r/Teacultivation

Worth A Try?

Hey, I live in Northern California and I've been thinking of planting a camellia sinensis in my patio. However, I'm not sure if it's actually feasible.

My USDA Hardiness Zone is 9a, my patio has 8ft fencing and plants are required to be trimmed if they get more than a couple feet above the top of the fence (the HOA only loosely enforces this). The patio is on the south side of the condo and it gets quote hot in the summer.

Would a camellia sinensis do ok in these conditions? Is there a particular variety I should look into getting? Anything I should do in advance?

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u/Space_Elf13 — 9 days ago

▲ 76 r/Teacultivation+1 crossposts

I have planted my first small tea hedge!

I planted 5 sturdy 3 year cuttings into a terrace of rich acid soil, full of weathered stone. I first raked back the leaflitter, loosened & mounded the soil about 10 inches, and put the plants in. I collected the larger stones and worked to pen the plants in, relocating the moss as well, hoping to ensure soil stability. The weathered rocks and high humidity on these slopes of the Reading Prong of Appalachia. Come autumn I will get these things all covered up for winter, but for now it’s time they grow well and root deeply.

u/Runo_Slinger — 11 days ago

▲ 35 r/Teacultivation+1 crossposts

Planting my first 5 tea bush starts (3 years old) tomorrow.

The farm I work for has asked me to grow and process tea for them, and after all the research and effort I decided to get my hands on a few specimens for myself.
These are going in the ground on a rocky foothill slope in a valley, a lake at the basin. This area is in New Jersey of the USA, but the micro climate should be enough for winter survival. The moss, weathered stones, acid soil rich in wild blueberries, and humid, the rain today being case in point.

Any advice about how to use this rocky terrace to keep them protected against the seasons and elements? It is really hard to find solid agricultural advice around tea.

u/Runo_Slinger — 12 days ago