How to Grow Chocolate Indoors
Purchase either cacao seeds or a cacao tree seedling.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Purchase either cacao seeds or a cacao tree seedling.
Ask your local nursery or garden center if they can get hold of one for you.
If not, look for online stockists.
Bear in mind the import conditions of your country of residence if you're buying the seeds from overseas.
A reputable seller will likely inform you of any issues in relation to this.
A seedling is likely to work best unless you're an experienced gardener, as it will already be toughened for growing in a pot and is less likely to succumb to bacteria or fungi, which is a high possibility with the seeds.
On the other hand, if you have access to a fresh cacao pod, by planting all of its seeds, you have 40-50 chances of getting at least one successful plant to grow! Ask for a "self-compatible" cacao plant, so that it does not require pollination to produce cacao fruit-pods (which contain the seeds for making chocolate).
Cacao seedlings produced for home growing may be grafted onto other rootstock.
Cacao seeds must be fresh or germination will fail.Ask the retailer how fresh the seeds are.
Cacao farmers know which of their plants are the best bearers of cacao.
They retain the seeds from the pods for replanting at harvest time.You're not going to be able to be so hands-on, so ask your supplier plenty of questions.
Find out the length of time for the plant to bear cacao pods.
This can vary anywhere from 2 to 5 years, depending on the variety.Pods can be sourced from a friend's garden or farmer's markets in tropical areas.
There will be around 40-50 seeds inside each pod, so there are plenty of chances that one will germinate.;
Detailed Guide
Ask your local nursery or garden center if they can get hold of one for you.
If not, look for online stockists.
Bear in mind the import conditions of your country of residence if you're buying the seeds from overseas.
A reputable seller will likely inform you of any issues in relation to this.
A seedling is likely to work best unless you're an experienced gardener, as it will already be toughened for growing in a pot and is less likely to succumb to bacteria or fungi, which is a high possibility with the seeds.
On the other hand, if you have access to a fresh cacao pod, by planting all of its seeds, you have 40-50 chances of getting at least one successful plant to grow! Ask for a "self-compatible" cacao plant, so that it does not require pollination to produce cacao fruit-pods (which contain the seeds for making chocolate).
Cacao seedlings produced for home growing may be grafted onto other rootstock.
Cacao seeds must be fresh or germination will fail.Ask the retailer how fresh the seeds are.
Cacao farmers know which of their plants are the best bearers of cacao.
They retain the seeds from the pods for replanting at harvest time.You're not going to be able to be so hands-on, so ask your supplier plenty of questions.
Find out the length of time for the plant to bear cacao pods.
This can vary anywhere from 2 to 5 years, depending on the variety.Pods can be sourced from a friend's garden or farmer's markets in tropical areas.
There will be around 40-50 seeds inside each pod, so there are plenty of chances that one will germinate.;
About the Author
Anthony Perez
Specializes in breaking down complex cooking topics into simple steps.
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