Green tea has been very fashionable for some time, especially for its many benefits for our body. In addition to being very tasty and warming us up on cold winter days, it has several very healthy properties. For lovers of infusions and gardening, planting and caring for the vegetables with which they are made is a fantastic idea. This is why we are going to explain to you in this article how green tea is grown.
We will not only talk about its planting and care, but also explain what is green tea and what are its properties and benefits. If you are thinking of planting this vegetable and enjoying it, please keep reading.
Contents
What is green tea and what is it used for?
Before explaining how green tea is grown, we will first talk a little about what this infusion is and what its properties and benefits are. Well, green tea gets this name because the leaves of this infusion acquire a green color during the process of differentiation, during drying and during fermentation. The most common vegetable when making this hot drink is camellia sinensis, which is also known as green tea. This variety, which is the most widespread in the West, is made with the fresh leaves of the camellia sinensisbut it can also be prepared with new shoots not yet oxidized or fermented.
As you probably already know, today we can find a wide variety of types of green tea. Each of them varies according to the method of harvesting and/or processing. What they have in common is that they are of Asian descent. Here are some examples of Japanese green tea:
- bench
- Genmaicha
- Gykuro
- Hojicha
- kukicha
- Matcha
- Mugicha
- sakurabach
- sencha
These Chinese green teas are also quite famous:
- Gunpowder
- lung ching
- pi lo chun
Properties
Now we will comment on the properties of green tea. These are related to the active ingredients it has. Among them, xanthines stand out above all. These are substances that include theophylline, theobromines and caffeine. As you know you are They help us fight fatigue, keep us awake and also stimulate the central nervous system.
The biologist specializing in herbal medicine and medicinal plants, Antonio Blanquer, and the doctor and nutrition expert, Caridad Gimeno, report that xanthines They also help relax smooth muscles., since they are bronchodilator substances. In addition, they produce vasoconstriction of the cerebral circulation, which is particularly advantageous. to fight against migraines. It should be noted that both are professors at CEU Carden Herrera University, located in Valencia.
It is quite clear that the main use given to green tea is to help combat certain pathologies. It is widely used in natural therapies and healthy lifestyles. The best known quality of this hot drink is that of being an antioxidant. This is thanks to its possession of substances called polyphenols, which provide large amounts of vitamins B and C.
Advantages
Now let’s tackle the multiple benefits which contributes to the ingestion of green tea. Surely some of you already know them, but we are going to list them all to get a clearer idea.
- Treatment of cholesterol: Green tea and black tea are able to lower the level of oxidation of the so-called “bad cholesterol”. In addition, they significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to experts. So drinking green tea or black tea for cholesterol issues is a good idea.
- Improve the digestive system and blood circulation: This healthy infusion has diuretic properties, which is beneficial for the digestive system and also for blood circulation.
- Diarrhea treatment: While it is true that all varieties of tea are generally antioxidants, green tea is the one that contains the most substances called polyphenols, responsible for this property. This is why it is also generally the most recommended tea when it comes to shedding a few extra pounds.
Although some properties are somewhat questioned, such as the use of green tea for weight loss, the vast majority of experts agree that the way to make the infusion more effective is taking one mid-morning, another after lunch, and a third in the evening.
Does green tea help with weight loss?
A question that many people around the world have is whether green tea helps with weight loss or not. According to experts, this infusion exerts a lipolytic effect. What does it mean? Well, it can burn fat. Caffeine and polyphenolic substances are involved in this process. Green tea being the one that contains the highest concentration, it is generally the most recommended for weight loss.
However, it should be noted that Consuming green tea for weight loss should always be seen as an aid. It is important to keep in mind that the most effective, longest lasting and healthiest way to lose weight is to exercise and follow a diet adapted to each case. It is never a good idea to follow a diet based on a single product with slimming properties.
How is green tea grown?
Now that we know a little more about green tea, let’s see how to grow the plant. When sowing, it is important to take into account the location. The green tea plant needs a location in full sun or partial shade. In addition, the soil should be rich in organic matter and have good drainage. It is also important for this vegetable that the soil is not too alkaline, because it needs a habitat between neutral and acidic.
When we have already chosen the ideal place for our green tea plant, we must acquire a small one. Once we have it, we need to dig a hole which should be about four times wider than the diameter of the plant pot and three times deeper. Then we will place the plant inside the hole and cover it with soil, but without pressing too much. To finish sowing well, it is better to moisten the soil and cover it with a layer of organic mulch, the height of which should be between 5 and 15 centimeters.
When harvesting green tea leaves, we must choose the freshest and most recent shoots. That is: Those in which there is a closed bud surrounded by about six or five leaves. This harvest can be done once the vegetable is ripe. Until then, about three years can pass from its sowing, so you have to be a little patient. Of course, when the plant is ready, we can harvest it about three times a year.
Green tea plant care
Once the planting of the green tea tree is finished, you have to take good care of it so that it develops properly and be able to harvest its leaves in the future. Let’s see what the requirements of this vegetable are:
- Temperature: For the camellia sinensisthe optimum temperature is between 14 and 27 degrees.
- Irrigation: The green tea plant needs plenty of water so that it does not dry out from exposure to the sun. The ideal is to water more frequently during the hottest and driest periods of the year and when the vegetable is in flower.
- Pass: You need to add dry fertilizer as this vegetable grows. In the summer, it is better to pay approximately every sixty days.
- Cut: As for pruning, it should be done regularly to control both the size and shape of the bush. Also, in this way we will get a better harvest.
Plagues and diseases
Like all vegetables, the green tea plant can also be affected by various pests. With regard to insects, one can see dry, curled, deformed or bent leaves. In addition, they tend to lose their color and stains or scratches may appear. On the branches, the base of the plant and the trunks, it is common for sawdust to appear. The pests that most often affect this vegetable are:
Regarding green tea plant diseases, these generally affect the branches, roots, leaves and buds. Among the most dangerous, the Blistering Blight stands out, caused by the fungus called Exobasidium vexans. Another of the most common diseases of this vegetable is anthracnose. This is caused by bacteria Pseudomonas sp. and various mushrooms. Symptoms of this phytopathology are ulcers on branches and trunks and root rot.
Knowing all this about green tea, we can venture into its cultivation. It is clear that if you like gardening and green tea, planting this vegetable is an excellent idea.