Bulk Herbal Teas

How is tea grown?

Tea (Camellia Sinensis) can be grown in many climates and at many altitudes, although the best yield will be in a tropical climate with wet summers and dry winters. It flourishes in warm and humid conditions with even temperatures and rainfall of about 125 mm annually. The secret to successful tea growing lies in the type of soil. It should be sandy, well-drained and acidic, with enough depth for the roots to establish themselves properly. Plantations may be grown from sea level to altitudes of as much as 2 500 meters. Different climates, altitudes and soil conditions produce many different kinds of tea.

If left unchecked, tea bushes can reach a height of up to eight meters. With regular pruning, they are kept down to one meter and trained to grow into a flat-topped fan shape for easy picking. The bush is mature after three to five years. In most areas tea is still harvested by the age-old method of hand plucking, although some countries like Australia use harvesting machines. Picking occurs once or twice every fortnight for most of the year. Only the top two leaves, the prime quality, are picked each time and placed in a bag or basket on the plucker’s back. The plucker weighs and deposits the leaves at a collection point, from where it goes to the factory for processing. In places where a harvesting machine is used, it cuts off the new growth at the top of the plants much like a lawnmower mows grass.

At the processing factory, the leaves are spread on large racks to be dried for about twelve to eighteen hours. Leaves become soft and pliable. They are then broken up by machines, either into larger particles suitable for slower brewing methods or into smaller parts or grades. The latter grade is preferred in today’s market, as this allows for a faster brew. The breaking up of the leaves releases their natural juices and imparts the distinctive flavour to the tea. The tea is once more spread out and occasionally turned in order for the released enzymes to oxidise on contact with cool, humid air. The leaves now turn a reddish-brown. In the next step, the fermented leaves travel slowly through a hot air chamber, which stops the oxidisation process and dries the leaves to the dark brown we see in stores. This is known as black tea, which is most in demand and therefore the most widely-produced tea. With green tea, the leaves are not shredded and oxidised, but steamed and rolled to prevent oxidising. The finished product produces a very pale green liquid when brewed.

The dry leaves pass through grading sieves to sort the sizes into foil-lined chests for transport to agents and buyers. Tasters at the factory now sample the tea to assess the quality. This finished product is highly absorbent of odours, so must be protected even from smoking workers. Some teas are deliberately brought into contact with flavour-imparting flowers such as jasmine. After each batch or “make” has been dispatched, the entire factory is washed down to prevent contamination of the next make. Once purchased in bulk, the tea is packed into boxes as Loose Tea or teabags for mass consumption.

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