Can you imagine being able to grow cocoa and chocolate at home to have your own products? It is true that in order to grow it, it is necessary to live in a tropical environment or create it artificially because cocoa needs a very humid environment to grow or, failing that, a greenhouse.
When cocoa is planted in a greenhouse, the trees and the cultivation will not be as abundant as that found in a natural tropical environment and it may even be difficult to produce cocoa pods, but it is true that for gardening lovers It is very interesting to have our own chocolate tree, right? In this article, we are going to give you some tips on how to grow cocoa and chocolate at home.
Buy the sprouted seeds
Buying the geminated cocoa beans is a great idea, you can also buy the seedling of the cocoa tree. You can ask your nearest garden center if they can get it for you because it is much easier to be able to grow it that way, much more than if you decide to grow it from seeds.
In this way, the cocoa plant is less likely to suffer from diseases or fungi, something that can almost certainly happen if you decide to plant it from the seeds.
Tips for growing cocoa and chocolate at home
Here are some tips on how to grow cocoa and chocolate at home so that your cultivation can be successful and you can have your cocoa plant in your home:
- Find the right container. You will need to start with a large container for the plant to grow satisfactorily. If they grow a lot you can transplant it every 4 or 5 months.
- Prepare the land. The soil will have to be well fertilized and also be rich in nutrients to be fertile, it will also have to drain well but maintain constant humidity.
- If you want to start having your plant from scratch, first you will have to wait for the seeds to germinate , for example by placing them in some natural cotton and watering them, before planting them well and, in addition, you will have to water it at least twice a day but with a fine spray so as not to damage the seeds.
- You will have to keep the plant in a warm and humid environment all the time, for example in a greenhouse with a controlled temperature. The ideal temperature is 21ºC.
- Place containers of water near the plant so that it gradually releases moisture. Maintaining humidity is vital for the plant if the environment is dry it will kill it quickly. Remember that this plant does not like water; he likes humidity.
- Keep the plant out of direct sunlight , as it grows in tropical nature under the shade of other trees.
- To keep the plant alive you will have to take care of it with patience and dedication, you cannot leave it to its own devices and you will have to be concerned about compost, humidity, having a correct heat source and giving it away regularly.
