“Life’s too short to waste on bad tea” is a saying Christine Parks hears over and over when she talks with people who’ve started drinking fresher, homegrown tea.
Parks and her husband, David, developed Camellia Forest Tea Gardens in North Carolina. There, the Parks produce their own hand-harvested tea from the plant Camellia sinensis.
“We have a large garden where we grow many different tea cultivars and types, and we continue to grow and get more specimens from other sources, other countries,” Parks said. “We grow tea from all over the world.”
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Camellia sinensis prefer a balmy climate (zones 7A or warmer), but there’s hope for the Wisconsin tea lover. If you’re up for the challenge, the plants can grow indoors and in pots.
“I want to emphasize that tea Camellias generally are not a happy house plant,” Parks said.
Parks joined WPR’s “The Larry Meiller Show” to explain how to grow tea inside your home. Here are three things to know about caring for tea Camellias.
It’s important to find the right home for your potted Camellias
Potted Camellias grow best on a cool porch or in an outdoor greenhouse. They need adequate sun for at least half of the day.
Wisconsin’s winter sun and winds can injure a Camellia. Parks said a tea plant’s leaves can handle below freezing temperatures, down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, before they start being at risk of any damage.
However, freezing weather harms a tea plant’s roots. Parks said she knows people who bring their potted Camellias inside during the winter when it’s really cold.
Camellias require the right amount of humidity, water to thrive
Parks said Camellias evolve in a humid environment. Keeping plenty of moisture in the air is critical to their health.
When it comes to watering, Camellias can be picky.
“They don’t want to really dry out for very long,” Parks said, “but they don’t want to have wet feet.”
Tea plants prefer acidic soils. Parks mixes pine bark, soil and compost.
Water your outdoor Camellias regularly throughout the growing season, Parks said.
You’ll have time to get to know your tea plant
Camellias might be a lesson in patience. These hardy shrubs take three to five years to get to the point where you can begin harvesting them, Parks said. They need time to grow their woody branches.
Prune the plant after flowering in the late fall through early winter. This will help the development of branches; tea leaves come from the new growth at the end of a branch.
Pluck the two youngest leaves and the bud, Parks said. A handful of these shoots will make a small cup of tea.
