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There can be nothing more English than bringing the the garden and tea together. Here is the ideal opportunity for the keen tea lover to grow their own tea at home! All tea is made from the dried, processed leaves and buds of the Camellia Sinensis bush and here you can buy tea plants grown on the Tregothnan estate in Cornwall’ England.
The tea-producing bush has dark green, thick leaves and produces delicate white blossoms. The finest tea is made from the top two leaves and bud of each of the plant’s shoot. Using other plucked leaves from the sprig will produce a stronger tasting brew.
Tea bushes supplied are approx 15-25cms tall and nearly two years old.
Presented as a gift wrapped in hessian with a ribboned bow,
This plant has been nurtured from a cutting and will happily grow in the correct conditions. It is a supplied with detailed care notes and information about the journey 'from bush to cup.'
Camellis Sinensis is a hardy evergreen plant with glossy green, pointed and fragrant leaves. and has delicate white flowers in the Autumn.
Camellia Sinensis preferes an ericaceous soil in a bright, sheltered position but with partial shade. They thrive well under the shadow of a small tree or large shrub.
The soil should be free draining. As tea plants like a lot of water but also need any excess to drain away to stop root rot planting in pots is a great option even in the smallest of gardens.
Camellia Sinensis can grow to around 2 metres tall.
Tea plants need protecting from frost when young and it is advisable to bring them into a greenhouse or cool area of the house during the first two winters.
When planting more than one sapling in the ground, leave a distance of 1.5 metres between the plants. This will give room for the plants to breathe and for them to become bushy.
Camellia Sinensis takes 3 years to reach maturity but once the shrubs reach around 1m in height, they should be hardy enough to survive an English winter.
Tea plants don't really require feeding but do need plenty of water, if you do need to give them a feed, use an ericaceous food and do not harvest that plant for 12-20 days after the next flush, as the taste of the feed will come through the tea leaves.
Tea plants are generally dormant in Winter. In Spring the new growth becomes evident in the first 'flush' of tea shoots. Pluck the first two bright green leaves and the bud from each branch using finger and thumb, this should be easy to do with a gentle pluck. Regular harvesting like this encourages further growth and helps to create a more bushy shrub. These green leaves are ready to be brewed into a cup of tea.
Harvesting of the tea plant can occur several times throughout Spring and Summer.
