During a trip to Brazil in 2023, we visited Fazenda Bela Epoca to learn more about their coffee nursery processes and practices. Essentially, a coffee nursery is where coffee seedlings are grown before being planted in the field.
At Fazenda Bela Epoca, carefully selected seeds are first sown in sand germinators for 3 months before being transferred to transplanting tables where the seedlings are classified by vigor, health, and quality of the roots, stem and leaves.
After 3 months, the coffee plant is carefully placed in a reusable plastic container (tubes), where the base of the root system is a sterilized organic substrate enriched with gradual release fertilizers and then taken to the nursery yard where phytosanitary and nutritional management is carried out weekly.
The irrigation throughout the process is done by micro sprinklers located on the roof of the nursery. Daily monitoring of substrate humidity is also essential for the good development of seedlings.
The nursery is completely covered with a shading screen to encourage the good initial development of the seedlings and in the final acclimatization phase this screen is replaced by an anti-hail screen (anti-ice rain).
In the courtyard, the seedlings remain for approximately 4 more months, before being definitively taken to be planted in the field.