A tea garden is an outdoor space or garden where tea and light refreshments are served, or any garden with which the drinking of tea is associated. in India, it is also a common term for a tea plantation The tea garden was a part of early English commercial pleasure gardens;
Assam, situated in the northeast of India, is one of the largest tea producing regions of the world. The state of Assam is known as the tea garden of India.When you begin making your tea garden design, plan so that you plant herbal tea gardens in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Choose a location that gets at least six hours of sunlight per day. If the soil is poorly drained, plant in a raised bed.
Tea soils must be acid; tea cannot be grown in alkaline soils. A desirable pH value is 5.8 to 5.4 or less. A crop of 1,500 pounds of tea per acre (1,650 kg per hectare) requires 1.5 to 2 workers per acre (3.7 to 4.9 workers per hectare) to pluck the tea shoots and perform other fieldwork.
Tea plants may take up to three years to mature and produce a harvest, but you can grow and care for a tea plant in your own home garden. Since they are native to mostly tropical regions of the world, tea plants flourish in warm temperatures and grow year-round when in a warm climate.
A mature tea plant does not usually live for more than 40 or 50 years. Nonetheless some varieties can live up to 100 years. At the end of the fifth year, the tea plant is ready to be harvested.
Like Darjeeling teas, Assam’s are typically harvested from March through to December. Higher quality teas are harvested here during two distinct growth periods, the first and second flush. All other grades of tea are harvested after this period. The first flush begins in March, and the second flush begins in June.
Full or dappled sunlight is ideal, as are temperatures between 55 and 90 F. (13-32 C). Avoid full shade, as tea plants in sun are more robust. Otherwise, tea plant care isn't complicated.
The tea we drink comes from various cultivars of Camellia sinensis, a small tree or large shrub commonly known as the tea plant. Familiar teas such as white, black, green and oolong all come from tea plants, although the method of processing varies considerably.
The most familiar and widely grown tea plants include two common varieties: Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, used primarily for white and green tea, and Camellia sinensis var. assamica, used for black tea.
The first is native to China, where it grows at very high elevations. This variety is suitable for moderate climates, generally USDA plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. The second variety, however, is native to India. It isn’t frost tolerant and grows in tropical climates of zone 10b and above.
Growing Tea Plants at Home Tea plants in the garden require well drained, slightly acidic soil. An acidic mulch, such as pine needles, will help retain the proper soil pH. Full or dappled sunlight is ideal, as are temperatures between 55 and 90 F. (13-32 C). Avoid full shade, as tea plants in sun are more robust. Otherwise, tea plant care isn’t complicated. Water plants frequently during the first two years – generally two or three times per week during the summer, using rainwater whenever possible. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Saturate the rootball but don’t overwater, as tea plants don’t appreciate wet feet. Once the plants are well established, continue to water as needed during hot, dry weather. Spray or mist the leaves lightly during dry periods, as tea plants are tropical plants that thrive in humidity
The tea plant grows well in deep and fertile well-drained laterite soil, rich in humus and organic matter, coupled with tropical and sub-tropical climates. Tea bushes require a moist and warm frost-free climate all through the year.
