Regardless of your personal preferred varieties and notes, there are many steps involved in the making of the perfect cup of tea. One of these crucial steps is tea plucking.
When left to their own devices, tea plants can grow into trees that tower up to 30 feet above the ground. However, as plucking those all-important tea leaves at that height would be quite a feat, they are maintained at waist height to ensure they can be used to make a cup of tea of the finest quality.
As a specialty tea company, we know just how important it is to maintain high standards with regard to the quality of the ingredients that go into each cup of tea. But how exactly do methods of tea plucking affect the final product?
The Tea Plucking Process
Most tea farmers start working at dawn, when the morning light begins to illuminate the fields and the air is cool. Tea bushes are generally plucked once every 14 days, with farmers taking care to only harvest the young, fresh shoots which are jade green in color. Leaves are then placed in a wicker basket ahead of the sorting process.
Any leaves that have excessively large stalks or have sustained damage are removed and will be composted before being returned to the soil to provide key nutrients for future crops.
Balancing Quantity and Quality
All tea farmers are constantly working to find their ideal balance between the quantity of tea they are producing and its quality. Farmers who are looking for volume will pluck leaves quickly and will often be less choosy about the leaves they choose to keep. Conversely, farmers who are focused on quality will be more discerning about whether to keep a leaf or send it to be composted.
The Seasonality of Tea
Tea farms have several harvesting sessions every year, however crops do naturally vary depending on the season. Tea leaves that form part of the first harvest in early April will typically contain the highest concentrations of nutrients and therefore provide a higher quality tea drinking experience.
Timing is Key
Young tea leaves have a much higher concentration of nutrients than mature, large tea leaves which typically offer significantly less flavor. Many tea farmers believe that it is best to pluck leaves when they are between 50% and 70% open, however certain varieties of high-grade green tea are plucked when the leaves are just 30% open.
Size Matters
The finest quality tea uses the two leaves plucking method, which involves harvesting only the two youngest leaves on a bud. Three leaves plucking yields slightly more volume, however, this is also a technique reserved for high-grade tea.
Conversely, normal plucking involves harvesting the bud and up to five additional leaves, delivering higher volumes that are generally used in the mass production of tea products globally.
Working with a Specialty Tea Company
When purchasing tea from a specialty tea company, tea retailers receive a better all-round experience as they benefit from many years of knowledge and expertise, ensuring the best possible raw materials to include in specialty teas offered to their clientele.