We all know that due to the uniqueness of its Tea tree varieties, as well as differences in tree types and the climatic conditions, altitude, and other factors across various tea regions and mountains, Pu'er Spring Tea, especially that from ancient trees, tends to sprout relatively late.

Based on historical harvest times for spring tea, it is typically picked around mid-to-late March. If there is abundant rainfall in a given year, the sprouting time can be slightly earlier by about a week. Conversely, it can be delayed until late March or early April, and in some cases, even until mid-April to early May.

Pu'er spring tea isn't necessarily better when harvested earlier. Early doesn't equal good. All living things grow according to natural laws, and they are at their best only after reaching a certain stage of development. Pursuing an early harvest blindly can have the opposite effect.

Harvesting too early, in pursuit of tenderness, means the buds and leaves haven't developed properly, and their internal substance accumulation is insufficient. Poorly nourished buds and leaves cannot ensure quality, and the resulting tea will have light fragrance, weak flavor, and poor durability. Furthermore, teas harvested early are generally used for trial production.

Moreover, even though they are all spring teas, each type has different optimal processing standards, so the harvest times vary. For example, high-altitude forest ancient tree teas sprout later than small-tree and plantation teas. The trunks and crowns of ancient trees are larger than those of plantation and small-tree teas, which means nutrients take longer to transport, and the growth cycle is longer.

Sprouting occurs later in high-altitude areas compared to low-altitude regions, as temperatures decrease with altitude. In lower-altitude areas, where temperatures are higher and spring arrives sooner, tea trees sprout earlier. In higher-altitudes, where temperatures are lower and the temperature difference between day and night is greater, the growth rate of tea trees naturally slows down, leading to later sprouting but allowing for more internal substance accumulation in the buds.

Not only is picking difficult, but every step in the making process is done by hand. To strictly control quality, every step must be done meticulously. Good tea requires careful craftsmanship and attention to detail, which takes time. If one rushes, seeking speed and quick results, and is sloppy in the production process, it would be a waste of the tea leaves!

Blindly pursuing an early spring tea harvest is like pulling up seedlings to help them grow—it only moves you further away from producing high-quality tea.