Grow your Own Herb Tea

If you love to enjoy a cup of herb tea regularly but hate to spend the money for the commercial varieties, consider growing your own herbs at home. Many of the herbs that are used in tea can be easy to grow indoors or out, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing cup of herb tea any time of the year. Herbs can be brewed into tea right from the plant or you can dry your herbs and store in airtight containers for up to a year. No matter how you prefer to enjoy your cup of tea, providing your own herbs can be a fun way to enjoy a new hobby and your favorite beverage.

Best Choices in Herbs
What type of herb tea do you love? A relaxing cup of chamomile or a refreshing burst of mint? Perhaps you like your tea a bit on the sweet side, so a few stevia leaves might be just the ticket. Or maybe lemon is your "cup of tea", making lemon balm the herb of choice for your favorite beverage. All of these herbs can be grown in your garden or even on your window sill so you can enjoy your steaming cup with the freshest herbs possible.

Chamomile is an easy crop to cultivate in your outdoor garden. Although this herb is an annual, it does have a tendency to reseed, so don't be surprised if you find your plants coming up year after year. Instead of using the leaves of this plant to brew your cup of herb tea, you will use the tiny white flowers for your beverage. There are two types of chamomile; German and Roman, with the German variety making the better cup of tea.

Mint and lemon balm are two herbs that are closely related, but with much different flavors for your herb tea. Mint can be grown inside or out, and comes in many different varieties like spearmint, peppermint and even chocolate mint. Lemon balm can also be grown both indoors and out, and has a distinct lemony flavor that is truly delightful in herb tea. It can also be a delicious culinary herb when it is used with dishes like fish and poultry.

Stevia is a sweet herb that can be grown in an herb tea garden for the express purpose of keeping your tea sweet and flavorful. The other advantage to growing stevia in your herb garden is that it acts as a natural pest repellent, which is perfect for organic gardeners. This herb takes a bit more care to cultivate, but it can be worth the effort to round out your herb tea garden.

The only thing better than a cup of herb tea is a cup of tea that you have grown yourself. Put them on a windowsill or plant them in your garden, but herbs for tea are a popular choice for many gardeners today.