Why cut tea plants? What are their objectives and effects?
table of contents
Introduction
Pruning the surface of the tea plant serves two purposes.
One is "pruning", which is the work of making the surface of the tea plant neat and even, and the other is "pruning" or "renewal", which is the work of cutting the height of the tree down.
The basis of tea plantation management: pruning
Pruning of tea plants is an essential task for maintaining the quality of the tea leaves and keeping the plant vigorous.
The purpose is to make new buds grow all at once, which increases the efficiency of picking and improves the quality of the tea leaves.
There are two main pruning periods: autumn and spring.
Pruning in autumn is primarily done to prune branches that grew in the summer, reducing the burden on the tree and encouraging buds to sprout the following year.
On the other hand, pruning in the spring is intended to promote the growth of new shoots and increase harvest yields.
In addition to these pruning methods, pruning may also be carried out if buds emerge late after the first or second harvest, causing the surface of the tea plant to become uneven.
Pruning methods vary depending on the tree species, growing conditions, and purpose. By pruning at the right time and in the right way, you can maintain and manage your tea plantation and ensure a stable harvest of high-quality tea leaves.
On the other hand, pruning means cutting the tea bushes very short.
Changes in tea plantation lifespan and productivity
The decision to end production on a tea farm is made based on a comprehensive assessment of the quantity and quality of tea leaves that can be harvested from the farm, as well as economic aspects.
Specifically, important factors include the amount of tea leaves that can be harvested from one stalk, the number of new shoots per unit area, the total area of the tea plantation, and the percentage of the area where tea leaves are actually picked.
However, if tea leaves are continuously picked over many years, the number of branches on the tea plant will increase, but at the same time, the new shoots and branches will become thinner and the quality of the tea leaves will decline.
This is because the tea plants become overly exhausted and lose their ability to produce new buds.
The purpose and effects of pruning tea plants
Pruning tea plants temporarily reduces the number of new shoots, but encourages them to grow thicker, which leads to improved quality of the tea leaves.
Additionally, if the trees grow too tall it becomes difficult to pick the tea leaves, so maintaining an appropriate tree height through pruning is also an important objective.
When and how to prune
Generally, the best time to prune is after the first tea leaves are picked.
Pruning methods include shallow cutting, deep cutting, medium cutting, and base cutting, depending on the depth of the cut, and are used according to the condition of the tree and the situation of the tea farm.
How to train tea plants
There are many different ways to train tea plants, including bun type, semicircular type, arc type, and horizontal type.
These training methods are used depending on the type of tea leaves picked and the cultivation method.
For example, in tea plantations for Gyokuro and Tencha, "natural training" that makes use of the natural shape of the tree is common.
In this way, by selecting the most suitable training method depending on the type of tea and the purpose of cultivation, it is possible to harvest high-quality tea leaves.
