Friday, April 22, 2011

How to Grow a Coffee House Plant

I want to put a little green liveliness into my living-room and I have decided that as much as I love my coffee that I might as well invest in owning a coffee tree as a houseplant. Now, I know that it can take several years for the coffee plant to mature enough to start producing beans (well actually they are technically fruit), but I’m not so much into harvesting beans as I am just wanting something green and growing in the house. And for me a coffee plant just makes sense.

I have found some wonderful info on ehow.com about growing your own indoor coffee tree:
  1. Have patience. The most important thing to remember about growing a Coffee Tree is that it takes years to mature to a bean growing state.
  2. Enjoy the dark shiny leaves of the Coffee plant. When taken care of properly, the tree grows beautiful fragrant white flowers.
  3. Plant your Coffee Tree in a good potting soil. Keep the soil moist, but not over watered. Pot in an ordinary planter with good drainage is best.
  4. Keep the plant in 60 to 70 degree F. temperatures day and night. Live in a warm climate; keep the Coffee Tree outside during summer months.
  5. Fertilize your Coffee Tree every 2 weeks from March to October. Continue fertilizing monthly during the rest of the months. Use of an all-purpose fertilizer is fine.
  6. Prune your tree if it gets too tall for your home. The Coffee Tree can grow 10 feet tall in a large pot. Reduce its size to the height you want by pinching it back or by cutting branches down near the base.
  7. Pick coffee berries when they are dark red. Berries will not ripen if picked when green.

Tips

  • The Coffee Tree takes six years to mature enough to grow bean producing berries.
  • Each Coffee Tree berry contains two coffee beans.
  • Roast beans before grinding them to make coffee.
  • If leaves turn yellow or fall off, the container you’re growing your Coffee Tree in is too small.


I’m hoping that my coffee plant will work well in the large white planters that I have, they are urn planters and are very beautiful I love the antique feel that they give to my sunroom, but I’m tired of them being empty. Time to plant some coffee!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Retro looking Gourmet Coffee Grinder

My sister saw my last post which was about the Mr. Coffee Coffee Grinder. She informed me that I hadn’t experienced freshly ground coffee until I’ve tried her coffee grinder. So she invited me over and off I went, camera in hand.

Retro Coffee Grinder

Now how cool does that grinder look? She keeps it in her kitchen on the counter because it is so pretty. She said it is called a Gourmet Coffee Grinder, and is made by Universal.

After talking to my little sis some more I found out that the Universal Gourmet Coffee Grinder:
  • Grinds your coffee beans from course to very fine by the metal adjustment knob on the side of the unit. Grinds coffee for all types of coffee and espresso makers.
  • Also grinds nuts, spices and other beans
  • Made from cast Iron and Wood for long lasting use
  • Just dump your coffee beans into the cast iron covered bean hopper it‘s perfectly sloped chamber
  • Allows the beans to be to be evenly and efficiently loaded for perfect grinding
  • Ground coffee empties into the wooden drawer and allows enough ground coffee for up to 10 cups of fresh brew.
  • Gourmet Coffee Grinder
  • Also makes a beautiful addition to your kitchen with its antique look there’s no need to hide it in the cabinet.
Directions For Use
This unit comes to you pre-assembled just place the oak handle onto the cast Iron Wheel and tighten with a straight screwdriver. Fill the hopper with your favorite beans. You should do a practice run first to get the adjustment knob were you need it for your preferred type of ground coffee (if it is to course you can run it back through so there’s no waste) The further out you adjust the knob the courser the coffee will be; the further in the knob is the finer. Just adjust a little at a time till you get it were you want it. You can grind a hopper full in under three minutes with continuous turning of the wheel. Occasionally, a whole been will slip through when you stop grinding before the hopper is empty.

I've found this coffee grinder online at http://www.coffeemaker-outlet.com/Universal-109-Gourmet-Coffee-Grinder.htm