Topic: Tea

[Zoglet]

Tea- can it be grown in the UK, has anyone tried it, where did you source the seed etc?


Z

[Ceratonia]

They have a few Tea plants (Camellia sinensis) growing in one of the greenhouses in the botanic garden in Cambridge, for showing kids where tea comes from. So, yes it can be grown in the UK. It likes warm, wet summers (lots of rain) and dry winters - it barely tolerates frost. So more of a conservatory novelty than anything else; nice white flowers, too. I heard that someone in Cornwall was planning on starting a tea plantation, but don't think anything came of it.

Jungleseeds.co.uk sell seeds, probably other places too. Coffee is probably easier, though!

[Zoglet]

thats interesting, thanks. I am surprised that coffee can be grown in the UK, would it produce beans that could be used for drinking?

[fluffygrue]

Yep, there's a tea plantation in Cornwall, I believe.

Gardener's Question Time had a feature on growing tea recently - Mr. Flowerdew reckons it'll soon be possible for us Brit gardeners to grow tea successfully.

I think coffee's more grown indoors, though.

[Ceratonia]

A quick google shows that there is indeed a tea plantation in Cornwall - with plans to sell the tea.

http://www.tregothnan.co.uk/tea-garden/p_302/

Coffee is grown indoors in this country - it's not too hard to find plants for sale, either. My comment was more that it's easier to turn a coffee berry into something just about drinkable, compared to drying young leaves of tea. They have cocoa beans in the botanic garden here, too, but I don't think there's much chance of growing your own hot chocolate!

[Zoglet]

lol, ok, the chocolate may be a tad ambitious, but the tea may be one to try later in the year when the seed is fresh - thanks for the info and link! :)

[Baccy Man]

Cocoa can be grown successfully as a houseplant in the UK but you need really fresh seeds or they won't germinate. If you do get some growing do not put it outside in the sun during the summer I made that mistake last year & killed both of my plants it is supposed to stay in the shade which I found out later.
Tea & coffee plants are both easy to grow they were previously discussed in this thread http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,72/topic,28588.0

Catura coffee is the only variety that tolerates direct sunlight all other varieties must be grown in diffused light. Both tea & coffee are easy to process coffee beans need to be fermented first if you want a decent tasting cup see this site for details http://www.coffeeresearch.org/coffee/homegrowing.htm
Tea leaves can be picked & used instantly for green tea or I have recently tried fermenting some in my tobacco curing chamber where the temperature & humidity are easily controlled & have produced some fairly good tea.

My tea seeds came from chitern seeds. http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/pages/moreinfo.asp?pe=DBFAJEICQ_+camellia+sinensis&cid=211
They also sell 1 variety of coffee although my coffee seeds originally came from an American ebay store as they were cheaper. http://stores.ebay.com/Seedmart_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZQ2d33QQftidZ2QQtZkm

[Zoglet]

Thanks Baccy Man, is your tobacco a good smoke?

[Baccy Man]

People who have tried my tobacco always seem impressed but they don't always believe it is homegrown until they see me cutting the leaves up myself I once played around with the flavouring & made some cigarettes using a tubing machine for someone who only smokes marlboro lights & they couldn't tell the difference. Then the bit I like best is that my tobacco only costs around 2p per ounce to produce.

[Zoglet]

Thats impressive, are the plants prone to many pests?

[Ceratonia]

Cocoa can be grown successfully as a houseplant in the UK

Cocoa trees I've seen are generally 15-20ft. Is it really possible to get them to fruit in the UK, as a houseplant? I guess their preference for shade would help? The way the pods grow directly out of the trunks looks weird!

[Baccy Man]

I gave fairly detailed instructions on how to grow & process tobacco in this thread http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,72/topic,27250.0 the pests are pretty much the same as for any plants slugs & caterpillars will attack seedlings & young leaves, aphids attack young leaves & the flowers.

Home grown cocoa is smaller than that (typically 5-6 foot) because it is grown in a pot which restricts the roots & you can train it as a bush you may need to buy yourself a humidifier particularly if you have central heating as they don't like dry air but yes it will produce cocoa beans if you can succesfully grow some then I suggest you take a look at this site for details of how to turn them into chocolate http://www.chocolatealchemy.com/ they also sell cocoa beans & the equipment necessary to turn it into chocolate if you want to skip growing it & just start making it. There is another site I know of that sells cocoa beans but I haven't ordered from them so can't comment on what their service is like http://www.stoneandgiacomotto.com/

[tuinman]

Hey Baccy man, That sounds pretty good 2p per ounce. If you could tell a little over space needed per plant, ease of growing and where you get your seed i might be able to make a little space to grow them in the allotment. cheers 

[Baccy Man]

Hey Baccy man, That sounds pretty good 2p per ounce. If you could tell a little over space needed per plant, ease of growing and where you get your seed i might be able to make a little space to grow them in the allotment. cheers 

Space 18"-24" between plants average height of the plants is about 6'.
Ease of growing about as easy as tomatoes. It grows outside happily so there is no need for a greenhouse or polytunnel.
Seeds I have loads of spare seed if you want some send me a PM or there are a few sites listed in the "Wacko Backo" thread linked to above that sell seeds if you need further information then ask or have a look at these sites.

http://www.coffinails.com/forums/ (this site sells seeds with the most useful instructions you will find on the net)
or
http://www.howtogrowtobacco.com/forums/index.php
I am amongst the top 10 posters on the first site & the moderator on the second so if you ask any questions on either chances are I will be answering them anyway

You are a bit late for sowing seed this year you would get tobacco but it is unlikely you will get any seeds to save for next year.

[cambourne7]

..if i had the space i would love a walled veg garden that on the left hand side led to 2 polly tunnels ( one for sesional crops and one for perminant crops like tea and coffee.

but i dont think i can afford it :-(

[HappyCatz]

For anyone interested or planning a visit to cornwall, Tregothnan are opening their gardens to the public on the 28th and 29th April.  They do have a tea plantation and sell their tea in the small garden shop.

[manicscousers]

not there 'til end of august, we're in st ives , do they sell the tea all year round ?

[HappyCatz]

I think so, or you can order it on the web
www.tregothnan.co.uk
Not cheap though but english tea has got to be something special!

[manicscousers]

thanks, happycatz, will have a look  :)

[Rohaise]

 Husband  says he will stick with his vinyard plans thankyou  ! ( bless him !)Rohaise   ;D