Pruning of tea plant

The essence of pruning system is to maintain an optimum amount of tree so that, the plants remain in a steady state of productivity.

The system is determined from the balance of growth of the plants in relation to their productivity, particularly potential or expected levels of yield.

As a wild plant, the tea tree can grow to twenty-five feet and its transformation into a waist-high bush is a result of four year cycles of pruning and plucking.

Careful, attention is paid to each individual plant and every cutting is placed by hand, light work that is often done by elderly and ill women and small children. Tea bushes are required to be pruned at regular intervals, the time period between two consecutive prunings is known as pruning cycle.

As the plant grows, careful pruning determines its heights. The plant’s center stem is cut at six to eight inches after eighteenth months, stopping the growth of that stem, and promoting lateral branching.

How frequently a plant requires pruning depends on its growth, shape, site, weather, and the reason for pruning.

Plants in warm winter climates and plants that grow quickly generally need more frequent pruning than slow-growing plants in cold regions.

The running cycle of seedling tea can be two, three or four years corresponding to low-country, mid country and upcountry. Pruning cycle of vegetatively propagated tea is three, four and five years for low country, md country and up country.
Pruning of tea plant