Yummy tea!

[applestar]

I like to wander around with a mug in hand, plucking tea herbs until the mug is loosely 1/2 full, then give them a quick rinse and make myself some herbal tea.

Latest combination that was super yummy
-- Peppermint leaves/tips just starting to flower
-- Spearmint leaves/tips just starting to flower
-- Lemongrass
-- Yellow Wood Sorrel leaves

Definitely drying a good harvest of these and mixing them for winter use.

[knight_47]

that sounds awesome. my herb garden isn't as diverse as yours yet, but once it is, I can't wait to enjoy my own herb tea

[applestar]

I've decided that lemongrass is going to be on my list as tender/annual ornamental grass. I bought some at the Asian grocery store this spring and stuck two of them in the ground where I knew there will be constant moisture (one in the veggie garden, one in the shade garden) Both of them took off and grew leaves about 3 feet long that arched in that "fountain" kind of way -- very pretty. This year was an experiment, next year, I'll put more in for show.

I'm planning to dig up the two to hopefuly carry over into next year -- if anyone has pointers for doing that in zone 6 (no greenhouse or unheated porch) please let me know. Thx.

[Chowmom]

I'm zone 5 here. I dig up the entire plant. Freeze almost all of it except for one or two stalks. These I pot up into a small container using all purpose potting mix. This sits in my eastern exposure window all winter. It does OK but you have to make certain it never dries out.

In the spring I transplant it out to the garden. In my case, a large patio container.

[applestar]

Thanks, Chowmom!

[Ria]

Hello Applestar,

When you decide to dig your lemon grass plant up to take indoors you could try cutting off the leaves and using a handful of the fresh leaves, cut in samll pieces to make some tea or cut up all the leaves and dry for making tea during the winter. I plant to cut, dry and send off to my relatives who live in apartments and are unable to grow anything. The tea from the fresh leaves is much nicer though. You can also bruise a few inches of the white stalks and use in steaming vegetables.

Ria.

[Chowmom]

Gosh I just realized that I didn't say why I freeze the lemongrass!! Hope everyone knew it's to use in cooking, etc. throughout the winter. ':lol:'

[herchelle]

Wow! I did not know that you can take the Lemon Grass from the oriental market and plant it in the garden. It is too late this year, but wait until spring next year!!

My personal favourites for teas are Lemon Balm and Chocolate Mint. I currently have three clumps of Chocolate Mint growing around my yard. It is very evasive like most mints so I have cut off the bottom of a large pot and planted my mints in those. The plant pot is burried with the mint so it stops the roots from going too far and the plant hides the top of the pot.

[chio88]

You gave me good ideas. I never realized that lemongrass is so easy to plant if not for you all. Thanks.