Tea plants are leaf Crops cultivated for the harvest of young leaves and buds. Spring tea is the season with the highest quality and most significant economic benefits in the annual tea production cycle. Currently, it is a critical period for implementing spring farming activities across the province. Promptly addressing spring tea production and implementing relevant tea garden management measures play a vital role in enhancing tea yield and quality, as well as increasing the economic benefits for tea farmers and tea enterprises.
I. Early Application of Bud Stimulating Fertilizer
The new shoots of tea plants in spring grow vigorously, at a rapid pace, and consume relatively large amounts of nutrients. The root system has strong absorption capabilities, and it is difficult to meet the growth needs solely relying on the base fertilizer applied in the previous autumn, which can result in a “disconnection” of soil nutrients in the tea garden.
Studies have shown that applying bud stimulating fertilizers about 25 days before the emergence of tea buds not only helps increase spring tea yields (comparing tea gardens with and without spring fertilization, there is an overall increase of 10%-20% in the annual yield), but also plays a good role in opening the garden earlier and increasing summer and autumn tea production. The fertilizers should primarily be fast-acting high-nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea, potassium sulfate compound fertilizers, tea-specific fertilizers, and water-soluble organic fertilizers, etc. The amount of fertilizer generally accounts for 30% of the total annual nitrogen.
II. Shallow Cultivation with Soil Loosening
The cultivation of tea gardens during the spring tea period can be divided into two shallow cultivations, one before and one after the spring tea harvest. Shallow cultivation before the spring tea harvest is typically carried out in early February or March, in conjunction with the application of bud-stimulating fertilizers. This is one of the essential measures for increasing spring tea production and maintaining tree vigor. After the winter rains and Snow, the soil tends to become compacted and has lower temperatures. Shallow cultivation before the spring tea harvest can loosen the soil, disperse moisture, balance soil temperature, and promote the early emergence of spring tea. It can also remove weeds from the winter and spring seasons, reduce pest sources, minimize nutrient diversion, and ensure the nutritional requirements of tea plants during their growth period. After the spring tea harvest, another shallow cultivation can be performed around late May, depending on the condition of the tea plants, which can improve the soil's water retention capacity and reduce the proliferation of summer and autumn weeds.
III. Reasonable Spring Pruning
In mature tea gardens, pruning is generally not performed in spring to maximize the harvest of premium spring teas, or a method of removing the top branches and over-dense branches is adopted. However, for tea gardens severely affected by Frost in winter, pruning must be done in spring to cut off frost-damaged branches. For young tea gardens, spring is the right time for shaping pruning to develop a picking surface. The first shaping pruning is performed at planting, Cutting the main branch 15-20 centimeters above the ground; the second pruning takes place in late spring of the second year after planting, cutting all branches flat 30-40 centimeters above the ground; the third pruning is carried out in the spring of the third year after planting, cutting the branches flat 50-60 centimeters above the ground. In spring, the top can be pinched, and single buds or one-bud-and-one-leaf teas can be harvested.
IV. Early Opening of the Garden
Tea harvesting is both a process of collecting leaves and buds and a measure for increasing yield and improving quality in cultivation management. Whether tea harvesting is scientifically and reasonably conducted directly affects the yield and quality of tea, as well as the growth vigor and economic lifespan of the tea plant. Tea buds have two distinct characteristics: the advantage of apical growth and multiple periods of sprouting. The advantage of apical growth means that when new shoots grow, the top bud sprouts first and grows fastest, inhibiting the growth of lateral buds. Timely removal of the top bud promotes the sprouting and growth of axillary buds. Multiple periods of sprouting begin with the emergence of overwintering buds, and they can sprout and grow 3-5 times or more throughout the year. After each sprouting period, there will be a brief growth cessation phase or intermission. This determines that tea plants have the characteristics of sprouting early if harvested early, sprouting late if harvested late, sprouting more if harvested more, and not sprouting if not harvested. Therefore, the principle of moderately tender picking, early picking, and timely batch picking should be grasped for the harvest of premium spring teas, and the opening of the garden should be appropriately early.
V. Prevention of Late Spring Cold Spells
To prevent late spring cold spells, three aspects of work need to be addressed: First, cover the rows and tree crowns of the tea garden with straw, rice husks, wheat stalks, plastic films, and shade nets to increase ground temperature and mitigate the impact of frost or wind chill on new tender buds of tea plants. However, these covers should be promptly removed after the cold spell to avoid hindering the budding of tea plants or causing bud burn. Second, during frost, water should be sprayed in a timely manner to clear the accumulated frost on the tree crowns, preventing the thick frost from damaging the tea plants and the low-temperature frost damage caused by melting frost. Third, attention should be paid to water management in the tea garden after freezing, to prevent frozen soil from lifting the roots and causing dehydration in tea plants. For some early-maturing varieties, timely early picking can also reduce the harm of frost to tender buds.
For tea plants already damaged by frost, the following measures can be taken: First, moderate pruning should be performed to remove dead parts. Second, strengthen fertilizer and water management to allow the tea plants to recover quickly and rebuild their crowns. Third, less picking and more nurturing should be practiced to restore the tea plant crowns as soon as possible.
VI. Pest and Disease Control
Regularly observe the situation of pests and diseases in the tea garden, and formulate control measures in a timely manner, scientifically managing pest and disease control work. According to the requirements of standard tea garden creation, extensively promote green pest and disease control technologies in tea gardens and alternatives to Pesticide applications, effectively enhancing the safety and quality of tea. For tea gardens affected by frost damage, especially close observation is required, and antibacterial agents should be sprayed in a timely manner to prevent the occurrence of pests like tea aphids, black scale insects, and small green leafhoppers, as well as diseases. During the spring tea period, physical, biological, and other methods should be reasonably employed for pest and disease control. In areas where pests and diseases are at peak incidence or severe, pesticides with low toxicity and high efficiency should be used under the premise of ensuring tea safety, or plant-based or biologically sourced pesticides with minimal harm to humans can be selected for control. Efforts should be made to use fewer or no chemical pesticides to ensure the safety of tea quality.
VII. Supplemental Planting and Thinning
In newly established tea gardens, whether through direct seeding or transplanting, there is usually a certain degree of missing plants. It is necessary to fill in the gaps with healthy seedlings of the same age and consistent growth before the tea buds start to emerge in mid-February of the second year. After replanting, water thoroughly, and pay attention to preserving the seedlings during dry seasons. In direct-seeded tea gardens, due to the number of seeds, variety, and quality, the growth of tea seedlings is often uneven, so thinning should be carried out in the second year after sowing (when the tea seedlings are two years old). Thinning is best done in mid-February, choosing a time when the soil is moist after rain, leaving 2-3 healthy seedlings per hole.
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