how to grow tea

Camellia sinensis likes an ericaceous soil in a bright, sheltered position but with partial shade. In general the seeds that sink give the highest chances of successful germination, although this is by no means guaranteed. Steam the leaves (like you would vegetables) on your stove for about a minute. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Here’s our guide on How to Grow Tea. Let me know in the comments below how you liked Backyard Tea Garden. Soak the tea seeds in water overnight prior to planting. Place in a sheltered and partially shaded spot in the garden or on the patio, under the shadow of a small tree or large shrub. Keep the tea seedlings between 65 and 72 degrees F while they are maturing. Camellia sinensis, or tea plant is the most popular plant used for tea-making on earth.Commercial growers use it to produce white, green, oolong, and black teas, using various parts of the plant at different stages of growth, combined with different processing methods, to come up with these various types of tea. Coriander, lemon bergamot, lemon balm and jasmine are also popular tea herbs that can add interesting flavors and scents. If you’re growing indoors or in a greenhouse, you can grow these plants just about anywhere! At this time of year, mulled wine is a festive warming drink that gets a lot of attention, but we think mulled cider... August is a glorious month to enjoy the ripening fruit and veg that you’ve been growing this year. The perfect time to harvest this hardy plant is in the early morning after dew has dried. This allows the seeds to absorb as much water as it can and help to kick start the germination process. If you are British there is (arguably) nothing more comforting, relaxing or social than sitting down and having a nice cup of tea. Put the seeds in a bowl and cover them with water. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Lemon verbena: The lemon-scented leaves of this plant impart a strong lemon flavor to tea. A full list with tips & tricks for all seasons, Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Soluble Plant Food, Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Continuous Release Plant Food, Roundup® for Lawn Optima Concentrate Weedkiller, Miracle-Gro® EverGreen® Water Soluble Lawn Food, Bring the fragrance indoors with David Domoney. When planting more than one sapling in the ground, leave a distance of 1.5 metres between the plants. 1 Tea from Plant Leaves. “This plant thrives on 80 to 90 inches of rain annually at very high elevations. Pretty much any culinary herb can be used in a tea; and many have medicinal qualities. Get your seeds from a reputable source and confirm the variant with the seller before purchasing. Tea is a perennial plant. Once removed from the water, place in a seed tray in a warm, sunny position and spray to keep damp. Your plant should be around 3 years old before you start picking leaves. Root rot can be a problem if the plants don’t get good drainage. There are four main types of tea: green tea, black tea, oolong tea (pronounced wu-long) and white tea. The full technical name is Chinese Camellia sinensis sinensis. Cultivation. First, soak your tea seeds in water for between 24 and 48 hours. Tea plant prefers organically rich, fertile soil that drains well. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014. This article has been viewed 6,007 times. We’ve reached the end of How to Grow a Tea Garden. As a nation we enjoy drinking tea on a daily basis, getting through 165 million cups a day. However, if you fancy giving it a whirl, buy your tea seeds from a reputable trader and ensure that the variety supplied is the Chinese Camellia Sinensis Sinensis and not the Indian Camellie Sinensis Assamica, which needs tropical conditions to thrive. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. The large seeds should be soaked for 24 hours prior to sowing, then sown indoors 1-2" deep in a light, sterilized mix. Start with a 15-inch pot and increase the size over the years as the shrub matures. Tea plants need protecting from frost when young and it is advisable to bring them into a greenhouse or cool porch during the first two winters. Tea seeds left at room temperature will rapidly loose moisture and become less viable. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7a\/Grow-Tea-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Tea-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7a\/Grow-Tea-Step-1.jpg\/aid9280265-v4-728px-Grow-Tea-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"