Friday, October 03, 2014

Preserving: Chamomile Tea from Scratch

... and the scratch I mean is digging in the soil. One of my gardening “experiments” this year was growing Chamomile flowers to make tea. I purchased one packet and spread the seeds into three medium sized pots. Chamomile seeds are extremely small and are planted barely under the surface of the soil.


Keep moist until sprouted. Once established, the plants are quite hardy and only need watering every few days during the hotter months.

Pick Chamomile flowers throughout the summer. The more you pick, the more they bloom. I like to wait until the white petals begin to droop and the bright yellow centers enlarge with seeds.

You can make tea from fresh flowers, but I dry mine for later use. Use a tea ball with fine holes to keep the tiny seeds from escaping. But, ingesting them is not a problem if they do.

This was a successful gardening experiment. I’m hoping that my pots will reseed themselves next year. If not, I’ll get another seed package and start all over again.

Chamomile tea is said to be good for stomach upset and to help you fall asleep. I love it for the unique taste and calming effect on a long winter night. How about you? -- Margy

7 comments:

  1. I am inspired and definitely going to plant some seeds come spring- I love camomile tea in the winter! What process do you use for drying - hanging?

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  2. Hmmm... Sounds lovely. I like the idea of picking your own tea after a hard day's work in the garden. :-)

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  3. I love Chamomile tea. It's soothing and comforting.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  4. Anonymous4:55 PM

    Chamomile tea is one of my favourites. Your experiment turned out really well, and I'm sure the plants will self seed in your pots, they sure do in the garden.

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  5. I had never thought of using a tea ball for herbal teas even though I have one in the cupboard. herbal remedies was the topic at last month's garden club meeting.

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  6. Cheapchick - This was one of my easier experiments. I think the hard part might be from them reseeding in places not intended. But that's OK with me.

    I'm with you Mersad!

    Linda - They produce so many seeds! Some are a bit confused, they are sprouting in the warm weather we've been experiencing lately.

    Susan - I found some mesh ones with smaller holes. The chamomile seeds are DO small.

    Margy

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy