Homegrown Herbal Tea

[Phaedra]

I want to build my own homegrown herbal tea collections this year. The targets are mints, roses (Rosa rugosa), common sage, lemon balm, and German chamomile.

Therefore, I keep propagating mint and lemon balm from cuttings.

The previous batch of mints and Taiwanese basil - they were all pinched for better side-shoot development.

Mints rooted quickly and grew very well after transplanting into the soil.

Do you also make your own herbal tea collection?

 

[digitS']

Yes, I do, Phaedra .


Missed this thread yesterday - probably drinking my purchased-elsewhere Mandarin orange zest and licorice root or the Passion fruit leaves with pineapple and mango.

Maybe, a Meyer lemon would work for the citrus instead of buying in the organic produce section. Maybe, if I was like @catjac1975 , I could grow the pineapple at home.

I really look forward to having the lemon verbena and anise hyssop back in production. I like the verbena by itself but it is delightful with the hyssop . I had no problem with the anise hyssop volunteering for about 15 years in one garden. Then, the tractor guy was successful in taking it out completely!

I've had many mints here at home. I like the fragrance of some but have never been very pleased with the taste. The exception is catnip and I'm very much okay with that mint relative. It's an invasive volunteer and I have to be careful about allowing it to grow. A neighbor is not so careful and it sneaks in so I can be pleased to harvest some each year.

Steve

 

[Phaedra]

Yes, I do, Phaedra .


Missed this thread yesterday - probably drinking my purchased-elsewhere Mandarin orange zest and licorice root or the Passion fruit leaves with pineapple and mango.

Maybe, a Meyer lemon would work for the citrus instead of buying in the organic produce section. Maybe, if I was like @catjac1975 , I could grow the pineapple at home.

I really look forward to having the lemon verbena and anise hyssop back in production. I like the verbena by itself but it is delightful with the hyssop . I had no problem with the anise hyssop volunteering for about 15 years in one garden. Then, the tractor guy was successful in taking it out completely

I've had many mints here at home. I like the fragrance of some but have never been very pleased with the taste. The exception is catnip and I'm very much okay with that mint relative. It's an invasive volunteer and I have to be careful about allowing it to grow. A neighbor is not so careful and it sneaks in so I can be pleased to harvest some each year.

Steve

Meyer lemon is a perfect choice! I have two in the greenhouse and love to use the lemons to make salted lemons - it's a very useful seasoning. Kumquat and calamondin can also provide lovely flavor, but I didn't have enough fruits to dehydrate yet.

Next year, I also want to try the two you mentioned, verbena and hyssop.

I also have volunteer catnips, but only used them as a cut flower material. Do you mean it taste good?

Two years ago, I also planted Goji berries and Jujube, with the hope that someday, I can have a good harvest and dehydrate them for daily use.

 

[digitS']

A couple of cautions, Phaedra.

I only like the catnip used in a cup of tea AFTER it has dried.

The second caution is that anise hyssop is only a distant cousin to the other hyssop. That seems to have some medicinal uses so whoever might think that they are the same would best be cautious about using that one.

Steve
something that just occurs to me is that i have never tried our lemon balm dried. fresh, i don't care for it. see - it's a matter of individual tastes .

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

Yes I do!

We love cold herbal tea the best!
My favorite are mint, lemon balm, chamomile, raspberry leaves, roselle hibiscus, marigold, sage, and others I can't remember.

I am growing lots of Thai roselle this year. Not sure if you grow this. It has a tangy fruity taste and a beautiful red color. I will become a base for many of my other teas.

And lots of stevia to sweeten the tea!

 

[Alasgun]

Im surprised no one’s mentioned Rosemary? You’d normally think of it as a meat herb, or a key stuffing ingredient but it is an extraordinary tea as well, all by itself!
we grow and keep the same “staple’s” as most; Chocolate mint, Anise Hyssop, Stevia etc but the pot grown Rosemary we’ll move in the house and have fresh year round.

 

[Dahlia]

I want to build my own homegrown herbal tea collections this year. The targets are mints, roses (Rosa rugosa), common sage, lemon balm, and German chamomile.
View attachment 49060

Therefore, I keep propagating mint and lemon balm from cuttings.
View attachment 49059
The previous batch of mints and Taiwanese basil - they were all pinched for better side-shoot development.
View attachment 49061
Mints rooted quickly and grew very well after transplanting into the soil.
View attachment 49062

View attachment 49064
Do you also make your own herbal tea collection?
View attachment 49065

I grow my own peppermint and make tea which I drink fresh. I also grow chamomile which I make fresh and dried. Then my favorite homemade tea is fresh ginger tea. I buy the ginger roots at the store. It's the best! Just slice off the skin and then thinly slice a generous amount of the fresh ginger root in a mug (like 1/4 cup sliced ginger). Pour boiling water on it and let it sit for 30 minutes. Add nothing and enjoy!

 

[digitS']

We also have ginger growing from store-bought roots each year.

It is potted and stays in the greenhouse for several months before venturing outdoors into a protected location in the yard.

I've had it as tea but most is used for stir-fries. The plants don't require much attention. It's nice to have very fresh ginger .

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

sometimes i use powdered ginger for tea. i know it isn't the same as fresh, but it's all that i've got at times.

 

[Marie2020]

We also have ginger growing from store-bought roots each year.

It is potted and stays in the greenhouse for several months before venturing outdoors into a protected location in the yard.

I've had it as tea but most is used for stir-fries. The plants don't require much attention. It's nice to have very fresh ginger .

Steve

What soil mix do you use? I've only managed too grow this once and failed ever since