Coffee plants spend their first six weeks in a seed bed. Once the seed germinates and grows out of the soil, it is transplanted to a seedling nursery. The nursery helps protect the young plants from harsh sunlight and bad weather. Coffee plants stay in the seedling nursery for 4 to 12 months, depending on the environment.
Once the seedlings reach maturity, the coffee grower will plant them in his coffee field. Coffee plants usually have a life-span of thirty to fifty years.
Coffee seeds come in a number of varieties, Arabica and Robusta the most common. Arabica, the higher quality of the two, is best grown at higher elevations. Arabica is commonly grown in Central and South America and Africa. Robusta is cheaper and is grown at lower elevations in countries such as Africa, Brazil and Vietnam. (Green Earth Coffee uses 100% Arabica Coffee.)
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