Author Topic: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors  (Read 1397 times)

AndrewAZ

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Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« on: September 04, 2022, 02:31:16 AM »
I have tried different varieties and they all croak.  A problem I have is no sun coming in my windows in winter.  I tried grow lights with no luck.  Anyone have the secret to growing this plant indoors in winter?

SouthBayHapaJoe

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2022, 08:07:49 AM »
Use led grow lights to supplement light but they really don’t like a lot of light. They grow in the understory and don’t see very much light.

Bush2Beach

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2022, 10:23:38 AM »
I have seen a supposed 20+ year old Cacao indoors here. The guy said it had never fruited .

Jaboticaba45

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2022, 10:50:13 AM »
I saw a guy who had one indoors only and was bragging about it on youtube lol. It fruited too? Up north too.

socalbalcony2

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2022, 11:39:31 AM »
Honestly this shouldn't be a hard feat, without a grow tent it might be more difficult unless you have a south(?) facing window, the problem is they don't enjoy direct light much. I threw one in a botanium system by a window and my curtains have been mostly closed and it loves it, no tip burn or anything, that being said, the system is way too small for it so its not sustainable.

For your seeds I'd recommend getting fresh fruits of proper dwarf cacao varieties, you will need humidity to eventually fruit it, either misting, grow tent, etc.

To answer your question I believe I've seen a youtube video or two on fully indoors, and have seen three greenhouse fruiting trees here in socal.

brian

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2022, 11:54:59 AM »
My container cacoa did fine in my very humid greenhouse its first winter, but as spring came it looked very unhealthy as I couldn't keep it out of direct sunlight easily.  Because I heard about the high humidity requirement I was thinking I would keep it in the greenhouse all year but I changed my mind and moved it into a morning-sun-only spot outside.  It seems much happier now.  I am hoping that moderate humidity is enough for it during the warmer months, it seems much healthier now that it is out of the sun.  However, I assume in AZ your humidity is near zero year round indoors and out, so you may need a humidity tent.  Theobroma is one of the families that is listed as requiring humidity rather than simply preferring it.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2022, 11:56:52 AM by brian »

nullzero

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2022, 02:21:22 PM »
There is a fruiting indoor cacao at longwood gardens near Philadelphia.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

brian

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2022, 02:24:12 PM »
There is a fruiting indoor cacao at longwood gardens near Philadelphia.

Ah, yes I've been to Longwood Gardens many times as I live fairly close.  They have a giant multi-building greenhouse/conservatory where they have different zones.  I believe they have a higher humidity area for some of these, they have large banana "trees" there also.

Jaboticaba45

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #8 on: September 06, 2022, 02:52:08 PM »
There is a fruiting indoor cacao at longwood gardens near Philadelphia.

Ah, yes I've been to Longwood Gardens many times as I live fairly close.  They have a giant multi-building greenhouse/conservatory where they have different zones.  I believe they have a higher humidity area for some of these, they have large banana "trees" there also.
Can't forget the ones at the hershey thing in Pennyslvania either. Just consistent temps of low 70's and enough humidity and they will grow and fruit.

polux

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #9 on: September 06, 2022, 05:11:28 PM »
This is my cocoa tree that I brought 20 year ago from Nicaragua. 15 y was grown in a container indoors, after that I decided to plant it in a greenhouse. 2 y of fruiting. It is a dwarf Trinitario hybrid.


pagnr

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #10 on: September 06, 2022, 07:18:51 PM »
I would be surprised if Botanic Gardens are not growing it. Kew Gardens in UK ??

brian

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #11 on: September 06, 2022, 07:21:07 PM »
That's a really nice looking tree, polux.  How tall is it?  My cacao is tall and skinny right now, about 6ft tall in a 5gal container.  I am thinking of cutting it back to a lower node

Nick C

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2022, 08:43:29 PM »
I overwinter mine in my basement under grow lights with no issues. One year it was the most productive plant in terms of pushing out new growth while everything else was pretty much dormant

polux

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2022, 06:18:06 PM »
That's a really nice looking tree, polux.  How tall is it?  My cacao is tall and skinny right now, about 6ft tall in a 5gal container.  I am thinking of cutting it back to a lower node

Actually about 7 ft. I have 2 other varieties and they are much taller without flowering or fruiting

DJSpurr

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2023, 09:33:18 PM »
I have grown cacao fairly successfully indoors in the past, but the room had a lot of natural light.  That was in a previous house and I gave the cacao trees (3 in one pot) away to a member of CRFG as at the time I did not have a place for it.  Now, in a new house I don’t have as good light. I did get several cacao varieties off of this site somewhat over a year ago and all have survived.  I have learned that it’s better, at least for me, to use a cactus/citrus mix for all of my tropicals.  Typical potting mixes end up rotting, particularly at the bottom of the pot. I was having, or my cacao were having, issues with damping off of new growth.  Changing the potting medium and treating them with Bacillus subtilis seems to have stopped that problem.

greg_D

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Re: Anyone grown theobroma cacao successfully indoors
« Reply #15 on: August 27, 2023, 12:45:58 AM »
I've seen them in large pots indoors (not sure of the gallons, roughly bathtub capacity), but only in greenhouses.