(1) Timely Pruning
When pruning tea trees that have suffered from freezing, it is essential to tailor the approach based on local conditions and specific gardens.
For tea gardens primarily focused on harvesting high-quality teas, different levels of pruning should be applied according to the severity of freezing damage. If only some tender leaves are affected, no pruning may be necessary; if parts of the branches and leaves lose vitality after freezing, pruning is required to encourage new shoots and develop a strong framework and picking surface. When most tea plants suffer damage to the foliage and branches 3-5 cm above the picking surface, light pruning is recommended; in cases of more severe damage where the main branches are also affected, heavy pruning should be performed; if the damage is extremely severe and the above-ground branches and leaves have lost vitality, coppicing (Cutting back severely) is appropriate. Pruning should ideally be carried out in early spring when temperatures have stabilized and there is no risk of a late cold snap.
For mechanical harvesting gardens focused on bulk tea production, pruning should follow the principle of “catering to the majority, consistency within the garden.” Different depths of pruning should be used based on the extent of freezing damage. Pruning is typically done at the end of February or early March, once local temperatures have stabilized.
For 1-2-year-old young tea gardens with a low mortality rate due to freezing, shaping pruning can be employed to remove dead branches and replant missing sections; if most of the tea plants have died, transplanting and replanting is necessary.
(2) Strengthen Fertilization and Water Management
After pruning frozen tea trees, fertilization and water management must be strengthened to restore vigor and rebuild the Canopy.
① Timely fertilization. Increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and after the buds emerge, use the method of “frequent and multiple applications” to top-dress with nitrogen Fertilizer. Once the new branches' leaves have matured, foliar fertilization can yield better results.
② Irrigation and Drainage. In regions or years experiencing spring drought, timely irrigation of frozen tea trees is necessary. After heavy Snow or Freezing rain and ice melting, if there is standing water in the tea garden, drainage ditches should be dug promptly to prevent waterlogging.