Teas

Discussion in 'Recipes & Remedies' started by mischief, Jan 17, 2010.

  1. mischief

    mischief Senior Member

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    Does anyone have a Tea garden?

    Somewhere they grow different plants for tea?

    Do you have a favourite blend?

    Do you do the seasonal thing with your blends?

    This is an area I have started to get interested in.
    I dont have a specific spot at the moment just for teas but I have been thinking abbout creating one under the clothes line with the slightly taller plants nearer the pole and getting lower as they move outwards.

    I have started growing herbs for this purpose, some are actually multi purpose plants..bee plants etc.
    So far I have Bergamot,German Chamomile,Camilia Tea Plant,apple mint, Mexican marigold, and a Thai basil.
    I have been looking into what plants leaves can be used as a base for teas and found that things like currant and raspberry/blackberry can be.
     
  2. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    I love stinging nettle and lemon verbina but you need to be a bit carefull (especially if pregnant) with some herbs as a tea. I once saw a recipe for mothers helper "when hubby is off to work and the kids are on their way to school - just pause before starting the house work with a cup of Basil and Borage tea to get your day started.
     
  3. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Lemon grass....
     
  4. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

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    Yerba Mate
     
  5. mischief

    mischief Senior Member

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    I was told that peach leaves were used in China as a tea.
    I tried a cup today of new tip leaves and tipped it out after one mouthful.

    It tasted strongly of almonds which made me wonder if it was safe to drink.
    I didnt notice any side affects tho.

    Purplepear.
    What sort of Basil do you use?
    There are so many differnt types to choose from these days.
     
  6. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Just the common "sweet" variety I guess or perenial but I guess it wouldn't matter too much.
     
  7. Tulipwood

    Tulipwood Junior Member

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    For lactation:
    to increase - fenugreek, fennel, blessed thistle
    to decrease - sage ... though I have heard all the ones from the song will decrease - ie parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
     
  8. bonsai

    bonsai Junior Member

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    I am very interested in growing plants for tea.. especially Camellia sinensis.. has anyone has good success in Victoria or Tassie?
     
  9. PDB

    PDB Junior Member

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    Hi All
    I would love to grow my own tea. I have heard that it is Camellia sinensis. does anyone know were I can get one from? Thanks, Paul
     
  10. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    I think Diggers sells them on line in Australia. You might even pick one up at a local nursery. Just make sure it's sinensis not another camellia.
     
  11. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    I have seen them in my local nursery occasionally also at The Hardware Store "Whose name cannot be mentioned'

    The excellent wholesaler "Paradise Plants" is providing all the plants for a new Japanese Tea Plantation at Somesby NSW
    https://www.paradiseplants.com.au
     
  12. Imarni

    Imarni Junior Member

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    I have lots and lots and lots of Lemon Balm (Melissa) growing and occasionally make a tea from it, it's realy good for calming the nerves.
     
  13. Fernando Pessoa

    Fernando Pessoa Junior Member

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    For a truly relaxing,calming brew cannabis and galangal.It costs about 100 dollars a litre but it's worth every cent,stores well in the fridge and you can make a great butter with the left over pulp,which in turn makes excellent cookies.
    Thats function stacking....that's permaculture;>)
     
  14. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    sounds worth a go Ch ... Fernando
     
  15. Fernando Pessoa

    Fernando Pessoa Junior Member

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    Purple,I am not Charles either but good try.
    Best wishes
    Fernando
     
  16. Grasshopper

    Grasshopper Senior Member

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    Have not had it with galangal just honey and it was good
    Lemon grass and ginger while sitting on the veranda in Goa is a good memory of tea too
    I have had a tea with dried mango in it which is excellent
    I also had a tea with apple in it in Turkey which was excellent
    Mountain Sage tea in Turkey and Greece great and refreshing good for a sore throat too.
    I haven't used peach leaves for tea but added a few to a cake recipe and it was a very almondy taste (i was thinking arsenic but it was a great flavour... didnt kill me )
    Just like broken cherry pips in a cherry liquer.
     
  17. Susan Girard

    Susan Girard Junior Member

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    Camellia sinensis grows okay in the Upper Blue Mountains so I'm guessing Victoria and Tassie would not be a problem.
     
  18. Grahame

    Grahame Senior Member

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    Perma, do you have a Yerba Mate plant? I spent a few months in Argentina and grew to like it, not just for the taste but also for the tradition. I always planned to get my self a mate and a bombilla when we came back to Oz. Never got around to it though.

    On another note, I think tea as in Camellia really needs altitude to get the caffeine levels, or quality or something like that, right
     
  19. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

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    Yes Graham I do Its growing well.Do you know how best to propagate them?
     
  20. Grahame

    Grahame Senior Member

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    Apparently you can do it buy cuttings or by seed. Although from what I can gather the seeds lose viability reasonably quickly and can take a while to germinate. Have you had any fruits?

    I'm not sure how well it would do down here though.
     

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