How can i grow stevia

Seed is difficult to germinate but cuttings strike very readily. Take cuttings any time over summer and keep moist until established. Planting Depth: Cuttings 10 - 20 cm long should be half buried in potting mix and kept moist. Spacing: Space plants at 30 cm apart. Harvesting: Tip-prune to encourage bushiness. Harvest before flowering occurs in late summer and dry upside down in bunches. These restrictions are very important as they prevent the spread of plant pests and diseases.

No potatoes, garlic, shallots, strawberries or tubestock can be sent to South Australia. No tubestock can be sent to Northern Territory. While they may be correct in terms of profitability, the processed stevia product is laced with dozens of toxic compounds, and you would be better off sticking to the white sugar!

Most store bought stevia begins life in China, where it is grown and harvested, then shipped to the U. At the end of a looooong procedure, the plant matter has been so highly processed with chemicals like acetone! After all the processing and chemical additives — you have to wonder if saving those calories is really worth it! It is worth it to have a natural sweetener that is safe, doesn't raise your blood pressure or insulin levels, contains a variety of ant-oxidants, and is actually good for you.

But for these benefits, you need real stevia, not an over-processed imitation sugar. For the surest source of healthy-for-you, naturally sweet, genuine stevia — grow and harvest your own. I'll even show you how to make stevia extract from fresh leaves. Stevia is an easy-to-grow herb that is hardy zones and will be happy in a container, making it easy to bring it indoors for the winter in cold climates.

Provide full sun, well-drained soil and even moisture until the plant is fully established. Once it is, stevia is a low maintenance plant. Read our detailed stevia planting guide here. Stevia leaves may be harvested singly, or by the stem. Be sure to watch for the formation of flower buds to remove them. The sweetest leaves come before the plant blooms, and again in the cooler temps of autumn. Hormonal changes in the plant with flowering can cause the leaves to become a bit bitter, so pinch back any buds that form.

Make the most of your stevia harvest by storing all that wholesome sweetness for future use. There are two main ways to do this - by drying the leaves, or by making a stevia extract. You can dry individual leaves or entire stems, but only the leaf has the sweetness you want to preserve. This can be done by hanging stems or leaves in bunches, as you would with other herbs. Or remove the leaves from the stems and spread them on a non-metal screen outdoors with plenty of air circulation.

A day in the sun should suffice. You can use a food dehydrator, or even an oven on low - degrees for about 20 minutes. Once your stevia is fully dried, separate the leaves from the stems, and grind the leaves as finely as possible.

A mortar and pestle works well, as does a spice grinder or a coffee grinder. The result will be a wonderfully fragrant, green almost-powder. Stevia is green - the white stuff is highly processed with a lot of chemicals you don't want to eat. Feel free to use the freshly ground herb right away, or store it in a dark glass bottle or jar for future use. Germination of stevia seeds tends to be spotty, so keep seed-sown plants under bright lights until the weather warms in spring.

Look for stevia plants in the herbs section at garden centers, or locate mail-order suppliers using our Seed and Plant Finder. Choose a well-drained site, and set out the plants 2 feet apart after your last frost. Be sure to choose an accessible spot, because you will need to gather stems often. Where summers are extremely hot, stevia benefits from slight afternoon shade. Elsewhere, grow stevia in full sun. Left unpruned, stevia will grow into a lanky, upright plant that produces tiny white flowers in late summer.

To maximize leaf production, you must trim back the plants several times to induce branching, first when plants are about 8 inches tall, and again in early summer. You can use the leaves from the pinched-back stem tips, or root them in moist potting soil to increase your supply of stevia plants. In most areas, you can harvest stevia in midsummer by cutting back the plants by half their size, and again in early fall when new growth slows to a standstill. Stevia can be dried in bunches like other herbs, but you will get better quality by drying it in a dehydrator or a degree- Fahrenheit oven until crisp.

Store dried stevia leaves in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. If you live in Zone 8 or warmer, stevia is often winter-hardy and grows as a short-lived perennial with a protective winter mulch. In colder climates, prepare two healthy parent plants for overwintering indoors. Choose 1-year-old plants grown from seeds or cuttings. Cut them back to about 6 inches, and prune roots as necessary to settle them into 6-inch containers with a light-textured potting mix. Move your stevia plants to a warm, sunny location indoors, or to a heated greenhouse.

In spring, when new growth appears, cut most of the new stems and root them in moist seed-starting mix. You can use the leaves of this healthy sugar substitute fresh or dried, but many people find the flavor improves if the sweet compounds have first been extracted in water or alcohol.

With stevia, slightly under-sweetening drinks or fruit desserts tends to taste better than using too much. Too much stevia may impart a bitter or medicinal flavor. For delectable dessert recipes that use stevia, see Naturally Sweet Stevia Recipes. Learn how to use stevia leaves as a versatile, low-calorie sugar substitute with the methods below.

Also, use this helpful Stevia-to-Sugar Equivalent Chart. Stevia Tea. Fill a metal tea ball with 1 rounded tablespoon of dried, lightly crushed stevia leaves.

Place in a clean pint canning jar, and cover with almost-boiling water. Steep 10 minutes before removing the stevia. Screw on the lid and keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Yield: 2 cups 16 ounces , sweetness equivalent to about 2 cups sugar.

Stevia Extract. Bring 1 cup water to almost-boiling, add one-half cup lightly crushed stevia leaves. Remove from heat, cover with lid, and steep 40 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter, and pour into a dark-colored container. Store in the refrigerator 1 to 2 weeks.

Stevia Tincture. Place one-half cup dried, lightly crushed stevia leaves in a clean glass jar. Screw on the lid and shake. Place in a cool, dark place for two days, shaking the jar twice a day. Strain through cheesecloth or a jelly bag, and place the liquid in a small saucepan. Heat on low until steam rises, and maintain that temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, do not boil.

Pour the cooled tincture into a dark-colored container. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 months. Use raised beds if growing this natural sweetener in climates where fungal leaf spot diseases are common. Ensure good drainage in containers by using a light-textured potting mix and containers with large drainage holes. Online, our What to Plant Now page shows when each crop should be planted in your region.