Make Herbal Teas From Your Garden

The first time Martha Wida made a cup of herbal tea from her garden, she was pleasantly surprised.

"That was by far the best cup of tea I'd ever had," said Wida, a University of California master gardener.

Besides being tasty, fresh herbal teas also have medicinal value, said Tess Calhoun, a member of the Orange County, Calif., Herb Society.

"Mint and chamomile tea, for instance, are known for calming the stomach and aiding in digestion, and they're both really easy to grow in the garden," said Calhoun.

"Herbal teas are very helpful for those people trying to live a healthier lifestyle," agreed registered dietitian Susan Weiner of Merrick, N.Y., a nutritionist for the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid. "Teas made from the garden are calming, soothing, taste great and are calorie-free. Iced herbal tea is the perfect alternative to preservative-laden soda."

Growing and brewing your own herbal tea is easy. Many good tea herbs such as mint, chamomile, basil, lemon balm and anise hyssop grow quickly if planted at this time of year.

Mixing your own blends is also a treat, said Renee Shepherd, owner of Felton, Calif.-based Renee's Garden Seeds, which carries a variety of herb seeds.

"Creating herbal tea blends is considered an art, and those professionals who create tea mixes are highly paid," said Shepherd. "Dream up your own fabulous blends fresh from the garden."

To create your own herbal tea, keep the following tips in mind:

Figure on 2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh herbs for each cup of tea, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of dry herbs per cup. To make a four-cup pot of tea, you'll need 8 to 12 tablespoons of fresh herbs or 4 to 8 tablespoons of dried. Iced tea requires more herbs because you'll be diluting it with ice. Try 4 tablespoons fresh or 2 tablespoons dried per cup.

To make the best pot of herbal tea possible, start with cool water and bring just to an audible rolling boil. Rinse a china or glass teapot with a small amount of hot water to warm the pot. Add the herbs and fill the pot with hot water. Steep three to five minutes. Use a tea strainer when pouring.

Add any desired sweeteners such as sugar or honey after pouring the tea. Or for an all-herbal approach, put some sweet leaf (stevia) in your herbal tea mix and you won't need any other sweeteners.

Try various additions to your tea, such as lemon or orange slices, juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves and fresh ginger.

Dry excess herbs. Drying herbs allows you to enjoy them when they're not growing in the garden. Most herbs dry easily indoors in a shady area with good air circulation. Hang them upside-down, or dry them on screens. Once dry, strip the herbs from branches and store in tightly sealed glass jars away from strong light. Replace the herbs each season.

© 2001, Julie Bawden Davis, Los Angeles Times Syndicate