During the first two years after planting white Tea seedlings, efforts should be made to maximize the survival rate and development of the seedlings, promote the formation of the canopy as early as possible, lay a foundation for high-quality, high-yield, and efficient tea gardens, and at the same time, maximize the potential benefits during the juvenile period.

I

Tree Vigor Promotion Techniques

The tree vigor promotion techniques for newly planted White Tea gardens mainly focus on ensuring the survival rate of the seedlings and enhancing their growth. The ideal indicators for the growth in the year of planting are: a survival rate of over 90% in the garden, a height of more than 40 cm by the end of September, a base thickness of not less than 3 mm at 20 cm above ground level, more than 4-5 branches, and no fewer than 60 leaves per plant.

1. Drought and Cold Resistance for Seedling Protection

Ensuring the survival of seedlings is the primary task in the year of planting for white tea seedlings, which requires effective measures against “three droughts and one freeze,” i.e., winter-spring drought, spring drought, summer-autumn drought, and winter frost.

Winter-spring drought refers to drought conditions during the winter-spring period that cause physiological stress to the tea seedlings, which are still in a dormant state after planting. The main target of this drought is autumn-planted seedlings. Spring drought occurs after the Spring Tea sprouts until the first growth phase stops. Summer-autumn drought primarily affects the seedlings through prolonged high temperatures and drought. Tea seedlings planted in autumn-winter or those that have grown for a year are vulnerable to severe cold in winter. Generally, mature white tea trees can survive -10°C safely, but seedlings under two years old may wither or die at -5°C.

Effective methods to combat drought include irrigation, mulching with straw, adding soil, cutting grass, and shading. Timely irrigation during drought periods is the most effective and straightforward method; another effective method is to cover the soil with straw, husks, or stalks before the onset of drought, followed by covering with soil or placing sod upside down in the rows. Before the summer drought, live pine branches, bracken, or shade nets can be placed in the rows, which is especially important for white tea seedlings to survive the summer. The most effective method to resist freezing is to use plastic film insulation. In young tea gardens, root zone mulching with soil and organic materials can be done before the onset of severe winter to retain warmth.

2. Fertilization to Promote Growth

Fertilization to promote growth is an important part of the management of tea gardens in the first and second years. Fertilization in the year of planting should be frequent, timely, and moderate, primarily using fast-acting fertilizers, and there are two main methods.

The first method is “three top-ups and one base.” Apply three top-up fertilizations in early May, late June, and early September, each at 5 kg, 10 kg, and 10 kg of urea or compound fertilizer per mu, respectively, applied in trenches 20 cm away from the roots. Cover the soil after application. Apply base fertilizer in the autumn, using a mixture of 100 kg of cake fertilizer and 10-20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu.

The second method is “multiple liquids and one base.” For tea gardens in areas with abundant water supply, apply 1% to 1.5% urea or compound fertilizer solution monthly from May to September, applying approximately 300 kg of liquid per mu. Apply base fertilizer in the autumn, using no less than 100 kg of cake fertilizer and 10-20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu.

No fertilization is required before spring in the second year. After pruning and shaping in spring, apply 2-3 top-up fertilizations of fast-acting fertilizer (20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu) before early September based on the growth status and weather conditions. Organic fertilizers are used as the main component of the base fertilizer in autumn when the tea plants have formed a garden.

3. Optimizing the Ecosystem

For white tea seedlings, newly cultivated tea gardens on barren mountains fear scorching sunlight, while replanted tea gardens in arable land fear weeds. In areas with abundant water supply, weeding must be done six to seven times or more during the year to prevent the seedlings from being harmed by weeds. In the first and second years of planting, since the tea plants do not cover much of the garden, the probability of pest infestation and severe damage is low. However, certain pests can cause local destruction of the seedlings, such as cutworms that can directly kill the seedlings by damaging the shoots. Replanted old tea gardens are prone to white rot disease, leading to the death of the tea plants. Therefore, regular inspections of the garden should be conducted, and timely measures taken.

II

Canopy Control Techniques

1. During the Growing Season in the Year of Planting

According to the seasonal cycle cultivation technology system, new tea gardens are managed in the year of planting according to the growth status of the trees in one of three ways: if the tree height reaches over 30 cm by early August, prune the main shoot 20 cm above ground level; if the height is between 20 and 30 cm, remove the apical bud 20 cm above ground level; if the height is less than 20 cm, leave the shoots unpruned. However, for Bai Ye No.1, it is better to conserve rather than control growth in the first year.

2. After Autumn in the Year of Planting Until the Following Spring

No pruning is done after autumn in the year of planting. The following spring, harvesting begins. If the height is over 25 cm, leave the fish leaf, and if below 25 cm, leave it unharvested. Harvest moderately from strong plants and leave weak ones unharvested to avoid excessive harvesting, which could affect the formation of the canopy. After the spring harvest, early pruning of the canopy should be carried out, which is an essential step in the shaping pruning technique for new tea gardens in the seasonal cycle technology. Generally, a flat cut can be made at 25 cm above ground level.

3. After Spring Pruning in the Second Year

In plane-picked tea gardens, use a pruning machine to make an arc-shaped cut at 35-40 cm above ground level in early July, and pick the fourth flush of tea leaving one leaf in early August. In three-dimensional-picked tea gardens, raise the cutting height by about 15 cm for prominent branches between early July and early August, removing strong branches to support weaker ones. By autumn, the tree height is generally over 60 cm, the garden coverage exceeds 60%, with 20-30 branches, and branch lengths of 25-35 cm. However, for Bai Ye No.1, allow natural growth without pruning or controlling shoots. By autumn, the canopy typically covers the small row spaces, with a tree height of around 50 cm, garden coverage exceeding 50%, around 20 branches, and branch lengths of 15-25 cm. Tea gardens that have controlled and conserved shoots during the growing season should wait until after the spring harvest the following year to perform different types of pruning.

This article is excerpted from “Cold-Sensitive White Tea,” written by Wang Kai Rong, Wu Ying, Liang Yue Rong, Li Ming, Zhang Long Jie, and Han Zhen, published by Zhejiang University Press.

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