Cocoa Tree Seeds Tips On Growing Cacao Trees

How do you germinate cacao seeds?

Place the seed vertically with the root end down and cover with soil just to the top of the seed. Cover the pots with plastic wrap and place them on a germination mat to maintain their temperature in the 80's (27 C.). In 5-10 days, the seed should sprout.

How long does it take for a cacao tree to produce fruit?

Growing a cacao tree — the plant whose pods are made into chocolate — takes patience. It takes three to five years for a cacao seed to become a fruiting tree. Each tree makes a limited number of seeds.

What conditions does a cacao tree need to grow well?

Cacao trees grow 15 to 25 feet (4.5 – 6 m) tall and need an area of about 15 square feet (1.4 square meters). What kind of soil is best? Cacao needs soil that is nutrient-rich, retains water well and has good drainage.

How long does Cocoa take to grow?

Cocoa is propagated both by seed and by cuttings. Seeds are planted at stake where 3 seeds are planted per hole and later thinned to one. Germination often is complete within 15 days of seed planting.

Can you grow a cacao tree indoors?

In nature, cacao trees are a zone 10 plant, so they want to be kept warm, but room temperature, keeping them consistently between 65 and 70 degrees is sufficient for them to thrive. ... This tree flower and bears pods indoors in zone 4. The fruit will begin to form and will grow slowly for 6 to 8 months.

How many times a year are cacao pods harvested?

The pods on a tree do not ripen together; harvesting needs to be done periodically through the year. Harvesting occurs between three and four times weekly during the harvest season.

How many beans does 1 cacao tree produce?

Each tree produces about 20 pods and each pod contains between 20 and 60 seeds or beans. In order to produce one kilogramme of cocoa paste about 10 pods are required.

Where does cacao grow best?

The growing area for cacao ranges from approximately 10° north to 10° south of the Equator. Most cacao is grown in Africa but cacao is now also cultivated in a tropical belt worldwide. The Ivory Coast and Ghana are the world's top two producers, followed by Indonesia, Nigeria and Cameroon.

How much money does a cocoa farmer make?

Fairtrade found average Ivorian cocoa farmer household income was $2,707 per year, with around $2,000 of income coming from cocoa, according to its survey of 3,202 Fairtrade certified farmers. This equates to total income of $0.93 per person a day.

What is the difference between cacao and cocoa?

The answer is in the heat. Cocoa powder and cacao powder are very similar, the only difference being that cocoa is processed at a much higher temperature (and often packaged cocoa contains added sugar and dairy). ... So, cacao powder is made from fermented beans that have not been roasted.

How many pounds does a cocoa tree produce?

Each tree produces approximately 30 pods a year. Each pod contains roughly 40 cocoa beans. It takes approximately 500 beans to make 1 pound of chocolate, so therefore each tree produces about 2 pounds of chocolate a year.

How do you take care of a cacao tree?

To look after your plantation properly you must:

Replace seedlings that have not grown.
Remove weeds and keep the soil covered.
Prune the cocoa trees.
Apply fertilizer.
Protect the cocoa trees from insects and diseases.

How much is cocoa per acre?

Typically, a cocoa farm covers two to four hectares (five to ten acres) and each hectare yield 300 to 400 kilograms of cocoa bean in African farms. Farms in America has higher yield per hectare, as they are slightly larger in size and each hectare produces 500 to 600 kilograms of bean.

What is the planting distance of cocoa?

First mark the rows for the cocoa trees, leaving about 2.5 to 3 metres between rows. Along each row, mark out with pegs the spots where the cocoa trees are to go. Leave about 2.5 to 3 metres between trees. In this way you can plant about 1 000 to 1 600 seedlings per hectare.

How much does a cacao tree cost?

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What does a cacao tree look like?

The cacao tree grows to be about 30 feet tall bearing white flowers and colorful fruit. ... The cacao pod has a hard shell, is shaped like a bloated cucumber, and is usually red, yellow, or orange. 5. It takes about 5 years for the tree to bear fruit, has a peak growing period of 10 years, but can extend for decades.

Is there a plant that smells like chocolate?

The chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata) is a perennial that looks like a yellow-flowered daisy but smells like chocolate. The plant opens its blossom in the evening, but its scent is most powerful in the morning. Chocolate flower is drought tolerant and isn't picky about soil type.

Can you eat raw cacao nibs?

Though cacao nibs are generally safe to consume, you should consider potential side effects. Cocoa beans contain the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. These compounds provide some health benefits but can cause adverse effects when consumed in excess ( 29 , 30 ).

What does cacao drink taste like?

Cacao nibs are crumbled, raw cacao beans. Imagine eating a 100% dark chocolate bar: That's what cacao nibs taste like. They're dense and crunchy, with fruity notes and a strong bitter aftertaste similar to espresso beans.

Do you have to peel cacao beans?

If you do want to eat cocoa beans whole as a snack, go right ahead - just roast them first. And if you really don't want to roast them, please peel them.