Journal of Tea Science Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.5, 262-272 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/jtsr 265 Additionally, commercial organic fertilizer should be applied every two to three years to maintain sustained soil fertility and prevent nutrient depletion. This fertilizer, rich in organic matter and trace elements, enhances microbial activity and supports improved soil structure and aeration. In years when commercial organic fertilizer is not used, spent substrate from tea branch mushroom cultivation can be returned to the soil as a natural organic supplement (Lin et al., 2022). This substrate, rich in humus and nutrients, effectively raises organic matter content, improves soil looseness, enhances aeration and water retention, and supports healthy growth and resilience in tea trees. 3.2 Pruning and topping Once the above-ground growth of tea trees ceases, pruning and topping become essential autumn and winter management measures. These practices primarily aim to enhance the quality of spring tea by removing new autumn branches, while also facilitating spring harvest operations (Lu et al., 2022). Different tea varieties exhibit variations in growth vigor and budding times, so pruning schedules and techniques must be adjusted accordingly. For instance, Zhongcha 108 begins to bud early and stops growing later, often producing new buds in early November. In such cases, tea garden managers should time pruning or topping before winter temperatures drop, based on weather forecasts, to prevent premature budding that would deplete stored nutrients. These practices reduce nutrient consumption by small branches, allowing tea buds in the next spring to grow more robustly. Topping involves manually removing new buds in late autumn and early winter, while light pruning focuses on reducing excess small branches at the top of the tree or controlling tree height for easier harvesting (Figure 2). For Zhongcha 108, approximately 20 cm of the canopy is pruned, while only around 5 cm is removed for Zhonghuang No.2. The Jiukeng variety and Baiye No.1 typically do not require pruning, though minimal topping may be done if new buds appear. Proper pruning and topping control the overall height of the tea tree and make branches more compact, promoting uniform bud growth and improving harvesting efficiency for the following spring. Figure 2 Pruning and topping of the tea garden 3.3 Garden clearing and sealing management Clearing the garden is an essential step in autumn and winter management, aiming to create a clean, healthy environment for tea tree growth in the coming year. After fertilization, fallen branches and collapsed plants are cleared, especially weeds along pathways and between tea rows, to ensure smooth access and prevent
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