Dancong

[steanze]

In dancong like in other kinds of tea there are several different quality levels it's true that cheap dancong is thin but cheap young pu erh isn't fantastic either
Curious to see if more info comes out on this topic of pesticides.

[BW85]

Can anyone advise us on how to really identify whether it is from old tree or plantation tree. How about the presence of insecticides? Thank you

Some people claim you can tell young trees from old by examining the wet leaves, but I don't personally know what to look for. Old tree will likely give a deeper and more complex character, from my experience. The best bet is to find trusted sources, and not just trust any vendor who says their DC is "old bush" and from wudong

Heavy pesticide use can be tasted when you learn what to look for

Addendum: EoT offers a tasting kit. two pu'erhs, one with agrochemicals and one without, with David's tasting notes included

[Haddemall]

My local guy lab tests everything that he sells.

[BW85]

My local guy lab tests everything that he sells.

That makes it easy for you!

[entropyembrace]

Can anyone advise us on how to really identify whether it is from old tree or plantation tree. How about the presence of insecticides? Thank you

To know for sure if there's pesticides or not you need a chemistry lab.

To know for sure if its old tree or young plantation tree? I don't think there's any way to be absolutely sure unless you tracked the leaves from the moment they were harvested.

[AT333]

Can anyone advise us on how to really identify whether it is from old tree or plantation tree. How about the presence of insecticides? Thank you

To know for sure if there's pesticides or not you need a chemistry lab.

To know for sure if its old tree or young plantation tree? I don't think there's any way to be absolutely sure unless you tracked the leaves from the moment they were harvested.

+1 Wise words entropyembrace.

I guess nobody can tell especially on old or young tree. But many people don't realise how the tree is cultivated and how the leaves are processed is much more important than how old is the tree.

[BW85]

Can anyone advise us on how to really identify whether it is from old tree or plantation tree. How about the presence of insecticides? Thank you

To know for sure if there's pesticides or not you need a chemistry lab.

To know for sure if its old tree or young plantation tree? I don't think there's any way to be absolutely sure unless you tracked the leaves from the moment they were harvested.

+1 Wise words entropyembrace.

I guess nobody can tell especially on old or young tree. But many people don't realise how the tree is cultivated and how the leaves are processed is much more important than how old is the tree.

I wouldn't say much more important. I would imagine they usually go hand in hand though.
It's very likely that a greater percentage of farmers who produce tea from older trees will put more care into the processing of their smaller yeilds than farmers with many times the amount of terraced bushes who's main concern is high yield. I still believe the size of the tree and subsequently the size of its root structure plays a part in final product. Along with other factors like altitude

It would be interesting to taste two teas produced by the same individual, one from <20y.o. plants and one from larger >50 y.o. plants(or ideally even older), both from same farm

[Bok]

Just saw this on Marshaln’s blog and thought it might be of interest, as it concerns Dancong:
http://www.marshaln.com/2015/03/early-early-spring-tea/

It’s about how this years leaves are harvested early due to some chemicals the farmers add…

[Tead Off]

Knowing this, you have to be concerned that a similar thing is happening in the Wuyi area as well as Anxi. Only the stubbornest of purist tea farmers will resist the temptation of earning bigger bucks.

[kyarazen]

Just saw this on Marshaln’s blog and thought it might be of interest, as it concerns Dancong:
http://www.marshaln.com/2015/03/early-early-spring-tea/

It’s about how this years leaves are harvested early due to some chemicals the farmers add…

dots... the spelling is off, but gibberellins (not geb..) are phytohormones, they occur in plants naturally, involved in all sorts of processes from growth (preventing dwarfism), fruit ripening and all that.

the synthetic versions of these are highly employed in all sorts of plant related farming, fruits, vegetables, rice, wheat, grains etc, and was an important molecule in preventing famine in the green rev..........

i almost thought the article was on some serious toxic substance

[Bok]

oops, sorry my bad

[MarshalN]

Just saw this on Marshaln’s blog and thought it might be of interest, as it concerns Dancong:
http://www.marshaln.com/2015/03/early-early-spring-tea/

It’s about how this years leaves are harvested early due to some chemicals the farmers add…

dots... the spelling is off, but gibberellins (not geb..) are phytohormones, they occur in plants naturally, involved in all sorts of processes from growth (preventing dwarfism), fruit ripening and all that.

the synthetic versions of these are highly employed in all sorts of plant related farming, fruits, vegetables, rice, wheat, grains etc, and was an important molecule in preventing famine in the green rev..........

i almost thought the article was on some serious toxic substance

I said as much myself, but added that we actually do not know what's being used. This being China, fearing for the worst in food safety actually often ends up being the correct assumption.

[Haddemall]

My local guy lab tests everything that he sells.

That makes it easy for you!

Well, not quite it appears. There's no way of being 100 per cent certain, according to Marshal.

[xiaobai]

I said as much myself, but added that we actually do not know what's being used. This being China, fearing for the worst in food safety actually often ends up being the correct assumption.

As it has been pointed out above, there is only one way to possibly know: Ask your friends to send the samples they took to a reputable lab (assuming they have not already done it ). Get the lab to do an exhaustive analysis, according to the strictest protocols (like EU, for instance) and we may be able to find what's being added.

Of course, they may not find anything for a number of reasons.

[entropyembrace]

Just saw this on Marshaln’s blog and thought it might be of interest, as it concerns Dancong:
http://www.marshaln.com/2015/03/early-early-spring-tea/

It’s about how this years leaves are harvested early due to some chemicals the farmers add…

dots... the spelling is off, but gibberellins (not geb..) are phytohormones, they occur in plants naturally, involved in all sorts of processes from growth (preventing dwarfism), fruit ripening and all that.

the synthetic versions of these are highly employed in all sorts of plant related farming, fruits, vegetables, rice, wheat, grains etc, and was an important molecule in preventing famine in the green rev..........

i almost thought the article was on some serious toxic substance

It's not toxic, but it does neatly explain why cheap dancong has such a thin mouthfeel and disappointing flavour. It's just like those big vine tomatoes in the supermarket, they're big and look pretty and smell like tomatoes but they don't taste like much at all.