Grow Your Own Tea Plants Year-round
2024-07-23
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1People who grow their own food are familiar with planting tomatoes, peppers, squash, herbs, berries and other common fruits and vegetables.
2However, they may not think of growing plants for drinks.
3Gardening expert Jessica Damiano recently wrote about plants you can grow to make tea.
4Damiano, who writes for the Associated Press, says that growing your own tea plants in the garden can provide enough leaves and flower buds to keep your tea pot filled year-round.
5And the plant to grow, she says, is camellia sinensis (var. sinensis), also known as the "tea plant."
6These evergreen plants are easy to grow in any amount of sunlight, from deep shade to full sun.
7However, ideal growing conditions are part sun to light shade.
8They require well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH.
9Young plants will take about two years to produce enough leaves for tea.
10In five years, one plant should provide enough for an average tea drinker.
11If you need more tea, Damiano says to plant more camellia sinensis.
12Camellia sinensis is called the "tea plant" because white, green, black, and oolong teas all come from this plant.
13Their differences come from harvesting practices and after-harvest treatments.
14For white tea, pick the flower buds before they fully open.
15Heat the buds in a pan over low heat, moving them often for about 10 minutes.
16Cool them and store in an airtight container.
17For green, black and oolong tea, pick two or three of the youngest leaves from each stem, along with the leaf bud from each stem tip. Do this every 10 to 12 days as new growth develops.
18Preparing green, oolong, or black tea all have different processes.
19For making green tea, briefly steam leaves over boiling water.
20Then put the leaves on a clean towel and let them sit for five minutes.
21Roll up the leaves in the towel gently to remove extra water.
22Remove the leaves from the towel, separate them, and place them on a baking sheet.
23Heat in an oven or toaster oven set to 148 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 to 15 minutes or until the leaves are completely dry.
24Brew immediately or cool and keep them in an airtight container for future use.
25For making oolong tea, put the leaves in one layer on a baking tray.
26Put the tray in a sunny outdoor spot to let the leaves wilt.
27After 30 to 60 minutes, move the tray into the shade and move the leaves every hour for 8 to 10 hours.
28Next, place the leaves in a wide pan and cook them over low heat for 15 minutes, moving gently as needed to prevent burning.
29Let the leaves cool.
30And roll each leaf individually to keep its oils and flavors.
31They should be completely dry before storing in an airtight container.
32To make black tea, place leaves on a baking sheet in the sun for 10 to 12 hours to remove only 50 to 75 percent of the water.
33Then, cut the leaves into long pieces and roll into small balls.
34Place the balls in a warm room between 25 and 26 degrees Celsius (78 to 80 degrees F) that is not too dry of a room until they turn reddish-black.
35Then, dry them in an oven at 93 degrees Celsius (200 degrees F) for 5 minutes.
36Lower heat to 60 degrees C (140 degrees F) and continue drying for an additional hour.
37Cool and store in an airtight container.
38Native to China, camellia sinensis var. sinensis is cold-hardy.
39That means it can survive in cold weather.
40However, it may need some protection to survive cold winters.
41The same is true for another variety of this flower, camelia sinensis var. assamica. Native to India, this kind is more like a tree.
42You will have to research which kinds of camellia sinensis can grow in your area.
43On its website, the International Camellia Society gives you suggestions for how to protect these plants during a cold weather.
44Mulching: Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base to protect the roots.
45Covering: Use a cloth to cover the plant during extreme cold.
46Watering: Water the plant well before the first freeze.
47Location: Plant your camellia in a sheltered spot, such as near a building, to protect it from cold winds.
48Pruning: Avoid pruning late in the season. New growth may not survive colder weather.
49I'm Anna Matteo. And I'm Andrew Smith.
