Organic and chemical types of manure are used to fertilize the tea. Organic manure mainly includes the stable manure. Surface covering of the tea areas with the plant residues is also regarded as organic manure.

Stable Manure

• It improves the water capacity of the soil.
• It positively affects the water permeability.
• It prevents the water from pouring away / getting vaporized from the surface of the soil and prevents the fertile soil from being carried away.
• It makes the soil easily used.
• In scope of the sandy soil, it binds the soil pieces with each other.
• In scope of the clayed soil, it loosens the connections between the particles and prepares a better environment for the roots to develop.
• It positively affects the aeration of the soil.
• The carbon dioxide and organic acids emerging as the result of disintegration makes the plant nutrition substances beneficial for the plant.
• It makes the temperature of the soil suitable for plant development.
• It positively affects the microorganisms of the soil and accelerates the biologic changes in the soil.
• The effect of the stable manure constantly drops and lasts 3-4 years.

Plant Residues

• Covering the tea growing areas with plant residues is effective in protection of soil and water.
• The plant residues, stem and straw mixtures, leaves of the forest trees, the herbs and similar plant materials specially grown for this purpose can be used as organic manure.
• The pruning wastes can be laid on the garden instead of being disposed of, as an important source of organic manure.
• It protects the soil from the negative effects of sun and wind.
• It prevents the soil cracks as well as the slime occurrence on the soil because of the rain drops.
• It improves the soil structure and prepares a suitable environment for the root development.

Chemical Manures

• The chemical manures contain one or multiple types of plant nutrients within their compounds.
• Organic manure should be the first preferred option. When there is not enough organic manure, chemical manure is used.

The time and dosage for the manure application at the tea growing areas

• 3 tons of stable manure can be applied per decare once in 3-4 years for the tea growing areas.
• The stable manure shall be applied before pruning.
• The manure can be applied for the pruned tea areas during March-April, and for the rest during the November-December months.
• The manure shall be applied with equal intervals by considering the projection of the petals and mixed with the soil by slight hoe actions.
• The hoe depth shall not exceed 5 cm.
• The chemical manure shall be applied by being smoothly dispersed on the soil surface.
• In scope of the tea areas at flat land, the manure shall be applied by being laid around the plant as a circle, considering the petal projection of the plant.
• In scope of the lands with inclination, the manure can be applied on the soil surface as smooth and equal as possible.
• In scope of tea areas with narrow terraces, the manure shall be applied on the interior or upper section of the terraces by dispersing on the soil surface.
• The manure shall never be applied on the tea plants. Such a manure application will harm the leaves of the tea plant and most of the manure will be washed away by the rain without reaching the soil, and the plant will not benefit from it.
• The amount of chemical manure that is going to be applied on the soil must be determined as the result of the soil analyses. As the result of the soil analyses performed during the recent years, it is determined that the most suitable chemical manure to be used for tea growing gardens is the compound fertilizer (25:5:10 N P K) and 70 kg of it is recommended per decare, each year.
• The weeds must be removed before the manure application.
• The manure shall be applied in parts, in multiple seasons.
1. The first manure can be applied during the beginning of the season to increase the number of crops, before the roots begin their activities, during February/March months,
2. The second application, during May, to reinforce;
3. While the third application can be done in July to improve the crops of September and October.