Tea plant pruning includes shaping pruning during the juvenile stage, light and deep pruning for mature tea plants, and heavy pruning and coppicing for aging tea plants.

(1) Shaping Pruning During the Juvenile Stage of Tea Plants

To promote the emergence of axillary buds in young tea plants and increase the number of main branches, forming a robust canopy at a certain height for plucking, three shaping prunings are required during the juvenile stage:

① First Shaping Pruning. This is carried out after transplanting cuttings. When transplanted seedlings reach a height of over 25 cm, leave 1-2 branches at a height of 15-20 cm from the ground and trim off the top shoots. If some seedlings are less than 25 cm tall, wait until mid-May. Use sharp pruning shears to prune each plant individually. Only prune the main branch, leaving the side branches intact. Ensure the cut is smooth and the remaining stub as short as possible.

② Second Shaping Pruning. Generally performed in late February to early March before the Spring Tea sprouts. For seedlings with good growth momentum and management conditions, this can be done around October after the dry season ends. Using pruning shears, raise the cut by 15-20 cm above the first shaping pruning, trimming the upper branches. The resulting height should be 30-40 cm. Pay attention to remove inner buds while retaining outer buds, encouraging outward branching. Also, remove drooping branches and weak branches near the base.

③ Third Shaping Pruning. Performed one year after the second shaping pruning (or earlier if the seedlings grow vigorously). Using hedge shears, raise the cut by another 10-15 cm, approximately 40-55 cm above the ground, and level the top shoots. Use pruning shears to remove drooping and weak branches within the root collar and canopy. This promotes healthy growth of the main branches. After three shaping prunings, the young tea plants will have a height of 40-55 cm and width of 60-100 cm, with a sufficient number of sturdy main branches. Implement the technique of “light plucking of spring tea, retaining branches and nurturing the canopy for summer and autumn tea.” Perform light pruning after the autumn tea harvest, removing the tender parts of the productive branches. Use a double-person or single-person pruning machine to shape the canopy into a flat or slightly curved top. After two years of light plucking and nurturing the canopy, when the tea plants reach a height of 60-80 cm and a width of over 100 cm, they can enter full production.

(2) Pruning of Mature Tea Plants

Mature tea plants require annual pruning to ensure continuous growth of robust new shoots.

① Light Pruning. Done once a year, typically in mid-October to mid-November after the autumn tea harvest has stopped. However, for gardens that close later and those in mountainous areas prone to frost, it's better to do it before the spring tea harvest and as early as possible to avoid delaying the start of the spring tea harvest, which would affect its yield and benefits. Use hedge shears to raise the cut by 3-5 cm from the previous one. The pruning should be light; heavier pruning can delay the start of the spring tea harvest and reduce its yield.

② Deep Pruning. Performed every 3-5 years, usually after the autumn tea harvest. To minimize economic losses for the current year, it can also be done after the spring tea harvest. Using hedge shears or a pruning machine, trim 10-15 cm from the top of the canopy, removing fine and weak branches. Then use pruning shears to clear weak, diseased, dead, and drooping branches from the canopy.

(3) Pruning of Aging Tea Plants

① Heavy Pruning. Heavy pruning is suitable for aging and prematurely aging tea plants. Typically, it is done halfway up the tree. After heavy pruning, the tea plant needs 1-2 seasons of non-harvesting for recovery, followed by light plucking to nurture the canopy before entering full production.

② Coppicing. Coppicing is a thorough method to reshape the canopy, involving completely cutting back the above-ground portion of the plant, leaving only stumps. Specific technical measures include:

For large-leaved arboreal tea plants, leave the stump relatively high, generally at 20 cm. For tall trees with a trunk diameter of over 10 cm, perform ring-barking first. At a height of 20 cm from the ground, make a circular cut about 2 cm wide with a sharp knife, removing 2/3 of the circumference of the bark and leaving 1/3. One month after ring-barking, new buds begin to emerge below the cut, and after two months, shoots can grow to around 80 cm, at which point the trunk above the cut can be removed.

For shrub-type small- and medium-leaved tea plants, cut them 3-10 cm above the ground or flush with the ground. Cutting higher results in more but finer new shoots; cutting lower yields fewer but stronger shoots. For the initial coppicing, the stump should be lower, and for larger root bases, cut lower, and for smaller root bases, cut higher. Tools for coppicing include disc saws, coppicing pliers, and pruning machines. After coppicing, immediately use a two-pronged rake to clear weeds, dead branches, and fallen leaves from around the roots and bury them between rows. Also, loosen the soil around the root base to expose the stumps, promoting the emergence of dormant buds.