Growing outside

Growing outside

Coffe and tea plants often grow well alongside coca plants; in a mountainous región in the tropics, sufficient rainfall and milder temperaturas allow the plants to retain their delicate aroma.

The climate at this altitude is more subtropical, like that of the Mediterranean or the southern United  States; if you live in a similarly frost-free área it is very easy to grow coca plants outdoors.

You only have to dig a hole in the ground and fill it up with garden compost. Plant your coca bush and water it twice a week if there is insufficient rainfll. Place fencing around the coca plants to protect them from rabbits, goats, and deer. In the northern hemisphere the summer is the only posible time to grow coca outside, but conditions are nearly ideal at that time.

Moderate temperaturas and 18 hours of daylight allow the coca plants to thrive, and harvest of good quality is possible.

June through August is the time to place your coca plant in a sunny spot in the garden in the vicinity of a brick wall. The wall serves to absorb heat during the day and radiate it at night, warming the plant.

Place a sunscreen above the plants that are first coming into contact with sunlight. Plants that are not used to bright sunlight will burn if they are over exposed to it. They have to get used to the light gradually.

Be aware that a coca plant can drink three times as mucho on a hot day

Finally, if temperatures are under 10°C (50°F) it is safer to place them inside, despite their tolerance to low temperatures.