I am planting some Tea plants ( Camellia sinensis ) next year. And my main question is:

Can I use the young tea buds and leaves to make my own tea directly right after plucking them from the tea plant?

Is the elaborate processing (withering, steaming, then drying) to make green tea really necessary when you can have fresh tea leaves directly from the plant?

Joe, I don't have much of an idea about how to make tea, other than that it a fairly complicated process. Here is a link that might be of interest.

http://www.theteahousetimes.com/tea_plantation.htm

Here is something that Hawaii and South Carolina have in common-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_production_in_United_States

Thanks Ned and DavidMac.

I can't believe that answer to such simple and fundamental first step question , I can't find the straight answer anywhere.

I know how to make various kinds of tea by looking up various web sites. Take note that if you look up at the various tea information, the more processing you will do with the tea leaves, the more you lose the antioxidant powers, that is why green tea is often preferrable. The black tea, although lower in antioxidants is better on the taste buds to most people. The oolong tea is intermediate between green and black tea. One of the main reasons why you need to do the withering, steaming, drying of green tea is to prolong shelf life. If you have fresh tea leaves anytime you want, and can make tea that is acceptable to your taste buds, why go through all of these hoopla? You should theoretically have more anti-oxidants than the green tea then. Plus if you squeeze some citruses on it, you will retain most of the antioxidants much better, then use the Stevia for natural sweetener in your tea.

On a short tour in Malaysia, we were served tea made from fresh tea
leaves with a hint of mint; very refreshing. Drinking tea is also an
age-old tradition in Vietnam; and the Vietnamese love tea from fresh
leaves. Here's what I gather from a Viet food blog:

About Tea in Vietnam
by Hoang Quoc Nguyen

There are many kinds of tea that are enjoyed in Vietnam. For
centuries people in the countryside (predominantly in the northern
and central regions) have been drinking tea daily, at anytime of the
day, utilizing freshly plucked tea leaves for their brews. Such tea
is called che tuoi (fresh tea). People who enjoy that kind of tea do
not call it tra, the common Viet word for tea. (Che is also the
common word for Viet sweet soup or pudding snacks sold by street
vendors. In the States, che are sold at Viet delis (look in the
refrigerated section) and at specialty che cafeteria-style shops in
Viet enclaves.)

To make che tuoi, bring water to a boil in a clay pot, and then put
the fresh tea leaves that have been crumpled by hand into the boiling
water. You should a quantity that's just enough for each brew. Wait
for the water to boil again and turn off the heat.

Pour the tea out to drink, and you'll notice that wonderful green
color, and strong and tasty flavor. If you keep the water boiling too
long, the tea will turn brownish and will lose its fresh taste. In
the olden days, at the entrance of the village, there always was a
small booth (quan) that sells che tuoi and might be with some other
goodies, including moonshine kind of white rice wine. People would
buy fresh tea leaves from the market and kept and used the over a
period of a few days, until the next shopping trip.

In some towns, a more sophisticated form of tea called che hot was
available. It is made from the tea flower buds. The buds are
collected while still very young and sun dried. People still do not
call it tra either. To brew che hot, just put about a full teaspoon
in a teapot, then add boiled water and let it brew for 30 to 40
minutes. Add more water after when needed, if the flavor is too
strong.

It was later on that dry tea leaves were introduced and called tra,
which is likely to have been borrowed from the Chinese term for tea,
cha. The very young leaves are collected and dried in drier machines.
Sophisticated ways are used to make different kinds of trà, as we
know by their prices, especially in China.

In Viet Nam for centuries people have seasoned their trà with lotus
flower pistils and different kinds of fragrant flowers such as hoa
soi, hoa ngau, hoa lai. The real good seasoned one with lotus flower
pistils is the most in demand.

Nu voi are the flower buds of the cay voi, a kind of tree that people
in the countryside often grow in their yard, not typically on
plantations. in order to make a special kind of tea, especially used
in summer time as it is believed for its cooling property. People
call this kind of tea che nu voi.

Vietworldkitchen.com

Thanks!!!
That's so enlighteaning!

So here's a brew recipe coming up:
Fresh tea leaves from young leaves and buds. Plus stevia flower. Bring water to a boil, add tea leaves and stevia, bring to boil again and turn off heat. Squeeze calamondins, strain and serve while hot ...

All from the garden. full of antioxidants, plus some vitamins from citruses, and sweet without the artificial sweeteners, all natural...

A recent website said that said you cannot harvest tea leaves until the plant is 3 year old. I do not know why it should take 3 years to pick leaves. Are you planting seeds or small plants? I also saw a site that referenced fermenting leaves to make tea. It was a big turn off so I do know if I will ever grow a tea plant. Please comment! A SNOWY CITRUS GROWER - HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

Joe, I enjoy tea sometime, and order mine through Upton Tea Company. I like to try the different kinds. It occured to me that they have a lot of information of their web site, and in a quarterly booklet they mail to customers. Here is the link:

http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/tocIndex.asp

Ned

The problem is where can you buy a tea plant .

The wikipedia seems to have some good info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea

This place sells plants, and different sorts:
http://www.camforest.com/tealist.html, seems to have some good info.

Wikipedia was the first place I looked. And this is one such case that knowledge from Wikipedia is only average compared to the gurus of this forum like Millet, Buddinman, MrTexas, Skeeter, Laaz, BabyBlue, Gina, Benny, Snickles, etc. Wikipedia CANNOT ANSWER my basic question about the use of FRESH leaves plucked from the plants. They only talked about what most people already knew, the making of tea from PROCESSED tea leaves and of course the pocessing of fresh tea leaves into processed tea leaves, but never the direct use of fresh tea leaves. That is why I posted the question in the first place, can't easily find such specific answer to specific question. I'm sure glad Rhodomel answered it squarely and completely and am convinced of the use of fresh tea leaves compared to processed tea leaves.

Sorry!!!!!!
When I looked at the wiki under "processing" it listed the different types of teas and how they are made. That told me if you picked leaves off the tree (or bush) that you would be making green tea. I thought that was what you were asking.
My apologies for trying to help!!!