Tea plants are continuously harvested, which leads to a significant consumption of nutrients within the plant. During the hot summer months, the soil becomes compacted, weeds proliferate, and the soil structure weakens, creating favorable conditions for pests and diseases that negatively impact the tea trees' growth. To restore the vitality and health of the tea plants during this challenging period, effective management practices in the tea garden must be implemented. The following measures should be taken:
First, deep plowing around the tea bushes is essential. The plowing depth should be about 10 cm under the canopy drip line and 20 cm outside of it. While doing so, all stones, weeds, and grass should be removed to break up the soil clods and improve aeration. This helps enhance the soil’s ability to retain and supply water and nutrients, accelerating soil maturation and forming a soft, fertile layer that promotes healthy tea tree growth.
Second, timely fertilization combined with weeding and soil loosening is crucial. A small ditch, approximately 13 cm deep, should be dug along the outer edge of the tea tree canopy. Fertilizer should be applied deeply into the ditch and covered immediately with soil. In summer, the topdressing fertilizer should be calculated based on the pure nutrient content of the chemical fertilizer used, following a ratio of N (nitrogen): P (phosphorus): K (potassium) = 4:3:2. This typically means applying around 15 kg of urea per mu, 11.25 kg of superphosphate or calcium magnesium, and 7.5 kg of potassium chloride.
Third, proper pruning of the tea tree crown during summer is necessary. The goal is to maintain a rounded shape while removing unwanted branches such as "chicken claws," overly dense branches, leggy shoots, clustered branches, withered branches, and pest-infested ones. This encourages the growth of lateral branches and new leaves, improving air circulation and light penetration, which enhances photosynthesis and increases the production of carbohydrates—leading to higher yields. Pruning length should be around 1-2 cm for lateral branches and 2-3 cm for main trunks and branches. All pruned material should be removed from the field and burned to prevent the spread of pests and diseases.
Fourth, pest and disease control is vital during the summer season. Common issues include tea cake disease and tea bud blight, while tea aphids and tea caterpillars are major pests. Tea cake disease affects the shoots and leaves, causing sunken lesions on the front side and grayish-white spores on the back. Infected leaves become brittle and bitter, reducing their quality. To manage this, spray a 0.2–0.5% copper sulfate solution every 7 days. For tea bud blight, which affects young summer shoots, leaves become distorted and blackened. Prevention involves spraying 70% thiophanate-methyl at 75–100 grams per acre diluted in 1500 times water, also every 7 days. For tea caterpillars and aphids, use 90% wettable powder of dipterex at 100–150 grams per acre mixed with 1000 times clean water, and spray every 5–7 days to keep infestations under control.
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