Coffee plants are actually pretty low-maintenance, but if there’s one thing you need to get right, it’s the location. Whether you’re keeping yours outside for the summer or as a year-round houseplant, picking the right spot is the secret to a healthy, happy plant.
Taking Your Coffee Plant Outdoors
During the summer months, your coffee plant will love a little vacation outside. Older, established plants can handle full sun, but younger plants definitely prefer partial shade. You can move them outdoors once nighttime temperatures stay consistently above 60°F (15°C). Just keep an eye on the thermometer in the fall—once it starts dipping below that mark, it’s time to bring them back inside to their cozy winter quarters.
A quick pro-tip: don’t just shock your plant by moving it directly into the sun! Since it’s been protected indoors, the leaves haven’t built up a “tan” to protect against UV rays. Give it about a week to acclimate in a sheltered, shady spot—like under a porch roof. If you skip this step, the sun can actually scorch the leaves, and your coffee plant will end up with brown spots. By the end of the week, you can start giving it a few hours of direct sun at a time until it’s ready for the full experience.
Growing as a Houseplant
If you’re keeping your coffee plant indoors year-round, light is still the name of the game. A bright, south-facing window is usually the “sweet spot.” A sunroom or conservatory is another great option, though you’ll want to watch out for overheating. If the sun gets too intense, you can simply drape a light garden fleece over the plant to give it some shade.
If you’re looking for something a bit more unique, you might try a coffee plant in a terrarium. This creates a self-sustaining little ecosystem that basically takes care of itself. However, you have to be extra careful with placement here—never put a glass terrarium in direct sunlight, or it’ll turn into a mini-oven and cook your plant. The best spot for a glass-grown plant is a bright room, but kept at least six feet away from the window.
Winter Care
When it’s time to move your outdoor plants into their winter home, make sure it’s a bright spot. They’ll need the same amount of light as a regular houseplant. One thing to keep in mind: plants coming from the outdoors are used to higher humidity than we usually have in our heated homes. To keep them from drying out, give your plants a light misting with water every now and then to keep them feeling fresh through the winter.
