firmly establish their roots in the moist soil. The coffee farmers then carefully tend to their coffee trees to keep them strong and free from disease as, in order to ensure full baskets of ripe, delicious coffee cherries, come harvest time. The seeds from the fruit that is not processed, in turn, can be planted and grow into new coffee trees. And round it goes.
So there you have it: planting and growing coffee is carefully calibrated by altitude, region and season. The next time you have a cup of coffee, why not see if you can distinguish whether it is coffee grown at high altitude with two rainy seasons, or if it is in fact coffee grown at a slightly lower altitude with only one rainy season. Tip: Robusta is commonly used in traditional Italian espresso blends. The world of coffee is a marvelous and fascinating one indeed.