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Hello,
I have question about "flushes". I found on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea

Only the top 1-2 inches of the mature plant are picked. These buds and leaves are called "flushes".

Whether it is true or someone incompetent wrote this?

Hi,

I think that's a good question. English is not my native language, so sometimes I find this kind of special words a bit confusing, too.

I'm reading The Tea Drinker's Handbook by Delmas, Minet & Barbaste (Abbeville Press). On page 48 they write:

In India, where many traces of the British Empire still linger, the crop is commonly called a flush, a term that means "growth thrust." First Flush, Second Flush and Third Flush refer respectively to the harvests of spring, summer and autumn.

They then proceed to the bud and the main types of pluck (bud & 0 - 5 leaves), without using the word "flush".

I'm not native english speaker too.
I know meaning your are writing about and I want to know if "flush" as bud and 2 leaves is right.

Hrm, somebody else may have to correct me on this one, but I think "flush" simply refers to new growth on the plant. It's not limited to any number of buds or leaves -- that's only important when picking.

Drax is on the money: a flush is merely when the plant has new shoots and leaves, although in the warmer part of year plants tend to keep adding leaves from spring to autumn.

So term "flush" as fresh bud is correct?

Well, yes and no. I know with black teas, darjeelings for example, they have 1st flush, 2nd flush, and 3rd flush (or autumn flush). You could swap the word flush with harvest. 2nd flush would be when the plant has grown back leaves after the first flush and is ready to be harvested a second time that year.
At least that's how I've always interpreted it. Someone will certainly correct me if I'm wrong.

minor_glitch wrote:Well, yes and no. I know with black teas, darjeelings for example, they have 1st flush, 2nd flush, and 3rd flush (or autumn flush). You could swap the word flush with harvest. 2nd flush would be when the plant has grown back leaves after the first flush and is ready to be harvested a second time that year.
At least that's how I've always interpreted it. Someone will certainly correct me if I'm wrong.

This is how I would also define "flush" as it pertains to tea.

1st flush = 1st harvest
2nd flush = 2nd harvest
etc ...

Chip wrote:

minor_glitch wrote:Well, yes and no. I know with black teas, darjeelings for example, they have 1st flush, 2nd flush, and 3rd flush (or autumn flush). You could swap the word flush with harvest. 2nd flush would be when the plant has grown back leaves after the first flush and is ready to be harvested a second time that year.
At least that's how I've always interpreted it. Someone will certainly correct me if I'm wrong.

This is how I would also define "flush" as it pertains to tea.

1st flush = 1st harvest
2nd flush = 2nd harvest
etc ...

This is how I have always interpreted it as well.

Me too;)

Me too.
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