Herbz

[Vulture]

Herbz

by Vulture » Dec 2nd, '08, 05:27

So me and my coworker want to get some fresh herbs for the office. Our dull Network Operations Center needs a bit more greenery. I wanted to know if anyone grows their own herbs for tea?

So far our only ideas to grow in the office are Peppermint and Spearmint.

[Vulture]

by Vulture » Dec 3rd, '08, 23:17

Ah well no one replied but we went out and only found a spearmint plant. Couldn't find a mint plant or anything else we might have wanted with tea. I guess that will do for now so we will see how it turns out.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

by PolyhymnianMuse » Dec 3rd, '08, 23:20

I don't really grow many herbs for tea purposes, this up comming growing season I will be trying lots of stuff though...

I do grow lots of stuff around the house though; rosemary, mints, basil, etc.

[kymidwife]

by kymidwife » Dec 4th, '08, 00:20

This summer, I grew several varieties of peppermint and spearmint... for tea and for cooking... and for tabuleh, mmmm. I still have some in a pot in my living room, although it's deteriorating some since being brought indoors.

I also grew lemongrass, lemonbalm, sage, rosemary, lots of basil, flat leaf parsley, chives, hot oregano, marjoram, and thyme.... and lemon thyme, that was really nice. I think you could play with any of those for some herbal tea blends, but I just used them for cooking.

Sarah

[Herb_Master]

by Herb_Master » Jan 24th, '09, 19:21

15 to 20 Years ago I planted some Agastache in my garden.

The leaves smelled divine, a mixture of aniseed, tobacco and liqorice.
I searched everywhere to see if the could be used in the kitchen, but to no avail. I thought it's lack of appearance in Cookery books [even Mexican] and Herbals meant it was not suitable.

Now the Web has grown it is so much easier to find information.

I would be tempted to try it myself.



http://forums.seedsavers.org/showthread.php?t=479

What to do with them? Well, you make "tonic" or the fancy word being "tisane" out of them. Either green or dried but I would been green better. A. foeniculum if you could get a strain with a good, complex scent should make an outstanding tonic. Might even be naturally sweet with its fennel-like oils.

[snafu]

by snafu » Feb 4th, '09, 11:20

Ah well no one replied but we went out and only found a spearmint plant. Couldn't find a mint plant or anything else we might have wanted with tea. I guess that will do for now so we will see how it turns out.

Spearmint is mint, and it makes great tea. Peppermint has a stronger menthol scent/flavour, spearmint is a little more sugary and less intense.

Pretty easy to grow but it needs at least a few hours of direct sunlight if you are growing it indoors, or a full spectrum fluorescent light for 12-14 hours no more than 12" from the plant. Some fertilizer occasionally too and it likes soil to remain a little damp but not sopping wet.
If growing it outdoors, a little more shady, and keep it under control or in a pot because it will rapidly take over your garden. It's a fast grower and fairly weed-like.

Also, when flower shoots emerge, cut them off - the plant will no longer produce leaves from those shoots if you let them flower.

[silvermage2000]

by silvermage2000 » Feb 4th, '09, 12:28

Sadly enough I can't find most of those kind of herbs to grow. But luckily alot of teas have them like for instance spearamint so I'ts not too big of a deal. I belive the best place to look would be a big flower nursery or what not.