As with any tea-related process, the different methods for weeding a tea field offer a trade-off between cost and quality, or more specifically cost and health.

Manual weeding is a clear winner from the health and environmental standpoint. No harmful chemicals are used, the soil is left intact and able to handle rain, and the chopped weeds end up providing nutrients. The cost and effort involved, however, adds up with the more land you have.

Soil flipping is another popular method. This involves what it sounds like, flipping the soil, overturning any weeds and creating a hostile environment for them to grow in. The downside is that it still involves some effort, and soil erosion becomes more of a problem as the soil cannot hold water as well.

Lastly, we have chemical weed killers. This is where you boo at your screen. This is the fastest, simplest and more cost-efficient method, but also the least healthy as these chemicals can be absorbed by the tea trees and pass on to you.