Many herbs are easy to grow and tea from home grown herbs is wonderfully delicious with bright flavors. The preservatives and additives in store bought tea dulls the flavor and counteracts the natural healing properties of many teas. Herbs can be grown in containers with drainage holes. Pick a sunny location for the container, herbs require at least 6 full hours daily of sun.
A 12-16” in diameter container works great for most herbs. Fill a container with 18-24 inches of packaged potting soil. Turn and fork the soil so it is well-aerated and loose. Sow the seeds thinly and gently hand press the top of the soil. Keep soil moist until seeds sprout and then water once a week. Regular watering can leach nutrients from the soil of container plants. Use an organic slow-release fertilizer and do not use any pesticides maintain a healthy plant.
When the seeds have sprouted, thin the plants to about 4 inches apart. Instead of pulling out from the roots, just snip the sprouts above the roots so as not to disturb the remaining plants. A fine dusting of mulch around the herbs will preserve moisture in the soil.
Chamomile and lavender are easy to grow and are low maintenance. Both the flowers and the leaves can be harvested for tea. Harvest chamomile flowers when the petals have finished opening when the nutrient and essential oil content are at their peak. Harvest lavender blooms just before they bloom. Lavender is a strong flavor the best way to make this tea is to blend it with other herbs such as chamomile or mint.
To dry herbs, snip off flowers or leaves and lay on a baking sheet making sure the blooms do not touch each other. Leave in a warm area for about two weeks. To prevent any mold growing, let the flowers dry thoroughly before storing them. Dried herbs can be stored in an air tight jar in a cool dark place for up to six months.
To make a cup of tea from flowers, put 2-3 tablespoons of fresh blooms (1-2 tablespoons if using dried blooms) into a cup and 8 ounces of filtered boiling water. If using herb leaves, use twice as many dried leaves than fresh leaves to make tea. Let the tea steep for 5-10 minutes then strain before adding any honey or other sweeteners.
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