It is difficult to find a person who does not like and does not drink tea at all. It is even more difficult to find someone who knows how to grow it at home. Can anything bring more pleasure than a plant grown by oneself, beautiful at all stages of its existence: from the first sprouts to the last sip. Many are interested in what tea seeds look like.
Chinese camellia
The original name of tea is Chinese camellia. On average, the height of plants varies within 4 meters. Some very rare specimens of some varieties turn into trees up to 18 meters. You can’t grow this in an apartment, so we will talk about bush options, which will be enough for the comfortable existence of a flower pot. Growing tea is not difficult: it is unpretentious, unattractive to pests, almost does not get sick.
Fit features
The easiest and safest option for planting is seeds. It is necessary to treat their choice correctly, to purchase copies of brown color, without visible damage.
The first step is to soak the tea seeds in water. On this Wednesday they are placed for three days. Next, you need to adhere to the following algorithm:
- Drainage is placed in a pre-selected container and prepared soil is poured.
- Tea seeds are deepened into the ground by no more than three centimeters. After that, you need to water them.
- Immediately after water procedures, glass is laid on top of the pot. This is necessary to create a greenhouse effect.
- Throughout the growing period, you need to carefully monitor and maintain soil moisture. It must not dry out.
The first shoots grateful for the care will appear in 2-3 months. The first shoots may die. But this is not a reason to fall into despair. Others will surely follow. Every year the bush will become stronger and taller. In three years, it will require more spacious accommodation. The container will need to be changed. By this time the plant will be quite large.
How to care for a mature tea bush
Place the plant in a bright but not sunny place. From the point of view of the temperature regime, tea can easily withstand +15 degrees. And in the summer, he will grow quite comfortably outdoors.
One of his few "weaknesses" is humidity. Tea should be watered regularly and plentifully, and inspray flowering period. For top dressing, the most common fertilizers that housewives send to flower pots are suitable.
When it seems that the bush has nowhere to grow, you can start trimming it regularly, giving the foliage a beautiful shape.
Harvesting and beverage preparation
The first leaves suitable for brewing can be plucked from the bush two years after planting. A cup of homemade tea can be prepared from the top three leaves and a bud. To do this, just rub them into crumbs with your palms.
Different types of tea have different procedures. The harvested green tea leaves are steamed and then dried. No fermentation. Thanks to a simple procedure, homemade green tea is in stock.
Black tea is fermented. This procedure involves drying the leaves for 12 hours, followed by twisting and placing in a warm place. You should also cover them with a damp cloth. It will take some time for the tea leaves to darken. This means that it is time to dry them completely, after which they will be ready to eat.
You can also make red tea at home. The fermentation process is the same, but shorter in time. The leaves are considered ready before they darken to the classic dark state.
Useful properties of tea
Green is considered to be one of the he althiest types of tea. This does not mean that black does not have beneficial properties for the body. This alone is enough toinstall a pot with a bush on your windowsill, from which this noble drink is prepared. Many do not know how to choose tea seeds. Feedback from experienced gardeners will help you make the right choice. Benefits of drinking tea in moderation:
- prevention of many types of cancer;
- beneficial effect on immunity, its strengthening;
- lower blood cholesterol levels;
- maintain vivacity and tone;
- Supporting the body during weight loss by exposure to certain alkaloids;
- antibacterial, antimicrobial effects on the body.
Besides this, high-quality green tea perfectly increases the protective function of the body. If you add a spoonful of natural honey to a warm drink, then the tea will turn into a storehouse of vitamins. With a rather extensive list of beneficial effects, tea is not recommended for everyone. Moreover, for some categories of people, it is contraindicated for use, or its intake is limited to minimal daily doses:
- The drink increases the acidity of the stomach. Therefore, its presence in the diet for peptic ulcers is undesirable.
- Caffeine contained in every cup of tea constricts blood vessels and contributes to the formation of blood clots - the enemies of people suffering from hypertension and atherosclerosis.
- For the above reason, it should not be used by those people who have problems with sleep.
If there are serious diseases of the internal organs, then before taking tea, you should consult your doctor. Tea as a plant is very unpretentious. Grow itinteresting and exciting. When the first noticeable results are achieved, it also becomes a wonderful green decoration for the home. It does not require much attention, material investments and labor costs.
Opinion of gardeners
Planting tea with seeds is the best option. It is not at all necessary to plant it in order to enjoy the taste of brewed leaves after they ripen; tea can be treated as a house or garden plant, enjoying contemplating the results of one's work, and even perceive it as a matter of pride. Especially if this is the first gardening experience in my life.
In conclusion, we can highlight an important detail. In terms of growth schedules, ripening and other factors, the most comfortable season for planting green and black tea seeds at home is February. This is the point of view of horticulturalists.
