Growing Tea (camellia sinensis)
eskimobaby87
18 years ago
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Comments (14)
Josh
18 years agoeken9966
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Green tea Camellia sinensis how to not kill it this winter?
Comments (3)The truth is that, oftentimes, camellias don't seem to take well to being grown inside. Birdinthepalm is a happy exception! It appears to be difficult to create the kind of atmosphere that they will thrive in. Particularly during the winter, when typical indoor humidity levels go way down inside. That, in combination with some improper watering practices (maybe?) could cause some real problems. A fast draining potting mix is always best for containerized plants, making over watering more difficult. If your medium drains properly, then you SHOULD water it to overflow each time, rather than giving it little sips. However, I've sure seen some soils that were mucky and soggy, and difficult to manage. Birdinthepalm explained it perfectly....they like being uniformly moist, but must never be overwatered! A fast draining mix makes that possible....See MoreTea Cultivar Camellia Sinensis
Comments (2)Many people propagate their sinensis from cuttings to get more plants and more leaves for their tea but, if you do not want to wait for them to grow, you can buy small plants or even large ones. I saw a large (1.5' tall or more) tea plant for sale at a local nursery maybe 2-3 years ago. You can also find seeds at Camellia Forest for sale; see the link below. Here is a link that might be useful: Camellia Forest Link...See MoreAnyone growing tea (Camellia sinensis )?
Comments (15)The enzymes in the tea leaves promote oxidation of the leaves after they are picked from the tea plant. Just as dying tree leaves turn from green to gold, red and brown in the Fall, so wilting tea leaves start to go brown and black under warm humid conditions. This is a form of natural oxidative decay, a bit like apple flesh turning brown after it is cut. Therefore the enzymes have to be knocked out by steam in order to stop this "fermentation" and retain the green color of the leaves as they are dried. This is also done to things like green beans by blanching before freezing...otherwise the enzymes can cause the beans to turn black and leathery. This fermentation is allowed to occur naturally when black tea is made, because the leaves are not steamed and the enzymes are intact. The fermentation process increases the body, astringency and complexity of the flavor but also removes some of the anti-oxidant components of the tea....See Morehydroponic camellia sinensis (TEA)
Comments (1)Hi Ryan, Start with the eventual size of you tea plant (shrub). Since they can grow 2 meters plus (if not pruned) the pot size is dictated by the size you want to hold your tea plant to. For a 2-meter plant a minimum 5-7 gal pot would be recommended. Then build your hydro system around the pot....See Morerhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
18 years agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
8 years agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
7 years agoBrad Edwards
7 years agodavemct
7 years agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
7 years agodavemct
7 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years agoBrad Edwards
7 years agoTiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
7 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
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