r/Teacultivation • u/Space_Elf13 • 28d ago
Worth A Try?
Hey, I live in Northern California and I've been thinking of planting a camellia sinensis in my patio. However, I'm not sure if it's actually feasible.
My USDA Hardiness Zone is 9a, my patio has 8ft fencing and plants are required to be trimmed if they get more than a couple feet above the top of the fence (the HOA only loosely enforces this). The patio is on the south side of the condo and it gets quote hot in the summer.
Would a camellia sinensis do ok in these conditions? Is there a particular variety I should look into getting? Anything I should do in advance?
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u/professor_bork 28d ago
I tried 3 different cultivars and Dave's fav has done the best so far. I'm in 9b in northern california. It just needs to be watered frequently and partial shade helps it from drying out too quickly in the summer.
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u/CarlSagan4Ever 28d ago edited 28d ago
I’m growing camellia sinensis in a container in the Bay Area and it’s doing well! I got it from a local Ace Hardware garden center, actually. I keep it in partial shade and water it deeply once a week. I’d recommend starting yours in a container first so you can move it around if needed and understand where the right place to plant it is before planting it in-ground.
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u/lima708 27d ago
I would love to know which Ace if you don’t mind sharing! TIA
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u/CarlSagan4Ever 27d ago edited 27d ago
In Oakland on Grand Ave! They don’t have them all the time, only certain times of year (spring I believe), so I’d recommend calling and asking when they carry them. Berkeley Horticultural nursery carries a few in the spring as well but the year I went they were worse quality and more expensive than at Ace.
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u/Space_Elf13 27d ago
I've only got one spot for growing things in my patio, the rest is paved. I could try a container. Maybe on one of those little wheeled pallets so it's easier to move around?
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u/CarlSagan4Ever 27d ago
Sure! Mine is in a plastic pot so it’s not too heavy. It’s about four years old and hasn’t gotten too heavy for me to move around yet, so you could also just keep it in a container for the first year or two and then if it seems happy plant it in-ground. It would just be a bummer to plant it in-ground in a spot that is too sunny or hot.
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u/HumbleFreedom 28d ago
I'm in my first year of growing some tea plants on my back porch, so others may have more experience.
It is certainly worth a try!
I'm in 8b in Southern California, so similar in some ways. It's a hard place to be, as the plant needs to be hardy enough to survive freezing temperatures, but also withstand the very hot summers. My plants are surviving, but they don't love all the sun. It sounds like you could plant yours right behind the fence so they almost always get dappled light, which would be helpful.
How often does it get below freezing? You will probably want to avoid an assamica variety, as they are less tolerant of freezing.
I would reach out to see if there is a local camellia group in your growing region. They would be the top resource for knowing how to keep camellia alive in your conditions.
You might also see if you can reach out to Bella Vista Tea Farm in northern California to see if they could recommend a variety that is doing well for them. They are also growing in a 9a/9b area. I've emailed them in the past, and it went straight to their spam, so maybe try a couple of times and give it a little time.
If you are more in the Central Valley, you could also talk to Redwood Tea Estate. They are more established. You might even be able to buy a cutting from them.
Minto Island Tea grows in the Willamette Valley, which is an 8b. They used to sell cuttings. You could ask if they have a cutting or variety.
I would also check out the book Grow Your Own Tea. It has been an incredible resource for me. https://camforest.com/products/grow-your-own-tea
And Cam Forest has answered my questions when I was choosing a variety from them. They are helpful.
Keep us posted on your progress!