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How to Start and Grow A Tea Garden
Are you looking for a way to enjoy your garden beyond the aesthetics? Adding some edible varieties can be an exciting and useful prospect.
You don’t have to have a large plot of land to make it happen, either. Furthermore, it’s completely accessible, even for beginner gardeners.
With just a little know-how, you could benefit from some homegrown herbal remedies. We’re here to help with that, from choosing your starter plants to knowing how to brew them. Open your tastebuds and listen up.
What Are Tea Garden Plants?
Tea garden plants typically consist of non-caffeinated herbal varieties and they can come in many different forms. We stick with a few of the most popular options that you may or may not be familiar with.
Let’s see what each plant is good for, how to grow it, how to prepare it as a tea, and how it tastes like.
Chamomile
Chamomile has been around for at least 2000 years, dating back to the ancient Egyptians and Romans. It’s found in ointments, medicines and finally, teas.
This flower has a daisy-like shape with a cheerful quality about it. The feathery leaves are white with a bright yellow center.
What It’s Good For
Chamomile is mostly known for its calming and tension-relieving effects. It contains essential oils and antioxidants, making it useful for upset stomachs, hay fever, insomnia and muscle spasms, among other ailments. You could also find relief from various types of inflammation, too.
You’ll often find it used in night time tea blends, along with other herbs such as lavender.
Flavor Profile
Chamomile has a moderate yet floral taste. Some say it has a hint of apple to it. You can find recommendations for adding a slice of fresh apple in your cup to bring out the sweetness.
Plant Care
There are two main types of chamomile, German and Roman.
The former is most typically used for teas and grows up to around 2 feet in height. Roman varieties will reach up to around half of that in size.
It’s a self-seeding plant that produces many blooms. As a perennial, it’ll continue growing year after year, which makes it a convenient option. You can grow it directly in the ground or as a potted design.
Generously scatter the seeds over the soil but leave them near the top as they need direct sun exposure around eight hours a day. Chamomile should germinate in around one to two weeks time. Moderate watering will help it grow at a rapid pace.
How to Prepare Chamomile
You can use German chamomile when its leaves and flowers have opened completely. Brew it either fresh or dried. Our directions below are for the former style.
How to brew:
Harvest your chamomile flowers by popping the heads off the stems. If you’ll use them fresh, it’s recommended to brew your tea on the same day you’ve harvested it.
Boil around 1 cup of water for each serving of tea. Place around 3 to 4 tablespoons in the cup or your tea diffuser as you wait for the water.
Pour the boiling water over the chamomile flowers and then steep it for five to seven minutes.
Strain the tea and enjoy.
Mint
It’s another tea that’s been around since ancient times and the name comes from the ancient Greek word, menthe. Mint comes in a variety of styles including spearmint, peppermint and even fruity types such as apple mint.
Peppermint is a very popular option used for herbal teas. You’ll find fuzzy, shiny leaves with an angular shape to them.
What It’s Good For
Mint is an age-old remedy that can help with a variety of health problems. People commonly use it for digestive issues including IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), for one. Some studies show it can also improve memory and other cognitive functions with its uplifting effect.
Depression and headaches might ease with the help of mint, as well.
Flavor Profile
Mint is known for its potent zing. You’ll get a hint of pepper, the strength depending on the plant itself. It pairs well with chocolate and you can easily incorporate it into your cooking adventures, too.
Plant Care
Mint is one of the most reliable, low-maintenance tea plants to manage. It grows like a weed and can easily take over your garden. The best part is that it needs very little to thrive.
Do you live in a temperate region? If so, you’ll plant it around October and November. For more tropical areas, aim for the summer months, instead.
It can adapt to a variety of soils and needs to stay moist but don’t overwater it, as it’s prone to attract disease this way. The plants will grow to between 1 and 3-feet tall and you can harvest the whole twigs once you find the bushy branches are fully grown.
How to Prepare Mint
Like most other herbal varieties, you can enjoy your mint either dry and fresh. The second option offers a more robust flavor and we recommend it this way.
How to brew:
Tear the mint leaves by hand and use around 1 tablespoon per tea serving. You’ll throw this into your infuser or the cup.
Boil around 1 cup of water per serving.
Pour the boiling water over the leaves and steep the tea for no longer than six to eight minutes.
Strain your tea and enjoy as is or with a slice of lemon inside.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is commonly found in a variety of Thai and Vietnamese dishes, though you can also enjoy it in a cup of tea. Over 50 species exist and it looks similar to a thick, stalky weed.
What It’s Good For
It’s said that lemongrass fights inflammation, along with other health benefits including lowering cholesterol and even anxiety. You might find it relieving at the end of a stressful day.
Lemongrass functions as a natural diuretic, as well, which means it could help with water retention and kidney health.
Flavor Profile
This plant has a zingy, refreshing taste to it. You might experience a hint of ginger when drinking it and some prefer combining it with mint varieties.
A great idea for superlatively hot summer days is an iced tea version. Lemongrass is delicious, along with a few slices of cucumber in the glass.