1People who grow their own food are familiar with planting tomatoes, peppers, squash, herbs, berries and other common fruits and vegetables. 2However, they may not think of growing plants for drinks. 3Gardening expert Jessica Damiano recently wrote about plants you can grow to make tea. Damiano, who writes for the Associated Press, says that growing your own tea plants in the garden can provide enough leaves and flower buds to keep your tea pot filled year-round. 4And the plant to grow, she says, is camellia sinensis (var. sinensis), also known as the "tea plant." 5These evergreen plants are easy to grow in any amount of sunlight, from deep shade to full sun. However, ideal growing conditions are part sun to light shade. They require well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH. 6Young plants will take about two years to produce enough leaves for tea. In five years, one plant should provide enough for an average tea drinker. If you need more tea, Damiano says to plant more camellia sinensis. 7Camellia sinensis is called the "tea plant" because white, green, black, and oolong teas all come from this plant. Their differences come from harvesting practices and after-harvest treatments. 8For white tea, pick the flower buds before they fully open. Heat the buds in a pan over low heat, moving them often for about 10 minutes. Cool them and store in an airtight container. 9For green, black and oolong tea, pick two or three of the youngest leaves from each stem, along with the leaf bud from each stem tip. Do this every 10 to 12 days as new growth develops. 10Preparing green, oolong, or black tea all have different processes. 11Green tea 12For making green tea, briefly steam leaves over boiling water. Then put the leaves on a clean towel and let them sit for five minutes. Roll up the leaves in the towel gently to remove extra water. Remove the leaves from the towel, separate them, and place them on a baking sheet. Heat in an oven or toaster oven set to 148 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10 to 15 minutes or until the leaves are completely dry. Brew immediately or cool and keep them in an airtight container for future use. 13Oolong tea 14For making oolong tea, put the leaves in one layer on a baking tray. Put the tray in a sunny outdoor spot to let the leaves wilt. After 30 to 60 minutes, move the tray into the shade and move the leaves every hour for 8 to 10 hours. Next, place the leaves in a wide pan and cook them over low heat for 15 minutes, moving gently as needed to prevent burning. Let the leaves cool. And roll each leaf individually to keep its oils and flavors. They should be completely dry before storing in an airtight container. 15Black tea 16To make black tea, place leaves on a baking sheet in the sun for 10 to 12 hours to remove only 50 to 75 percent of the water. Then, cut the leaves into long pieces and roll into small balls. Place the balls in a warm room between 25 and 26 degrees Celsius (78 to 80 degrees F) that is not too dry of a room until they turn reddish-black. Then, dry them in an oven at 93 degrees Celsius (200 degrees F) for 5 minutes. Lower heat to 60 degrees C (140 degrees F) and continue drying for an additional hour. Cool and store in an airtight container. 17Native to China, camellia sinensis var. sinensis is cold-hardy. That means it can survive in cold weather. However, it may need some protection to survive cold winters. 18The same is true for another variety of this flower, camelia sinensis var. assamica. Native to India, this kind is more like a tree. 19You will have to research which kinds of camellia sinensis can grow in your area. 20On its website, the International Camellia Society gives you suggestions for how to protect these plants during a cold weather. 21Mulching: Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base to protect the roots. 22Covering: Use a cloth to cover the plant during extreme cold. 23Watering: Water the plant well before the first freeze. 24Location: Plant your camellia in a sheltered spot, such as near a building, to protect it from cold winds. 25Pruning: Avoid pruning late in the season. New growth may not survive colder weather. 26I'm Anna Matteo. And I'm Andrew Smith. 27Jessica Damiano reported this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 28_______________________________________________ 29Words in This Story 30garden - v. to grow herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables 31bud - n. a small growth at the tip or on the side of a plant stem that later develops into a flower, leaf, or new shoot 32evergreen - adj. having foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season 33shade - n. space sheltered from the heat and bright light of the sun 34acidic - adj. Acidic soil tends to have mineral deficiencies that can affect plant growth. By definition, acidity is the characteristic of soil that has a pH level of less than 6.5 (a reading of 5.5 means the soil is very acidic). 35steam - v. the invisible vapor into which water is changed when heated to the boiling point 36brew - v. to prepare (as tea) by soaking in hot water 37wilt - v. to lose or cause to lose freshness and become limp 38oven - n. a chamber used for baking, heating, or drying 39prune - v. to cut off or cut back parts of for better shape or more fruitful growth 40We want to hear from you. What did you think of this story? Do In the Comments section, you can also practice using any of the expressions from the story. Our comment policy is here.