The second flush sprouting after apical dominance is broken.

With the first flush (Ichiban-cha) harvest behind us, the second flush (Niban-cha) harvest is about to begin. Second flush tea refers to the tea harvested and processed from the new shoots that grow back after the first flush harvest. While its yield and quality are somewhat lower, it is highly valued as a blending ingredient to manage the price and quality of products used for processing and lattes.

When the first flush is harvested, the terminal buds are removed, breaking apical dominance. This allows new shoots to begin growing from the lower growth points (nodes). This is exactly how the second flush comes to be. Apical dominance is a mechanism where the growth of the plant's topmost buds is so vigorous that signals sent from the apex suppress the growth of lower growth points. These lower points can only begin growing once the apex is removed and that signal is blocked. Harvesting the first flush essentially removes the apex, serving as the trigger for the second flush to start growing.

The Crucial Pre-Harvest Step

Immediately after the first flush harvest, preparations for the second flush begin. The most important task is leveling (skiffing), which evens out the surface of the tea field once again. Harvesting the first flush does not mean cutting off all of the current year's branches. The harvesting height differs from the autumn pruning height; usually, harvesting is done at a higher position than the pruning line to avoid mixing in old leaves from the previous year's branches, or to avoid harvesting lower leaves that have already begun to harden.

The leaves left behind during the harvest still have growth potential, so they expand after the harvest and eventually harden completely. These hardened leaves turn the surface of the tea field into an uneven shape, and if they get mixed into the second flush, it causes a drop in quality. During the leveling process, we remove these leftover shoots that weren't fully harvested during the first flush, neatly cleaning up the surface of the tea field.

A Race Against Time

This leveling work done before the second flush is incredibly labor-intensive and a race against time. As soon as the first flush harvest ends, apical dominance is broken, and the second flush shoots burst forth all an once. If the leveling work is delayed, it can damage the second flush or accidentally remove the new buds themselves. Therefore, the leveling must be completed within a very tight window.

Leveling the early-season tea fields must be done in parallel with the late-season first flush harvests, putting a serious squeeze on the overall schedule. After this, shading work (covering), harvesting, and processing are all waiting in line. The truth is, the period between the first and second flush is incredibly busy.

By Hiroki A.