Growing a Tea Garden

By April Hensley

Nothing is so southern as a refreshingly cool glass of iced tea on a scorching summer day. A steaming mug of fresh brewed herbal tea on cool summer mornings is calming and peaceful. Hot or cold, the wonderful blended flavors taste like magic.

It is simple to grow a garden of herbs that can be used for brewing iced or hot teas or for flavoring tea or other drinks. Many of the herbs are things we may already be growing or have in our spice racks.

Chamomile, lemon balm, mint, holy basil, and parsley are just a few of the many tea herbs that can be grown at home.

If you have a roomy yard or growing space, you can also grow raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or any numerous fruits for flavor. Organic dried raspberry and blackberry leaves are often used in herbal tea blends.

There are infusers out now that are containers or dispensers that have an inner chamber where herbs and fresh fruits and vegetables like cucumbers can be steeped to flavor the beverage or water—probably a lot healthier than the storebought flavored waters and teas.

Let’s look over a few tips to get a tea garden started.

• In a 4-foot by 4-foot area you can plant between 9 and 16 plants depending on their adult size. Check the back of the pack for spacing requirements. Leave room to get between the plants for harvesting.

• Plants can be grown in pots on a patio, deck, or in hanging baskets for areas with limited in-ground space.

• Now is the time to plant seeds indoors so the herbs will be ready to transplant outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.

• If you are going to buy plants from a nursery, you can start getting your garden space ready by buying pots and potting soil.

• Try not to spray plants with any artificial pesticides. You will be using the foliage of the plants.

• Lightly harvest all season long as needed. Remove small pieces so the plant doesn’t die back.

• Test the flavors of your herbs. Dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor and fresh will be milder.

• Remove any flower buds you see forming. This will help the plant to continue to grow.

• Before frost in the fall, harvest the parts of the plant you are going to use and dehydrate. When completely dry, store in an air tight container.

April Hensley works as an office manager and is an avid gardener, writer, and greenhouse hobbyist. April loves the outdoors and is passionate about animal welfare and the environment. She can be reached at aprils1105@ embarqmail.com.