How to prune a tea plant.

How to prune a tea plant.

We often get asked, "how do you prune a tea plant" The tea plant shown above has been in the field for 3 years now. This is the year we see the most tremendous growth.

On the branch we are holding, you can see the prune marks on the bushes where the branch changes from grey, to new growth which is green. We want to follow a set of prune heights to form a well framed bush and get the most harvestable tea out of the tea plant.

"We let the plant grow up twice height between the previous cut."

What are the steps to pruning a tea plant?

1. Let the plant grow up twice height since the previous cut.

2. Cut 2" above the last prune. See example below.

Why prune tea plants this way?

• This cuts down on the stress of the tea plant.
• It encourages new growth.
• If you ignore pruning, the only way to fix it is to cut it back down 8/9".
• Cutting it this way will get you more harvestable tea leaves.

So make sure to keep a regular plucking schedule and you will develop the most productive tea plants.