When starting a tea garden, you’ll want to choose the right plants for your climate. These include Chamomile, Mint, Geraniums, and Bee balm. You’ll also want to consider adding a little color and texture to your garden. But before you start your garden, here are a few tips to get you started. These tea garden plants won’t need to flower before they’re ready to harvest.
Bee balm
If you want to grow your bee balm, plant seedlings under a grow light or in a sunny window. Bee balm seeds should sprout within 10 to 25 days. If they do not sprout after this time, you can plant them again. Bee balm can tolerate partial shade but blooms better in full sun. Planting seeds in the spring is ideal. Divide plants every three or four years.
The leaves and flowers of bee balm are used for tinctures and teas. They contain nervine properties that are beneficial for the nervous system. To make bee balm tincture, mix bee balm with a neutral alcohol such as vodka or apple cider vinegar. The mixture can then be stored in a dark pantry for several months. Bee balm is an excellent ingredient for herbal teas and potpourri, and the flowers are also used to make bee balm jelly.
Aside from making delicious tea, bee balm is also edible. The leaves and flowers can be dried and used as herbs. They have a minty flavor and citrus undertones and resemble the scent of Earl Grey tea. They can be used in salads or fruit dishes. In addition, the petals can be added to the pizza. Bee balm is an excellent plant for a tea garden. You will want to plant one in every part of your yard.
Chamomile
Planting chamomile in your tea garden requires a few basic steps. Firstly, ensure the soil is rich in organic matter. This is because soil deficient in nutrients and organic matter can cause chamomile to wilt. If you have a garden with poor soil, you can use a continuous-release fertilizer. Apply this fertilizer to the ground a month after planting. Fertilizers should be dispensed every month during the growing season. When fertilizing, remove the mulch from the beds and scatter the fertilizer. Replace the mulch before watering. Alternatively, you can use water-soluble fertilizer if you grow your chamomile in containers.
Harvesting chamomile flowers is simple. Snip the blossoms at the top of the stem. If you pick the flower head, lay your fingers underneath it and pull upwards. Be careful not to break the branch or lift the plant by its roots. Once you have harvested a few flowers, clip back the remaining chapters. You can gather several chamomile flowers throughout the summer. If you plan on picking chamomile leaves, you can also choose the buds when they are in the flowering stage.
Mint
When adding variety to your tea garden, mint is one of the best options. There are many different types of mint available, and they grow fast. If your property is small, it may be best to plant them in containers. Peppermint, spearmint, apple mint, and pineapple mint are all common tea garden plants. However, you can also produce many other types of mint. Below are some tips for growing mint in your garden.
Mint is a perennial plant that requires moist, well-draining soil. It thrives and sends out runners both above and below the ground. Although mint is a perennial, it is best grown in pots. It can be started from cuttings or transplants from nurseries. Once established, mints can grow up to 2 feet tall. It grows well in shade or full sun in North America. It is very hardy and spreads rapidly, so it is a good choice for a container garden.
Bee balm is another great plant to add to your tea garden. Also known as wild bergamot, bee balm is a perennial plant with lavender/purple flowers in the spring and summer. Bee balm can be propagated via stem cuttings or by rhizomes. The flowers are edible and can be dried for use in tea. In addition to being delicious, bee balm is also a good source of pollinators. Its leaves can be used to make a refreshing herbal tea when dried.
Geraniums
There are several varieties of geraniums to choose from. Some come in single colors, while others have bicolor flowers. For a more dramatic display, try geraniums in deep burgundy or purple. White geraniums look lovely with splashes of paint on the petals, and trailing ivy is another classic option. Geraniums are regarded as an integral part of the culture in many European countries.
Growing geraniums is easy and low-maintenance. Even those with no green thumb can have a flower display that is attractive and fragrant. You can reuse bike wheels to hang colorful flower pots from. The wire is an easy way to attach jars to the spokes of an old bicycle. A beautiful display of flowering geraniums will be an eye-catching addition to any yard or garden.
Scented geraniums can be grown from seed or by propagating them from cuttings. You can buy aromatic geranium plants from the florist’s shop. Cuttings from scented geraniums should be three to four inches long and have four leaf nodes. Plants should be kept moist to avoid rotting. Then you can transplant them into a 4″ pot with regular potting mix.
Sage
There are several ways to propagate sage in your home garden. One method is by layering. For this method, cut a long stem, place it on the soil, and then secure it with wire. Leave a few inches of the stem tip exposed for growth. Apply rooting hormone to the stem and then transfer the portion with roots to a pot. Remember that sage plants are prone to drought, so you must water them regularly.
Sage requires well-draining soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. It tolerates drought well but needs consistent watering. It can be pruned a few times in the growing season to encourage young shoots with a strong flavor. Also, sage can be planted near other plants, though it should be about 18 inches apart to prevent overcrowding. If you have a lot of space in your garden, growing sage in pots will not be a problem. Sage is easy to grow indoors and looks nice when placed on a sunny window.
If you grow sage in pots, you should be able to harvest the leaves twice a year. Once the plant has been established, it will be drought-tolerant. However, you may want to provide extra water to prevent the leaves from turning bitter and reducing their flavor. If you harvest the leaves in the fall, you can freeze or dry them for winter use. You can harvest sage plants twice a season – once in the spring and once in the fall.
Rose hips
Fresh rose hips can be used immediately or dried for up to seven days. They contain a lot of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that helps clear your body’s cells of free radicals and boosts your immune system. These delicious treats can be dried and stored for future use. You can make them in various ways and use them in tea or coffee. These tasty treats are perfect for any time of the year.
Rose hips are an excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants and a tasty treat. They are also easy to grow and harvest. This article will give you tips and information about how to prepare them. The author of this article is an herbalist, and the information is not intended as personal medical advice. Please consult a doctor before consuming rose hips, as these can cause allergic reactions. Always use heavy gloves when picking rose hips.
Rose hips are harvested during the fall and become sweeter after the first frost. Avoid picking them during the rainy season, as they can get moldy. Picking rose hips is easy; remove them from the plant and remove the brown sepals. You can then separate and dry the hips in a well-ventilated room. Then, you can store them in jars or containers.
Echinacea
Growing echinacea tea garden plants is a relatively straightforward process. You can purchase seedlings from gardening centers or grow them from cuttings or root divisions. Once planted, you can thin the plant to 18 to 24 inches apart, and they will germinate in 10 to 20 days. They should be grown in a well-drained, sunny location. You can harvest the leaves and flowers for herbal tea to get the most out of your plants.
Most echinacea plants grow up to four feet tall, though there are dwarf varieties that will grow no higher than knee-high. Echinacea is a perennial, meaning they won’t need to be replanted yearly. They die during winter and reseed themselves the following spring, accumulating vigorous growth from underground roots. The best part of growing echinacea as a perennial is that you don’t have to worry about seedling care.
Echinacea is commonly known as the coneflower and grows in USDA zones 3 through 8. The petals are reflexed and droopy. Purple coneflower is the most common variety, but several other species and hybrids are available. When deciding which plants to grow in your garden, remember to consider which one is most attractive. There are many benefits to increasing echinacea in your garden.