Current key technical points for spring tea production management

Early picking and early marketing of spring tea, thereby increasing spring tea yield and output value, is the key to improving tea industry efficiency and increasing tea farmers' income. Combined with the actual tea production situation in Fuyang City, before spring tea picking, the main tasks are tea garden fertilization, tea tree pruning, freeze damage prevention, and tea factory and tea machine maintenance.

1. Shallow tillage and fertilization. Through shallow tillage, the soil can be loosened, the soil temperature raised, and early sprouting of spring tea promoted. Shallow tillage is generally carried out from late February to early March. When shallow tilling, combine with applying spring tea bud-promoting fertilizer. For tea gardens where base fertilizer was not applied in the previous autumn and winter, apply the spring tea bud-promoting fertilizer and base fertilizer at the same time. The amount of fertilizer applied depends on tea yield. Generally, for a tea garden with an annual yield of 100 kg of famous and high-quality tea per mu, apply 300 kg of rapeseed cake as base fertilizer, plus 50 kg of urea as topdressing. Fertilization time: for tea gardens with early-maturing varieties, apply before the end of February; for tea gardens with mid- and late-maturing varieties, apply from late February to early March. Fertilization method: after shallow tillage in the tea garden, open a furrow (furrow depth 3-5 cm), apply the fertilizer, and cover with soil, so as to prevent fertilizer volatilization and loss. For overly dense tea gardens, if broadcast application is used, it must be carried out on cloudy days or before rainy days; otherwise, it is easy to scorch tea leaves and cause fertilizer loss.

2. Tea tree pruning. In order to pick early and pick more famous and high-quality tea, mature tea gardens generally change pre-spring tea pruning to post-spring tea pruning. The pruning time is generally before May 20, and earlier is better than later; otherwise, it will affect tea tree growth. For young tea gardens of clonal improved varieties, during the spring tea period, carry out tea tree formative pruning, and on the basis of formative pruning, supplement with topping to quickly cultivate the tree canopy and form a flat picking surface. Pruning method: the first formative pruning is carried out when tea seedlings are transplanted and planted, cutting off the main branch 15-20 cm above the ground; the second formative pruning is carried out from late February to early March of the second year after planting, generally cutting flat 30-35 cm above the ground; the third formative pruning is carried out in the third year after planting, cutting 45-50 cm above the ground. In spring tea, supplement with topping plucking; generally, spring tea is best picked by leaving two leaves.

3. Carefully prevent spring freeze damage. Last March's spring snow damaged the production of early-maturing tea gardens in our city, especially tea gardens of the Wuniuzao variety, which suffered heavy losses, so preventing snow freeze or "late spring cold" during the spring tea period has become important work. Prevention and control methods: (1) Covering to prevent frost. Before low-temperature cold waves arrive, use rice straw, weeds, shade nets, plastic film, etc. to cover the canopy surface and the ground between tea rows, promote the rise of ground temperature in the tea garden, and reduce the frost effect in the tea garden; the amount of straw spread should be more than 1,500 kg per mu, with the ground preferably not exposed; when the tea garden canopy is covered and the temperature is above 0°C or the weather is sunny, remove the covering in time. (2) Smoke to prevent freezing. The method is, before late frost arrives, on a clear evening without rain, ignite piles of grass turf placed at the edge of the tea garden on an inward-facing side and with suitable terrain, so that smoke fills the area, reducing nighttime radiative heat loss and effectively preventing the harm of late frost to the tea garden. (3) Soil heat preservation. Strengthen fertilizer and cultivation management in the tea garden, apply sufficient base fertilizer, add foreign soil, thicken the active soil layer, and establish shelterbelts at the windward mouth of the tea garden.

4. Tea machine configuration and maintenance. Before spring tea, do a good job in tea factory machine configuration, tea machine maintenance, factory building cleaning and sanitation, etc., to ensure a clean environment for tea processing and prevent contamination during the tea frying process.