Being the determined DIYer that I am I'm beginning some research that will (hopefully) eventually end in my successful indoor cultivation and EXTREMELY small-scale production of three fairly commonly traded commdities... I hope... Theobroma cacao (chocolate) - So far i've determined can be trimmed and most likely dwarfed (it's gotta fit in the house for winter), it likes forest understory-type shade, warmth, humidity and even moisture with good drainage. Reverse Osmosis water will be used. Two genetically diverse parents are needed to successfully pollinate and produce the fruit. I've found a couple or three different sources on Ebay, might be helpful to find others. Caffea arabica - Yup I'm a coffee nut - again I'm not expecting any mentionable production but I hear the flowers smell heavenly and it lends itself to well to domestic culture. Simmondsia chinensis - Jojoba is awesome stuff so why not give it a whirl!! It likes semi arid to arid conditions so it'll probably LOVE Texas. Depending on how it winters in zone 8C I might be able to keep it outdoors. I'll need a male and a female plant in order to produce seeds. Any input, further source suggestions...etc would be greatly appreciated :-)
hi, I have theoroma cacao for sale.. check at this link for more details http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=60558
I can likely get you raw coffee beans, if you'd like, but you'd have to send me something in trade. Is there any particular cultivar you're interested in? I can get the Ecuadorean cultivars 'Loja', 'Cariamanga', 'Malacatos', and probably also 'Ibarra'. You will need two plants, since they're not self-fertile. The flowers are indeed heavenly, very similar to sweet jasmine. Be careful of your cacao seed sellers. The seed must be extraordinarily fresh in order to germinate (2 weeks maximum age) and it's a bit finicky. I don't normally offer it in trade because of how long the post takes to get anywhere and the astronomical cost of priority shipping. Other than that, it's a lovely plant and you can, if you're so inclined, very slowly acclimate it to grow in full sun. You'll definitely need winter protection though, since Cacao hates getting chilled. 'Criollo' is the best cultivar, followed by 'Arriba,' 'Forestero' and finally 'Trinitario.'
Thanks for the suggestions.. My theobroma cacaos are really Fresh.. I pickup it few hours before shiping.. I`m from venezuela, and I have sent cacaos to Spain.. by certificated shipping.. the pack delivery between 12 and 15 days. Inmediatly you must plant the seeds.. It`s impossible you can get to germinate the 30-40 seeds that contains the seedpot. but you can get to germinate 8 or 10 seeds.. It depends the weather and the climate condicions.. Cacao needs a warm and a wet place..
Ah yes, but you're on the other coast. For me, here in Ecuador, shipping to anywhere except perhaps Miami is an ordeal.
