I've come across a good deal on camellia sinensis seeds and I've seen some great photo reviews of them. I absolutely love black tea, but I'm a bit nervous about growing these seeds myself! How complicated is the process? Do they need a lot of special care? Also, if I start them in a small pot, should I worry about transplanting them later?
3 Answers
Remember, you don’t actually grow black tea directly! You start with green tea leaves and then ferment them to make black tea. In case your situation isn’t suitable for tea plants, you could always consider a tea garden with other herbal options that brew nicely. That could be fun too!
First things first, don't trust sellers who don't mention that the camellia seeds they're shipping are still moist. Also, referring to them as "black tea" is a bit misleading since black tea is all about the processing of the leaves, not the plant itself. As for growing, they can be a little picky. They need a deeper pot to accommodate their taproot—at least 6 inches down. They tend to grow slowly, so don't be discouraged if it takes years for your plant to reach a decent height. Just keep an eye out for pests like mice, deer, and rabbits, and remember they like their water in August better than in other seasons!
I did a quick search to find areas in the U.S. that are successfully growing tea, and it seems like it's pretty rare, with maybe just one place in upstate New York. So, transitioning to other types of teas might not be a bad idea if growing your own ends up being tough.
Thanks for the heads-up about the taproot! I'm glad they specify shipping them moist, that gives me some confidence.