Brandenburg's first tea plantation: a pioneer project in Schünow!

Brandenburg's first tea plantation: a pioneer project in Schünow!

in Schünow near Teltow-Fläming is the first large-scale tea plantation in Germany. This pioneering project was launched two years ago by Antje Kühnle and her husband. The tea plant, which originally comes from China, is grown there under special climatic conditions. Traditionally, tea has been used as a remedy in China for about 5,000 years. So that the plants can thrive, a subtropical to tropical climate, mild winter, a lot of precipitation and an increased location is required.

In Europe, tea plants can now also be found in various regions. According to a current study, there are over 100 tea arms, including on the Azores, in England, Italy, France and the Netherlands. Teepod reports that tea has been cultivated in organic cultivation for five generations, such as the Mota family, for example. These plantation produces around 40 tons of tea annually, which illustrates the importance of tea cultivation in Europe.

progress in Schünow

The first greenhouse of the Schünower Anlage was opened in November 2023 and has modern equipment such as underfloor heating, operated by an air-heat pump, while the required electricity comes from a solar system. Over 200,000 seeds were planted in the greenhouse, mainly varieties from Asian growing areas, and the germ rate was almost 100 percent. This is a remarkable progress compared to previous attempts, in which only 20 to 30 percent of the seeds went.

already 10,000 plants are outdoors, and it is planned to add another field by autumn 2025. In order to secure the quality and diversity of the offer, some young plants are also sold. On the plantation, the goal is to grow up to 250,000 tea plants on an area of ​​three hectares outdoors.

long -term project and look into the future

The first test plants were harvested and tested in 2023. The long -term project stipulates that it takes five years for the plants to deliver their full yield. These tea plants can be productive for up to 800 years, which underlines the potentially sustainable perspective of the project.

The operators also plan to open the farm for visitors in the coming year and to create an “oasis of calm” that observes the principles of sustainable agriculture. The construction of a tea processing road and a gastrocular kitchen in the old cowshed on the site are planned.

Overall, in Germany, especially in Freiburg and other regions, tea cultivation is promoted. Roberts Tehaus emphasizes that the quality of the European tea can be quite convincing, even if the producers often only harvest small quantities. The increasing interest in regional cultivation could offer tea cultivation in Germany a promising perspective.