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PLUCKING
 Plucking or
picking is the art
of snapping the
tea leafs from
the tea bush.
Nuances in the
method of
plucking create
the possibility of
producing higher
quality teas. The
classic method
for teas from India and Ceylon has always
been to take the "two leafs and a bud" –
the newest growth.
The pickers go along the rows of tea
bushes like automated harvesters. Tea
bushes are kept at hand height to
facilitate more efficient plucking. Although
picking machines have been developed,
they cannot pick two leafs and a bud and
the mountainside location of the better tea
gardens means that hand-picking is still
the only option there. It also ensures that,
with their years of practice, and in some
cases a twenty year apprenticeship,
pickers take only the best ‘two leafs and a
bud’.
Spot checks by the garden managers also
ensure that pickers are not tempted to fill
their basket with banzi or coarse leaf.
Picking activity rotates around the garden,
with each bush being harvested
approximately every eight days in the
season. Within this time, another two leafs |
 and a bud will
have grown over
the bush table.
Each region
produces tea of
a specific
character and
production
technique.
Darjeeling
produces black
orthodox tea with Muscatel flavour, a
lighter cup and some astringency. Assam
uses both CTC and orthodox production
processes to produce teas with strongbodied
liquor. The other Indian teagrowing
areas like Cachar, Dooars and
Terrai tend to produce lower quality teas
using the CTC production method. CTC
teas have strong colour but tend to lack
body in the cup and are generally
considered as of cheaper quality.
China is famous for its varied methods of
production, with an emphasis on green
tea production.
In India, the plucking seasons are defined
in four categories: 1st flush, 2nd flush,
autumn and fall. The season for 1st flush
is from early February to mid-April. 2nd
flush is from April until mid-July. 1st and
2nd flush are the prime teas. The autumn
production yields large quantities but from
tired plants and the final fall production
teas lack substance in the brew. |
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