growing herbs for teas
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:13 pm
- Location: Halton, near Lancaster
growing herbs for teas
Hello, I am determined to grow more herbs for making teas this year, partly to save money and partly cause it seems plain silly to be flying and driving stuff round the world packaged up in little bags and boxes.
I've been re-potting some lemon balm today and brought some in (to unheated kitchen windowsill )to hopefully speed the growth and have a spearmint doing ok on the windowsill though getting a bit floppy. Get bored just drinking these two so need to diversify if I'm going to stick to growing not buying.
Sages are just getting some leaves on again (maybe I will try bringing one of these in too to see if it speeds things up) and rosemaries and lavenders are starting to recover after the beatings of the frosts and am going to try teas from these this year though not sure they'll be my cup of tea .
Not sure what to add to the mix this year? I like white tea and a lot of the spicy yogi teas, not really stuff you can grow in Lancashire
I've been re-potting some lemon balm today and brought some in (to unheated kitchen windowsill )to hopefully speed the growth and have a spearmint doing ok on the windowsill though getting a bit floppy. Get bored just drinking these two so need to diversify if I'm going to stick to growing not buying.
Sages are just getting some leaves on again (maybe I will try bringing one of these in too to see if it speeds things up) and rosemaries and lavenders are starting to recover after the beatings of the frosts and am going to try teas from these this year though not sure they'll be my cup of tea .
Not sure what to add to the mix this year? I like white tea and a lot of the spicy yogi teas, not really stuff you can grow in Lancashire
- Carltonian Man
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 575
- Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:29 am
- Location: Nottingham
Re: growing herbs for teas
Could try rosemary and fennel seed (I used to drink loads of it), maybe nettle too.
- greenorelse
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:56 am
- latitude: 52.52
- longitude: -8.9
- Location: East Clare, West Ireland
Re: growing herbs for teas
I was going to suggest nettle too! It's that time of year. Don't forget dandelions are useful plants too.
Yarrow grows anywhere and makes a decent brew. Spruce needle tea is said to be high in vitamin C.
Also, there are many different kinds of mints, all special in their own way.
Get a small piece of liquorice root; grate it to make and infusion with, it lasts a good while.
Something I'd love to grow and try as a tea is stevia.
A related tip: use a dedicated, decent-sized cafetiere (french press) for making your teas. Far easier than using a teapot and strainer.
Yarrow grows anywhere and makes a decent brew. Spruce needle tea is said to be high in vitamin C.
Also, there are many different kinds of mints, all special in their own way.
Get a small piece of liquorice root; grate it to make and infusion with, it lasts a good while.
Something I'd love to grow and try as a tea is stevia.
A related tip: use a dedicated, decent-sized cafetiere (french press) for making your teas. Far easier than using a teapot and strainer.
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 379
- Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:27 pm
- latitude: 35.0
- longitude: 33.4
- Location: Kent, England
- Contact:
Re: growing herbs for teas
fennel leaf is delicious.
Grow your own it's much safer - http://www.cyprusgardener.co.uk and http://cyprusgardener.blogspot.com
Re: growing herbs for teas
chamomile. chamomile with aniseed,
Thyne, with a little honey. lovely
Thyne, with a little honey. lovely
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:13 pm
- Location: Halton, near Lancaster
Re: growing herbs for teas
Of course nettle and dandelion! Two of my all time favourite teas what an airhead I am. Thanks for the reminder. I suppose I can just freeze some for later in the year, but not sure how well it would keep.
Not tried yarrow before in fact not even sure what yarrow looks like but will investigate, thanks for that.
Fennel tea yum yum, not tried growing it before though, looks exotic and tricky
THanks everone
Not tried yarrow before in fact not even sure what yarrow looks like but will investigate, thanks for that.
Fennel tea yum yum, not tried growing it before though, looks exotic and tricky
THanks everone
Re: growing herbs for teas
Exotic and tricky fennel - we planted some years ago and never looked after it particularly. It grew. I'm still trying to get rid of it, but it insists on coming back up every year in the worst possible places. This is great if you like fennel. I'm not telling anyone if I do or not.
Mike
Mike
The secret of life is to aim below the head (With thanks to MMM)
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:13 pm
- Location: Halton, near Lancaster
Re: growing herbs for teas
Might give fennel a whirl if I can get myself organised then. Oh so many projects to try and far too many hours spent at work
You never know who's listening eh Mike!MKG wrote: I'm not telling anyone if I do or not. Mike
- Thomzo
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 4311
- Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:42 pm
- Facebook Name: Zoe Thomas
- Location: Swindon, South West England
Re: growing herbs for teas
Nettles dry really easily. Just hang them up for a few days. Then they keep for ages.
Zoe
Zoe
-
- margo - newbie
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2011 8:01 am
Re: growing herbs for teas
I grew Fenugreek a couple of years ago but did not leave it to seed as we used the leaves as an ingredient for Methi Chaman (Indian dish). Although most people use the seeds for tea I think that the leaves are brewed as a herbal tea in India. It is also a good green manure if you find you do not like the taste.
- Veggiesauraus
- Jerry - Bit higher than newbie
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:26 pm
- Location: Dorset
Re: growing herbs for teas
Love this post!!! Thanks for all the ideas!!!
PS I still have dried nettles on my wall from last years crop! Still taste as good :) Not sure if they have any goodness in them?
:)
PS I still have dried nettles on my wall from last years crop! Still taste as good :) Not sure if they have any goodness in them?
:)
-
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 1439
- Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:49 pm
- Location: Hailsham East Sussex
Re: growing herbs for teas
Never tried netle tea whats it taste like? :)
"no-one can make you feel inferior without your permission"
-
- Living the good life
- Posts: 399
- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:13 pm
- Location: Halton, near Lancaster
Re: growing herbs for teas
umm, like nettles?! Sort of green and very fertile and a bit earthy?! Best I can dobecks77 wrote:Never tried netle tea whats it taste like? :)
Can't think of anything else that tastes like it.
Today is nettle gathering day for me
- Green Aura
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9313
- Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
- latitude: 58.569279
- longitude: -4.762620
- Location: North West Highlands
Re: growing herbs for teas
Honestly, it tastes like crap!becks77 wrote:Never tried netle tea whats it taste like? :)
The good thing is a little goes a long way and mixing it with mint makes a very palatable brew.
Maggie
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin
- greenorelse
- A selfsufficientish Regular
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:56 am
- latitude: 52.52
- longitude: -8.9
- Location: East Clare, West Ireland
Re: growing herbs for teas
It's an acquired taste - I know people who love it. It's a little too earthy for me but the dried nettle tea you can buy in wholefood shops seems better; maybe it's mixed with something. It's a bit like liquorice tea bought in teabags - definitely tastes of liquorice and I like it - but what a difference when you grate your own liquorice root and make an infusion: gorgeous!Green Aura wrote:Honestly, it tastes like crap!becks77 wrote:Never tried netle tea whats it taste like? :)
The good thing is a little goes a long way and mixing it with mint makes a very palatable brew.