According to research and surveys, tea is among the most consumed and loved beverages globally. Whether the weather outside turns warm or chilled, the demand and consumption of tea have never seen a dip. Or, we can say that tea has never been an outdated drink even after having age-old history. But, what about the fact that you can grow tea inside your homes? This seems impossible as we have learned that tea grows best in subtropical regions and friable loam with porous subsoil. However, with the enhancement of techniques and proper care, it is now easy to grow tea plants in your garden and indoors.
A Brief About Tea & Tea Plants
Tea plants or Camellia Sinensis (name of the most common tea plant) is the species of flowering plant that produces leaves that make tea. This plant produces all four types of teas, black, oolong, green, and white. However, herbal teas like rooibos do not grow from the common tea plant.
You will get a particular type of tea depending on the location, where and how the tea plant is grown when the leaves get harvested, and how long you leave the tea leaves to dry or oxidize. For example, when left longer to oxidize, mature tea leaves give strong teas like black and oolong tea, while younger leaves with less oxidation time become young teas like green and white tea.
Tips To Grow Tea Plants Indoor
Growing tea plants is easy if taken care of the temperature since tea needs a sub-tropical region temperature to flourish. A tea plant grows effortlessly in a container if you live in a cooler area and in a garden if you are in a warmer place. The only point to consider here is that it will take three years before you can start harvesting tea leaves.
Here are the steps to follow to grow tea plants indoors:
- Choose Your Herbs: When growing tea plants indoors, it is always better to choose herbs that are easy to grow indoors. Chamomile, lavender, coriander, lemon balm, lemon bergamot, jasmine, and peppermint are the most easily grown tea herbs. Moreover, you can also combine herbs to create your custom tea blends.
- Get Appropriate Containers: Choose your container according to the herb you want to grow. Plant the seeds in well-balanced soil, water them and place the container in a warm area until sprouts come out. Once the sprouts are out, replace the container with an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight per day. Lastly, to ensure that plants receive equal sunlight and the soil has the right moisture level, rotate the plants often and keep a frequent check on the soil.
- Harvesting Time: Once you find that the plants are matured enough, you can harvest your tea plants in two different ways:
- Pick up fresh: When you pick fresh leaves or flowers, crush them between your fingers to let the flavor and scent get released. After that, place two teaspoons of fresh herbs in a strainer or mesh tea ball with eight ounces of hot water for 3-5 minutes. Your fresh tea is ready to consume.
- Dried Leaves: To get the dried tea leaves, dry the herbs and store them in air-tight containers, Steep one teaspoon of herbs per eight ounces of water for 3-5 minutes.
Conclusion
To grow tea plants indoors, you need to give special attention and hold a lot of patience. However, it is also a fun process. So, if you want to grow your own tea plants inside your home, follow the steps mentioned above and get a lovely and tasteful result. If you want to enjoy different flavors of fresh tea, visit Teauseday, and order one. We bring all the flavors of teas in various sizes and packs. Get Your Pack Today!
Reference:
Francis, M.E.A.G.A.N. 2022. Hot-stuff-grow-an-indoor-tea-garden. 24th Feb. Hot Stuff: Grow an Indoor Tea Garden. [Online]. [21 May 2022]. Available from: https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/gardens/garden-styles-and-types/hot-stuff-grow-an-indoor-tea-garden