Once the plant is about 3 feet (1 meter) high, it will soon be time for harvest. Typically, the leaves will appear during spring or summer. To harvest, use your finger and thumb to gently pluck 3 or 4 bright green leaves off of the plant. These green leaves are ready to be turned into tea. White tea is made from leaves that haven’t fully opened. Preferably, pick the leaves on a warm day. Leave them outside in the sunlight all day long. Then, remove the stems and heat them in a hot, dry skillet for a 2 or 3 minutes. Let the leaves cool down and then store them in an airtight container. To make green tea, put the bright green leaves out in a shady location for a few hours. Then, you can either put them in a rice cooker or roast them in a hot, dry skillet for a few minutes. After that, bake the leaves for 20 minutes at a temperature of 250°F (121° C). Allow the leaves to cool and store them in an airtight container if you don’t want to brew them immediately.  Leaves kept dry in an airtight container can last for several years. Preferably, use the tea within a year. Using a rice cooker will leave the green tea with an earthier taste. To make green tea in a rice cooker, first put water-absorbent paper into the cooker. Then, turn the setting to a heat-preserving mode. Add a shallow layer of leaves. Do not cover the cooker all of the way. Leave the leaves for 3 to 4 hours. Roll the freshly picked leaves between your fingers until they turn dark. Then, spread the leaves out on a flat surface and leave them in a cool location for 2 or 3 days. Brew the leaves immediately or store them in an airtight container. The leaves will last for years if they are tightly sealed in the container. Alternatively, dry the leaves by baking them for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 250 °F (121 °C). Allow the fresh leaves to sit in the sun for 30 minutes to an hour. After that, bring the leaves inside and allow them to sit for up to 10 hours, mixing them every hour. Dry the leaves in the oven at 250°F (121°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Then, brew them or store them in an airtight container.  Make sure that the container is completely sealed. Your leaves can last for years if they are kept dry. Put several leaves inside of a tea bag or tea infuser. Place the bag into boiling water. Allow the tea to steep for at least 3 minutes and remove the bag. To sweeten, add sugar, honey, or artificial sweetener. Then, enjoy your tea. You can also infuse your tea with herbs, such as lavender, for a floral taste. Use a very small amount in comparison to the amount of tea leaves you use for tea, unless you want a very strong herbal taste.

Summary:
Pick 2 or 3 bright green leaves. Pick young leaves before they open for white tea. Make green tea. Produce black tea. Turn your leaves into oolong tea. Make your tea.