pdsavage
Power Conserver
I would like to grow my own so I at least have tea.so anyone know wich plant or plants and how to process the leaves to use and store???
what tea plant would make tea like lipton tea????
- Thread starter pdsavage
- Start date
the simple life
Yard Farmer
Yeah, I think you are right about trying to grow those teas here.
The only kind of leaves you could probably grow are the orange and mint types here and have those flavored teas.
They aren't going to taste like lipton though.
The other thing is if you are trying to save money its alot cheaper to spend the $2.00 on a box of teabags than growing anything.
The only kind of leaves you could probably grow are the orange and mint types here and have those flavored teas.
They aren't going to taste like lipton though.
The other thing is if you are trying to save money its alot cheaper to spend the $2.00 on a box of teabags than growing anything.
- Thread starter
- #4
pdsavage
Power Conserver
I have tried all those other teas and yuck....I even have chamomile growing all over my 2 small fields but cant stand the taste of it either...
acually I want to grow my own tea just incase there is a time when I cant get tea at the store.
acually I want to grow my own tea just incase there is a time when I cant get tea at the store.
Tea comes from the camellia sinensis. It would have to be grown in a greenhouse environment where you are. I live in Atlanta and have one outside, up next to the house, in a large container. The blossoms have a pungent, sweet smell. Similar to jasmine, or those ornamental oranges in Arizona. I use the blossoms to flavor my PG Tips.
I've tried using fresh leaves to make tea. Was a strange taste. The process of preparing the leaves to make a black tea is a bit involved for me. I use the blossoms, in the fall, when they bloom.
You can give it a go, if you've got a place inside with lots of diffused light.
I've tried using fresh leaves to make tea. Was a strange taste. The process of preparing the leaves to make a black tea is a bit involved for me. I use the blossoms, in the fall, when they bloom.
You can give it a go, if you've got a place inside with lots of diffused light.
- Thread starter
- #6
pdsavage
Power Conserver
thank you and I found some seeds to 
patandchickens
Crazy Cat Lady
seeds will only help if you have a semi-heated greenhouse. It's a bush/tree type plant, not an annual.
And if things ever got so dire that tea was not available by hook or by crook, you'd probably have much bigger problems than tealessness (and most likely either no way to heat your greenhouse, or if you *could* heat it you'd be using it for FOOD not camellias)
Have you tried alfalfa tea, or alfalfa-and-mint. Made with the dried herbs not fresh. I hate herbal teas in general but like that one.
Good luck,
Pat
And if things ever got so dire that tea was not available by hook or by crook, you'd probably have much bigger problems than tealessness (and most likely either no way to heat your greenhouse, or if you *could* heat it you'd be using it for FOOD not camellias
)Have you tried alfalfa tea, or alfalfa-and-mint. Made with the dried herbs not fresh. I hate herbal teas in general but like that one.
Good luck,
Pat
Wifezilla
Low-Carb Queen - RIP: 1963-2021
I buy bulk dried hybiscus. This is the prime ingredient in all those expensive Celestial Seasoning's type teas.
I also grow my own mint. Mint comes in many varieties and is VERY easy to grow. The variety I have is chocolate mint and it makes a very nice tea.
I also grow my own mint. Mint comes in many varieties and is VERY easy to grow. The variety I have is chocolate mint and it makes a very nice tea.
The plant I bought was about two feet tall when I got it. It started producing blossoms the first year. I don't have links handy, but there is info available on the web about when to harvest the leaves and how to prepare the leaves for white, green, oolong, or black tea.
I think the steaming, drying, rolling, drying, roasting, etc., requires a great deal of skill. My few attempts were so unsuccessful, I decided to keep buying my PG Tips. Fortunately, there are many grocery stores here owned by folks from India. Makes my PG Tips purveying easier.
I've heard that growing camellia sinensis plants from seeds makes pretty plants, but that the tea is better from using the grafted plants.
I'm no camellia expert. I just live where camellias grow easily. After much searching, I was able to get a plant from one of the fancy nurseries.
I love drinking sassafrass tea, too. I buy it in bulk from a health food store. Apparently, drinking sassafrass tea has an older history in these parts than does the drinking of the camellia sinensis leaves.
I think the steaming, drying, rolling, drying, roasting, etc., requires a great deal of skill. My few attempts were so unsuccessful, I decided to keep buying my PG Tips. Fortunately, there are many grocery stores here owned by folks from India. Makes my PG Tips purveying easier.
I've heard that growing camellia sinensis plants from seeds makes pretty plants, but that the tea is better from using the grafted plants.
I'm no camellia expert. I just live where camellias grow easily. After much searching, I was able to get a plant from one of the fancy nurseries.
I love drinking sassafrass tea, too. I buy it in bulk from a health food store. Apparently, drinking sassafrass tea has an older history in these parts than does the drinking of the camellia sinensis leaves.
