When is the best time to prune tea leaves? Which month is the best time to prune tea leaves?

Tea pruning time

Tea leaves need to be pruned several times during the management period. The final pruning is in early March , when the height of the seedlings is 25-30 cm. The autumn pruning is between mid-to-late October and early November . The spring pruning is in late February before the spring buds . Deep pruning is done after the spring tea is harvested, specifically between mid-May or late June .

Tea pruning method

1. Shape and trim

During the tea seedling period, the crown skeleton must be determined. Generally, fixed pruning is done 2-3 times. The first time is when the main branch grows 15 cm from the ground, the second time is between mid-May and early June, and the third time is between late September and early October. The cut should be 5 cm higher than the previous one. Shaping pruning can promote the formation of backbone branches and lay the foundation for high yields.

2. Light pruning

The methods of light pruning include flat pruning and arc pruning. When performing light pruning, cut off 4-8 cm of the top surface each time. This can eliminate the growth advantage of the tea leaves’ top, promote the germination of buds, increase the germination rate of the plant, and form a good picking surface.

3. Deep pruning

After multiple picking and light pruning, the production branches are thin and weak, and the bud-growing ability is reduced, which can easily lead to a decline in tea yield and quality. Therefore, deep pruning is necessary to rejuvenate the tree and improve the bud-growing ability of the tea tree. Deep pruning is to cut off 10-15 cm of branches and leaves on the surface of the crown to retain the basic skeleton of the crown.

4. Heavy pruning

After multiple deep prunings of tea leaves, the activity of the upper branches decreases, the nutrient transportation of the branches is poor, and the germination ability is weakened. When pruning, the upper branches are generally cut off 45-50 cm from the ground. For shorter tea trees, reasonable pruning can be performed to ensure that the height of the tea leaves after pruning is roughly consistent.

Notes on Pruning Tea Leaves

Tea leaves need to be pruned many times during their growth period to increase yield and quality. Usually, a thin layer of fertilizer and water can be applied after pruning to promote the recovery of the plant, but the fertilizer and water should not be dripped on the leaves to avoid rot.