How To Grow, Care And Harvest Your Own Tea - Part I

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From its roots in China over 4000 years ago, Tea made its way across Asia and Europe and into Hearts and Homes of the people around the world. Along with its popularity have come endless ways of preparing tea.

One of the popular ways Americans serve hot tea is brewed with herbs such as Lavender and Mint. Growing a garden of Tea and Herbs can enjoy allow you to blends as also the beautiful flowers and Aromas of fresh herbs. Here are some of the ways as how to plant, harvest, prepare and brew some of popular Tisanes (a medicinal drink originally made from barley) and teas. Some people forgo tea altogether and brew the herbs on their own, making herbal infusions known as Tisanes. No matter how you make it, Tea is a delight for addition to most any meal.

1) MINT  - Mint is a hardy plant that is easy to care for. It will grow in average soil and partial to full sun. Start seeds indoors and place outside after last frost, or place fresh stem-tip cuttings in moist soil to root. It will spread so plant it near a barrier, sidewalk or in a container. While Mint can be dried, it tastes a good fresh. Harvest fresh leaves, tear them up slightly and steep in boiling water for three to seven minutes as per your preference.

2)  CHAMOMILE  - Chamomile is known for its calming effects, Daisy-like flower can also increase appetite and relieve indigestion. Its two most popular varieties are German and Roman. German chamomile is more suited to small gardens or planters, while Roman makes a good ground cover. Sow Chamomile seeds indoors or in the garden. Chamomile grows easily when allowed to shed mature seeds. Plants do best in fertile well drained soil in a sunny spot. While it grows in most places, it will not tolerate temperatures over 98 Degrees for very long.
Harvest branches when they have several open flowers and hang to dry in bunches.Once the stems dried, remove the blooms and store in an airtight container. To brew, steep two teaspoons of dried flowers in one cup of boiling water for five to ten minutes.

3) LAVENDER - Lavender produces purple flowers and prefers well drained, almost sandy, soil and sunny, open areas. It not only smell and taste wonderful, but also help ease headaches and prevent
fainting and dizziness. It can grow in pots and planters, but will grow taller and have better Air
circulation in a garden,which will help deter fungus.
Plant seeds in late summer or early autumn or split and plant existing clumps in autumn. Harvest stalks of of lavender just as flowers bloom and dry in small bundles before storing in an airtight
container. To brew, steep four teaspoons of dried flowers in boiling water for two to five minutes.

Rest in my next post.


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