I have a coffee tree that has been neglected from time to time & I want to give it some help. It is about 6 or 7 years old & has been inside the house in the winter & outside in the summer. It gets good direct sun in the morning & good indirect the rest of the day. This tree is putting on new leaves like crazy this summer, but it hasn't put out any laterals in a long, long time. I read that, if it is just putting out leaves & then dropping lower leaves that it is stressed & not really growing. Mine is a single stalk about 12" tall with an umbrella of about 10 leaves with 2 coming out at the top. All the growth is from the main stalk, no laterals. I have read to cut it back for it to produce laterals & need some advice on exactly what to do to give it the best chance. How many leaves do I leave om. Do I fertilize it now? 10.10.10? Any other advice is appreciated. BTW I am not a gardener, but do want to learn what this plant needs to flourish. Thanks, kev
Take just the top 3-4 leaves and the stem to stimulate branching. BUT! Also check the pot. It may be rootbound or need a soil change before you do anything else - I've often found that with coffee in pots, it will stop branching and growing if its roots are too compacted. If it's been in the same pot for 6-7 years, it's time to give it some more space. Go up a couple of pot sizes and give it some fresh soil.
My 5-year old trees, which are about 4' tall, branch at every node on the main stem. This seems to be their nature as I've not had to do anything. They receive filtered bright light much of the day at the back of the room. I believe many plantation trees are grown under a forest canopy. A medium to high humidity level is maintained in the room. They're fertilized with a 30-10-10. Hope this helps.
