Recently, our city has experienced persistent hot and sunny weather with the highest temperatures reaching 39°C. Some low-altitude Tea gardens have been affected by high temperatures and drought, particularly newly planted young tea gardens, those with thinner soil layers, and varieties of tea plants with weaker resistance. These conditions can lead to issues such as wilting leaves, which have an impact on recent tea production. To ensure stable production and increased income, our center proposes the following measures for production entities to implement according to their specific circumstances.

1. Tea Garden Irrigation

Irrigation of tea plants can be carried out in the near future, ensuring sufficient water supply to meet their moisture needs. Generally, irrigation is considered adequate when the relative soil moisture content at a depth of 0-30 centimeters is between 75-90%, and the soil holds together when squeezed but does not disintegrate. The best times for irrigation are before 9 am and after 4 pm. Additionally, bamboo section ditches can be dug and constructed within the tea garden to retain water and soil, reducing the impact of high temperatures and drought. Tea enterprises and individuals who have the necessary resources may also set up sprinkler systems (including water storage facilities) in their gardens to ensure they can promptly irrigate in similar situations in the future.

2. Interspace Mulching

An appropriate amount of grass, fallen leaves, etc., about 9 centimeters thick, can be laid in the spaces between young tea plants in the garden. This helps reduce evaporation and store nutrients. The principle is to cover the soil completely using materials such as straw, green manure, bean stalks, mountain grass, wheat straw, etc., that do not contain seeds, pathogens, or pests.

3. Other Measures

Pruning and weeding should be stopped in unpruned tea gardens. For tea gardens, especially young ones, that receive intense sunlight, shade nets can be used as an emergency measure to cover the gardens. This method can partially reduce sunburn caused by direct sunlight and mitigate the effects of high temperatures.

In the future, broad-leaved trees can be planted between tea rows to provide shade, and crops like peanuts, soybeans, mung beans, and other summer green manures can be intercropped. Foxtail millet can also be planted. These practices not only increase the green coverage between tea rows, lower ground temperatures, and enhance rainwater infiltration but also help suppress weeds.

Finally, once the drought is over, appropriate measures should be taken based on local conditions and the specific needs of the tea plants. For young tea gardens where seedlings have died due to drought, replanting should ideally be done around November and February-March of the following year to fill in gaps. For mature tea gardens, timely top-dressing with fertilizer should be conducted to replenish nutrients. It's important to prune dead branches and leaves affected by the heat and take steps to prevent diseases and pests, promoting the growth of autumn shoots to achieve stable production and increased income.

Fu'an City Tea Industry Development Center

July 11, 2025