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I got an Aerogarden a few months ago and I really love it. I had been growing the herbs that came with it for a while, and it went well but now I have taken them out. I would really like to grow tea in it, but I don't know anything about how to actually do it (or if it's even possible...I don't even know how large tea plants are!)

Aerogarden sells a "tea kit", but it is only things like mint and lavender. They sell "empty" pods if you have seeds for different plant types, though. Can anyone help me to get started? I would like to know what types of tea, if any, could be grown in an Aerogarden. Any suggestions for where to buy seeds would also be appreciated! I have a "nutrient solution" that came with the Aerogarden...can I use this for the nutrients or do I need a different solution for different varieties of plants?

If anyone has any additional advice, I would love to hear it!

Are you thinking about tea as in black and green teas? They are actually shrubs related to camellias.

applestar wrote:Are you thinking about tea as in black and green teas? They are actually shrubs related to camellias.

That is exactly what I am thinking of!

"Camellia Senensis is an evergreen shrub or small tree that is usually trimmed to below 2 m (6.6 ft) when cultivated for its leaves." this is the shrub from which we get black and green tea and no, I don't think you are going to be able to grow it in an aerogarden. It has a long taproot.

But there are many herbal tea plants, including the mint and lavender you mentioned, and others, that you could grow that way.

Camelia sinensis is just enough of a specialised plant I'd want to talk to the staff of the biggest display greenhouse you can find--the one attached to Smithsonian in DC for an example. The plant you want to grow is a tropical, and its a tall shrub--small tree if left unpruned.

I dunno if it could be grown hydroponically. It might could be grown in a half barrel...