The production of spring Tea across the province has now largely concluded, marking the onset of a critical period for summer and autumn management in tea gardens. With rising temperatures, weeds are growing vigorously in the gardens and there is an increased likelihood of pest and disease outbreaks. Proper management during this time is essential for ensuring high-quality and abundant yields of summer and autumn teas, as well as setting a solid foundation for the following year's Spring Tea harvest. Therefore, the Provincial Horticulture Technology Workstation and the Provincial Tea Industry Technology System urge relevant departments, tea enterprises, and tea farmers to take immediate action and carry out all necessary tasks for summer and autumn garden management.

1. Timely and Moderate Pruning. For gardens with year-round harvesting, light pruning should be carried out immediately after the spring tea harvest, cutting back about 3-5 centimeters of branches and leaves from the canopy surface, or pruning back to the summer shoots while leaving the previous year's autumn shoots. When harvesting summer tea, adopt methods such as leaf retention and tip pruning to maintain an appropriate leaf layer thickness, and complete the second round of light pruning by mid-July, raising the cutting height by about 10 centimeters compared to the previous cut. Harvesting should be appropriately stopped earlier in autumn to avoid impacting the yield and quality of the next year's spring tea. For gardens primarily focused on producing premium teas, perform heavy pruning at a height of 30-45 centimeters above the ground, leaving the summer and Autumn Tea unharvested and conducting level pruning 10-15 centimeters above the previous year's cut after the following spring tea harvest. If there is high temperature and drought, pruning should be postponed. For low-yield tea gardens, after the spring tea harvest, choose to perform heavy pruning or stump cutting based on the degree of tree aging for canopy renovation.

2. Shallow Tilling and Weeding. After the summer tea harvest, shallow tillage operations should be conducted in the tea garden, with a depth of 5-10 centimeters, avoiding doing so during prolonged periods of high temperature and drought. Small rotary tillers or micro-tillers can be used for shallow tillage operations. Weeding should be carried out once per month from June to August, with different approaches depending on the age of the tea trees. For mature and aging tea gardens, tilling and weeding should ideally be done before the autumn vegetation flowers to reduce weed growth the following year. Younger tea gardens should have more frequent tilling and weeding, and where possible, portable power weeders or handheld multifunctional hoes can be used for mechanical weeding. In young tea gardens and those with lower canopy coverage, mulching or using grass to control weeds can help reduce the occurrence of weeds and decrease labor input.

3. Timely Top-Dressing Fertilization. Top-dressing fertilization typically involves fast-acting chemical nitrogen fertilizers supplemented with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. The amount should be determined based on factors such as the age of the trees, their growth condition, targeted yield, and soil nutrient content. For general production tea gardens, top-dressing fertilization can be applied before the start of summer tea growth or 7-15 days before pruning. Fertilizer should be placed in trenches dug vertically downward along the edge of the tea plants, with a depth of over 10 centimeters. Apply 8-10 kilograms of urea or 30-40 kilograms of specialized tea tree compound fertilizer (preferably high-nitrogen, low-phosphorus, and medium-potassium compound fertilizer) per mu. High-yield tea gardens may require slightly higher amounts.

4. Pest and Disease Control. For tea gardens with mild pest and disease issues that do not affect yield or quality, the ecosystem can self-regulate and recover. For gardens experiencing significant pest and disease outbreaks that impact yield and quality, 25-30 color boards friendly to natural enemies or insect traps friendly to natural enemies can be hung per mu to control insect populations. For gardens with extremely severe pest and disease outbreaks, pesticides like 10% bifenthrin emulsifiable concentrate or bacillus thuringiensis (BT) preparations can be used for control. Spraying should be done uniformly, applying 60 kilograms of water per mu to cover both sides of the leaves, and attention should be paid to safety intervals in harvesting gardens. For tea gardens severely affected by tea geometrids, a second application of 10% bifenthrin for autumn prevention is recommended in late October.

5. Prevention and Remediation of High Temperature and Drought Damage. Tea trees are moisture-loving and drought-sensitive plants that are sensitive to temperature, humidity, and water conditions, making them vulnerable to extreme weather events such as high temperatures and drought, which can adversely affect normal growth, tea yield, and quality. After the onset of summer, closely monitor weather conditions, and in cases of sustained high temperatures or lack of rain, take measures such as timely irrigation and shading to prevent drought and heat damage. For tea trees severely affected by drought, after the drought, prune according to the degree of branch and leaf desiccation, using light pruning, deep pruning, or even stump cutting to remove dead branches and regrow a healthy canopy. Young tea gardens are prone to tea tree death after drought, and it is important to replant seedlings promptly after the drought to avoid missing plants and gaps in rows. Additionally, for young tea gardens during drought seasons, foliar fertilization can be performed using a 0.5% solution of monopotassium phosphate. For productive tea gardens, after drought, trenches can be dug to apply compound fertilizer or organic fertilizer, with the amount determined based on the planting density and growth of the tea trees. Typically, 20-30 kilograms of compound fertilizer and over 500 kilograms of organic fertilizer can be applied per mu, or foliar fertilizers can be sprayed as needed.