If you need some spots of green in your home, make those plants earn their keep — there are plenty of herbal teas you can grow home that you’ll love using. Plus, there’s nothing like the taste of fresh tea that you grow and prepare yourself. Let’s look at several herbal teas you can grow at home, inside or outside.
Chamomile Tea
After a full day, a warm cup of chamomile is the best way to unwind. Chamomile is used for sleep, health, and relaxation. Since it contains no caffeine, you don’t have to worry about this tea keeping you awake.
This is one of the easiest teas to grow indoors. The flowers don’t become too high — about less than a foot — and the plants require little direct sun. A few hours a day will be enough. This tea is also a quick harvest; your tea will be ready in two to three months.
A lot of teas are made from leaves, but you want the blossoms from chamomile. Just gather a bunch, lay them out, and let them dry for a week or two, then you’re ready to make homemade chamomile tea.
Hibiscus Tea
If you’ve ever seen those beautiful, richly colored teas, you’ve probably already admired hibiscus tea. This tea can be made from many different types of hibiscus; commonly, hibiscus sabdariffa is the variety used for tea. Make sure you pick the right hibiscus to grow because some decorative types don’t belong in your cup.
Hibiscus does best in warm temperatures, not above 90 degrees but not less than 60. It’s easier to grow it in a small garden than indoors. Plan on 3-5 months of growing time if you start with seeds, less if you buy the plants. Now time for a little plant science: the tea is made out of the calyx, not the flower. This is the surrounding red part around the flower. Pick these, lay them out in the sun, and they’ll be ready in less than a week — now you’re ready to enjoy your own hibiscus tea.
Mint Teas
There’s a lot of mint variety out there: spearmint, chocolate mint, and just plain old mint.
Mint is a vigorous plant and easy to grow; it doesn’t need fertile soil, and it grows fast. In fact, if you plant it in your garden, be prepared to become a plant-warden; mint can quickly overtake other plants and bully its way to becoming your one and only.
To make mint tea, just pick the leaves and brew them; no drying necessary for this hardy tea. It’s quick, easy, healthy, and refreshing like no other tea on this list.
