Drink a fragrant cup of herbal tea, and the intoxicating scent of steeped herbs might calm your mind before you even take a sip. Even better is when they come from your own backyard herb garden. Mine includes several ingredients for my daily cup, and they’re all easy to grow and prepare.Herbal teas are distinct from true teas — such as black or green — which comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. (You can grow that in your garden, too.) Brew herbal teas with either freshly harvested or dried herbs.Either way, settling in with a cup of homegrown herbal tea — hot or iced — can be a relaxing ritual.
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General tips for growing herbsMost herbs require a sunny spot that receives at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily, but they benefit from a bit of afternoon shade in hot climates. They grow well in containers, raised beds and gardens in well-draining soil. Fertilizer isn’t usually necessary, but incorporating a generous helping of compost into the soil at planting time will help nourish herbs throughout the growing season.To sow directly outdoors, space seeds as directed on the package label. If seeds are super tiny, such as those of mints, mix them with a bit of sand, then scatter them directly over the soil. When they reach 2 inches tall, remove excess sprouts to achieve the recommended spacing between the remaining plants.
