Principles of organic tea farming

Originally written by Pu Jin Jing 普金晶
Check her blog: http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/2411643562

仿原生态化的茶园管理模式（金晶）
Principles of organic tea farming (By Pu Jin Jing)

1.满天星式分布：按地形破度大小合理利用土地.
In all cases, distribute the trees all across your available land, don't leave any empty spot.

2.株距2-3米，这样不但保障了茶树的生长空间，地面小草也能正常生长（生物多样性），小草的生长能吸引不少的小虫子，以此减少因各种虫类过多集中对茶树造成的伤害！（保护好茶园的生物链）
Keep 2-3 meters between each tree, this will ensure the tea trees have room to develop their roots; low grass will also grow naturally, it will attract many insects, ensuring good biodiversity and avoiding that too many insects gather on the tea trees and damage them! Preserve a natural food chain in the tea garden.

3.坡地浙变成梯形，防止水土流失，也更容易保住土壤肥力！
Try to flatten the steep fields, it will avoid water flowing down and will help keep the nutrients in the soil!

4.保护好茶园周围的生态环境！
Preserve a natural environment all around the tea garden.

5.一年挖翻1-2次，施点农家肥，或者把茶树周边的杂草挖埋在茶树根周围。（当地茶农称这为施绿肥）充分利用茶园周边森林的落叶土，增加茶园土壤肥力！
Till the soil once or twice a year, add a bit of homemade fertilizer or cut weeds and bury them around the tea trees. Use local green manure: dead leaves taken from the nearby forest is perfect, it will be enough to give your tea garden a nutrient boost.

6.茶树的修剪： 剪掉过秘的枝条集中茶树营养，或者过长过高的枝条，以此控制茶树过快的长高，增加树冠，让茶树成伞形，以此方便采摘！
Pruning the tea bushes: cutting off the top will concentrate the nutrients into the lateral branches. If it's already tall trees, pruning them will give them an umbrella shape, making the harvest easier.

7.控制茶花、茶果的生长，采摘规范化！
Control the flowering and fruit growth, pick them systematically!

8.采摘请参考：《古乔木茶树的采摘要求》.
Picking techniques: refer to this article (in Chinese)

Other translated articles written by Pu Jin Jing here and there.