Plant Care
This plant survives best in warm temperatures. If you plan on growing it during winter, opt for an indoor area and pot it with nutrient-dense soil. Lemongrass doesn’t require much water to grow, so keep it barely damp.
It’ll do best in a south-facing window with bright light and should grow to between 3 and 5-feet tall.
Are you planting it outside? Make sure to leave at least 2 feet between each plant to make room for the roots to take shape.
How to Prepare Lemongrass
To enjoy a fresh cup of lemongrass, you’ll need to prepare the stalks accordingly.
How to brew:
Cut the woody stem portions into 1-inch sections. If the outer layer is overly tough, go ahead and discard it beforehand.
Use two to three sections for each serving of lemongrass tea. These will go straight into your cup or strainer.
Boil a cup of water per serving and then let the tea steep for around five minutes.
Strain and it’s ready to go.
Lavender
This beautiful plant goes back over 2000 years, originally found in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, among other locations. It’s known for its vibrant purple color, with the plant hosting delicate-looking flowers along the top portion of the stem.
The name comes from a Latin word, lavare, meaning “to wash.” Apparently, it was a prized ingredient for washing clothes and bedding. You’ll find lavender still used in this way, until this day.
Its floral scent is relaxing and you can even spot it thrown into gourmet chocolates, and, you guessed it, tea.
What It’s Good For
Due to its calming properties, people often use it in night time tea blends.
Aside from this, lavender has a slew of other benefits including an ability to help fight acne through a lessening of inflammation. It’s also used as a natural remedy for pain relief and fighting fungal infections. Some claim it can even help with hair growth, as well.
Flavor Profile
The primary taste you’ll get with lavender is an earthy one with an aroma to match. It can also have a slight mint undertone, along with a smokey or herbaceous flavor.
Lavender pairs well with rosemary, honey, sage and berries, to name a few.
Plant Care
The best soil for growing lavender is a well-drained, almost sandy, soil. Placing it in a sunny, open garden will help it become robust. You’ll need to water it regularly.
Lavender plants require pruning around once per year, starting soon after planting. To avoid any infestations or plant disease, make sure to use clean, sharp cutting tools in the process.
We recommend doing this in the summer, so the plant has time to make a comeback before winter arrives.
How to Prepare Lavender
Drinking lavender tea after a long day is a great way to relax and unwind.
How to brew:
Remove the tiny flowers from the stalk. Expect to use around 3 to 4 teaspoons per cup of water.
Prepare your cup or strainer as the water boils.
Pour the boiling water over the flowers and allow it to steep between eight and 10 minutes, depending on your preferred strength.
After straining the tea, we recommend adding a bit of honey or lemon to compliment the floral taste.
Videos: More Tea Garden Know-How
Watch this gardening doc talk about the different herbs in his garden, what they’re good for, and how he uses them for a delicious cup of tea.
And then watch this beautiful and surprisingly soothing video of Liziqu making her own tea from plants foraged from the mountains and her own backyard.
What Are the Benefits of Growing Your Own Tea Garden?
Did you know that approximately 80 percent of the world’s population is using herbal tea on a regular basis? Having your own tea garden can provide you with much more than a variety of pretty plants to admire.
Benefits include:
Easy to grow
Eye-catching and decorative
Fresh and organic
Low maintenance
Medical benefits
Cost-effective
One of the biggest reasons that people choose to grow drinkable herbs are the health advantages they can offer. Whether you’re looking for help falling asleep or need a boost of energy, there’s an herbal tea for you.
Another standout feature is the sustainability of growing your own tea garden. You won’t be pressed to buy expensive boxed teas at the store or be concerned with all the waste that piles up from consumption.
For those looking to return to a more natural way of living, a tea garden is a wonderful place to start. You might be wondering, though, what teas are the best?
Blending Tea Mixes
One of the greatest things about growing your own tea garden plants is all the possibilities you have for making different concoctions. This will depend on the day and what you need or desire at that moment.
You can take it a step further and experiment with mixing and matching your plants. We encourage you to play around and consider each tea’s flavors and benefits in the process.
For example, chamomile and peppermint could work well together, providing a balance between calming and uplifting. Whereas mixing lemongrass and peppermint could be a bit too potent and harsh on the tongue.
Some other popular choices include lavender and chamomile for serious relaxation, or lavender and lemongrass for a nice floral, citrus blend.
Here are some other blends you might want to try:
Refreshing: dried hibiscus, mint leaves, lemongrass
Energizing: lemon verbena, lemongrass, lemon thyme
Soothing: lavender, mint, chamomile
Digestive: peppermint, fennel, coriander
Growing Tea Garden Plants
Your options for growing your very own tea garden are limitless. Whether you simply want to enjoy these herbs for their taste or multitude of health benefits, we guarantee there’s a tea to strike your fancy.
Tea garden plants differ when it comes to how easily they grow. Are you a beginner to the green-thumb life?
We recommend starting with something like mint as it’s low maintenance and thrives in a variety of climates. Not only that but with just a little care, it’ll grow rapidly and you’ll have plenty to use in your tea concoctions.
We wish you the best of luck in your growing journey. Let us know how you get on and make sure to share any special blends you end up loving along the way.
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