Tea Harvesting Process Evolved

Tea, one of the world's most beloved beverages, undergoes a meticulous cultivation process primarily for its leaves. The tea plant, Camellia sinensis, must mature for three years before its tender leaves are ready for harvest. Throughout the year, tea is harvested multiple times to ensure the highest quality yield, typically during spring, late summer, and autumn.

Harvesting remains a labor-intensive task performed by skilled hands, as machinery risks damaging the delicate leaves. Selectivity is key; only the top young leaves, along with their accompanying stem and bud, are picked. This combination, known as a "flush," forms the foundation of tea production. A flush with two or three leaves is esteemed as "golden flush," while flushes with more leaves are also harvested depending on the desired tea type.

Timing is crucial in tea harvesting. Picking prematurely results in reduced yields, while delayed harvesting can compromise the tea's quality. Ideally, leaves should be plucked when they have developed three to five buds and have attained optimal size and flavor.

After careful hand-picking, the harvested leaves are meticulously collected in large wicker baskets by tea pickers. These baskets are then transported to processing plants on the plantation. Once at the plant, the leaves are spread thinly on trays and left to dry under the sun, initiating the initial stage of tea processing.

In recent years, technological advancements have complemented traditional methods in tea cultivation. Drones equipped with sensors are employed to monitor plant health, optimizing harvest times and improving overall yield and quality. Additionally, sustainable practices such as organic farming and fair trade initiatives have gained traction, ensuring both environmental responsibility and social equity within the tea industry.

Despite modernization, the art of tea harvesting retains its intrinsic connection to nature and skilled craftsmanship, preserving the rich heritage of this ancient beverage.
Tea Harvesting Process Evolved

Ideal climate to grow tea

Tea is one of the most important cash crops worldwide, playing a significant role in rural development, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries. The cultivation of tea requires strictly defined climatic and soil conditions.

Tea plant is an evergreen bush that flourishes in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions at elevations below 3000 m. Tea does not tolerate long droughts or frost and extreme heat. The best quality tea is produced at high altitudes of 1500 to 2250 meters above sea level.

Camellia sinensis var. sinensis grows in cooler mountainous regions, while Camellia sinensis var. assamica grows best in a tropical climate.

Tea grows in a wide range of latitudes of between 30◦ S and 42◦ N that satisfy the certain eco-physiological requirements of tea plants, including thresholds of climatic variables.

Tea requires rainfall of 1200mm to 2200mm that is well distributed throughout the year, and relative humidity of around 80 % (never less than 40%).

Tea is considered optimal conditions are annual precipitation at the level of 2500 - 3000 mm3 per square meter.

Tea plants can survive a wide range of temperatures between 10 to 30 ◦C. Solar radiation is another primary driver which plays a significant role in photosynthesis in plants. Excessive wind causes water deficit in tea plants due to high evapotranspiration.

The monsoonal climate, alternate wet and dry seasons and the high elevation of subtropical mountains in China, India, and Sri Lanka appear to provide above optimal conditions for tea cultivation.

Unfavorable conditions, such as droughts, floods, frosts or excessive heat, limit plant growth and lead to changes in the biochemical structure of the raw material which lead to a decrease in its quality.
Ideal climate to grow tea

Suitable environment for tea cultivation

To grow, tea needs plenty of water and sunshine, 4,000m² (1 acre) of tea in full leaf during normal fine weather will draw just over 10 tonnes (0.9 tons) of water a day from the soil - equivalent to about 0.25mm (less than 0.1”) of rain.

Some of this will be lost through evaporation, surface run-off etc., but a considerable quantity of rainfall is needed for leaf transpiration which allows photosynthesis and healthy plant growth.

Tea plants grow well in tropical and subtropical climates. Temperature plays an Important part in the growth and yield of tea. Temperature affects tea yield by influencing rate of photosynthesis and controlling growth and dormancy. In general, the ambient temperature within 13°C and 28-32°C is conducive for growth of tea.

Maximum ambient temperature above 32°C is unfavorable for optimum photosynthesis more so if it is accompanied by low humidity. A humid climate and high RH favors growth of tea.

Generally, sandy loam to silty loam type of soil with pH range of 4.5 - 5.5 is ideal for growing tea. Soil should possess a minimum 1% of organic carbon, 1-2% of organic matter, 35ppm of P2O5 and 80 ppm of K2O for successful establishment of tea. Tea grows well on high land well drained soils having a good depth. The depth of ground water table should not be less than 90 cm for good growth of tea. Catchment planning is required for improved soil and water management practices in a tea estate for which land survey designed to identify all major and minor topographical features needs to be carried out.

Like every plant tea bushes need protection from weeds otherwise the competition for water and soil nutrients would damage the tea crop potential. This is done with a combination of herbicides and hand weeding in non-organic crops.
Suitable environment for tea cultivation

Fruit of Mulberry

Mulberry are members of the Moraceae, consisting of mostly trees and shrubs of tropical regions.

When ripe the fruit is juicy and has the appearance of an elongated bramble fruit.

Three are three types of mulberry, named according to the color of the fruit.
*Red Mulberry
*Black Mulberry
*White Mulberry

Black mulberry is more commonly used for its fruit while white mulberry is better known for its connection with oriental silk production.

Recently tea made of mulberry leave has become popular in some countries.

Mulberry leaf is rich in gamma-aminobutylic acid, effective against high blood pressure and in alanine, effective giants hangovers.

The processed of mulberry tea is similar to that of green tea, which includes the procedures of leaf harvesting and washing, chopping, steaming, rubbing, baking, cooling, sieving and storage.

Mulberry tea is drink in the same way as green tea. In Chinese medicine, it is believed that this beverage nourishes the kidneys, clears heat and improves eyesight.

It also has a whitening affects that can definitely boost our skin.

Mulberry juice is used in folk medicine remedies for tumors. It is reported that white mulberry is used in folk medicine for arm ache, asthma, bronchitis, bug-bites, cold, cough dropsy, constipation and diarrhea.

Medicinally, fruits are laxative, refrigerant in fevers and used for treating sore throat.

Mulberry ripen unevenly, and are highly perishable, which are the main reason why they have never achieved commercial significance.

The ripe fruit is delicious eaten but also can be made into wine. In medieval England, mulberries were made into murrey, a blue black puree added to spice meats or used as a pudding.
Fruit of Mulberry