Rainy periods are times when cold waves occur most frequently throughout the year, and rainfall in early spring can cause a sudden drop in temperature, leading to a “spring chill reversal.”

Weather Forecast from the Fenggang County Meteorological Station on February 19th

According to the future weather forecast released by the Fenggang County Meteorological Station on February 19th, low-temperature rainy and icy conditions will occur across the county on the night of February 21st, 2024, which will severely impact the growth of Spring Tea. To effectively reduce damage to Tea gardens and minimize losses for tea farmers, the following preventive and remedial measures are proposed.

Preventive Measures

1. Enhance awareness of frost prevention and constantly monitor predictions and forecasts of hazardous weather to prepare in advance.

2. In tea gardens located at high altitudes or in windy areas where frost is likely to occur, approved plant protection products with anti-freeze properties (such as S-Inducer, BiHu, and Sea Island Extract) may be used in advance.

Anti-Freeze Plant Protection Products

3. Establish protective barriers in the direction of prevailing winds to reduce wind speeds within the area, effectively defending against cold waves.

4. Covering the tea garden with straw can raise soil temperatures by 1-2°C, reducing the extent of frozen soil and helping to maintain soil moisture. Additionally, shading nets and rice straw can be used to cover the canopy of tea plants, protecting emerging buds from freezing.

Row Covering in Tea Gardens

Canopy Covering of Tea Plants

Remedial Measures

1. After snow melts and ice thaws, if there is standing water in the tea garden, promptly dig ditches to drain it;

2. For affected tea gardens, promptly dig trenches 10 centimeters deep and apply top dressing;

3. For frosted tea gardens, appropriate retention should be practiced to restore the tree canopy. Normal picking can occur during the early spring tea season, followed by leaf retention during later stages. In cases of severe frost damage, spring shoots should be retained, and summer tea should be harvested by topping.