Perfect For Beginners!
If you’re like me and love the garden AND drinking tea… keep on reading – this post is for you! I live in central Canada in growing zone 3 so the plants talked about in this post are perfect for both long and short growing seasons.
Not only will you enjoy the incredible fresh flavors from your own grown florals & herbs but you’ll get to enjoy the beautiful foliage and flowers that grow all summer long! I’ve listed 5 of the easiest plants to start with and they are some of my absolute favorites.
Most herbs are easy to grow and require minimal care but I’ll break it down into individual requirements for each plant. Don’t worry, it’s pretty simple. As long as your plants have the nutrients they need from the soil, adequate water, and sunshine they’ll be just fine! Unless pests get hungry and make their way into your garden – then that’s a whole different story.
Herbs can be harvested all summer long and will grow full and lush if they are regularly plucked and pruned. Most herbs do well planted directly in the ground as well as in pots. So, it doesn’t matter what space you have or what your growing situation is – you can grow your own herbal tea garden! The following herbs are what I first grew in my tea garden and what I would recommend to anyone just starting or anyone that has limited space.
- Spearmint & Peppermint
Spearmint and peppermint grow in similar ways and have close (but not that same) flavor profiles. Most mint seeds can be started indoors and transplanted outside when the temperature is right. I would recommend starting the seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost to ensure that the seed germinates and gets established before planting outdoors. Once the seeds are planted they can take up to 2 weeks to germinate & sprout, so be patient! Mint can spread pretty aggressively in the garden so keep an eye on it and cut it back as needed! Leaves can be air dried or dehydrated. You’ll know they are dry when they almost crumble to the touch. If the leaves still feel leathery and pliable, they need more drying time! Dried leaves can be stored in an airtight container for use until next growing season.
- German Chamomile (Mayweed)
Chamomile is one of my favorite teas. Chamomile has healing & calming properties that I absolutely love. The lovely scented flower prefers full sun and can be started from seed indoors as well as sown directly into the garden at intervals for blooms all season long. Harvest the small flowers once they are fully open and air dry or dehydrate for use throughout the off season. Its said that planting near onions can improve the flavor of chamomile.
- Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is one of my absolute favorite scents in the garden. It’s said that lemon balm has calming properties and can be beneficial to those with anxiety. Lemon balm like sun to partial shade and like mint, it can spread like crazy if left unmanaged. You can start seeds indoors 8 weeks before last frost and transplant outside once temperatures warm. Like mint again, lemon balm can take up to two weeks to germinate and sprout. I recommend planting lemon balm in a shadier or cooler area of your garden for best results. Pick leaves throughout the summer – the fresh leaves are perfect for making tinctures. Like other herbs, lemon balm can be dried and stored throughout the winter but it significantly loses it’s aroma once it’s dried.
- Borage
Borage is a self seeding annual bushy plant. Once you get your hands on some seeds and have it established in your garden, you will likely have it come back year after year. Borage has a unique cucumber flavor with many medicinal benefits. Borage is also said to be pretty deer proof – good for those of you who have deer always eating your garden (like me, LOL). Sow the seeds directly in the garden mid-late spring. Make sure to sow the seeds in an area where you like because that’s where it’ll continue to come back each year. If starting indoors, be careful as borage does not transplant well. Borage can be used fresh or dried, just like other herbs.
- Calendula
Calendula is on this list because of how easy it is to grow and the because the little petals are jam packed with benefits when added to tea. Calendula is packed with several antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds and is commonly made into balms and salves due to its healing properties. You can direct sow calendula right into the garden after last frost and continually through the summer for continuous blooms. This is one of the easiest and low maintenance medicinal plants that I grow. I usually grow my calendula near my peppers and tomatoes to attract the pollinators. Pluck the petals and dry them to make healing teas throughout the winter!
This is just the start of a beautiful tea garden. You can stop here or venture further and add more herbs such as lavender, ginger, lemongrass and even raspberry leaves. For diverse flavored teas, try dehydrating fruits such as strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries, and apples and adding them in different combinations to find your favorite. My #1 so far is my Sweet Apple Rhubarb Chamomile Tea! Check out my other blog posts for more garden, herb & tea information.
Remember… life is GOOD!
