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.
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.
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.
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.
I am very interested in growing plants for tea.. especially Camellia sinensis.. has anyone has good success in Victoria or Tassie?
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
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.
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
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.
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;>)
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.
Camellia sinensis grows okay in the Upper Blue Mountains so I'm guessing Victoria and Tassie would not be a problem.
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
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.