. Cocoa trees produce fruit pods at their base, which contain cocoa beans. The beans are harvested from the pods, fermented, dried, and then processed into chocolate. Cocoa trees require shade and only grow up to about 30 feet tall. Soil preparation is important prior to planting, because they don’t tolerate heavy clay or alkaline soils well; however, they do like lots of composted organic matter mixed into the soil. Applications of fertilizer are important, so plan on applying several types year-round according to the recommendations on their labels and accounting for climate and soil properties; this will help the cocoa trees to maintain optimum growth rates as well as increase yields over time. Irrigation is required in some cases but not always necessary, depending on the location. For example, in regions with marked dry seasons then irrigation may be necessary during those times, but unnecessary during other parts of the year when rainfall exceeds evaporation rates.

Photo for illustration only. Actual products may vary due to the nature of the product.