Harvesting and Drying Herbs for Tea
I grow several culinary herbs, but I also love to grow and harvest herbs to use in my own personal tea blends. While I do purchase some dried herbs, many grow easily in a home garden. If you are new to herbal remedies, this is a great place to start.
Watch Me
My Drying Method
I go really basic when it comes to drying my herbs. I have an out-of-the-way counter in my home office where I place paper towels (simply and quickly labeled to avoid confusion later). I lay the herbs out on the paper towels, and within a week they are dry and ready to store. You can also use most herbs fresh, but I'm trying to preserve them for later use.
Once they are dry, I transfer them to jars with tight-fitting lids, label them, and store them in a cool, dark place.
The Herbs
This is not an exhaustive list of the herbs I grow. Instead, it is simply a list of the herbs I harvested in the video above. I'm including just a few highlights about these herbs. For more in-depth information, consult an herbal encyclopedia.
I have also done Herbal Spotlight Videos on a few of these. I will link those below.
Chamomile (Spotlight Link) is considered a tonic herb because it supports so many (if not all) of the bodily systems. For this very reason, I have often heard Chamomile referred to as a "cure-all" herb. In addition to its gentle and effective herbal power, it also tastes great!
Chamomile soothes nerves, calms anxiety, and helps promote good sleep.
Chamomile decreases inflammation and redness, making it perfect for many chronic skin conditions as well as acute issues like sunburn and scrapes.
The calming, soothing energy of chamomile is not only great for your skin, but it helps keep your digestive system in check as well.
Chamomile has anti-asthmatic and antimicrobial qualities that make it great for treating cold & flu symptoms.
Calendula
Because of its anti-inflammatory qualities, Calendula is often used in skin care and first aid products. It is often used to treat minor burns and scrapes, and to soothe a sore throat.
Tulsi (Holy Basil)
A tonic herb that benefits the whole body, especially the immune system and digestive system.
Holy Basil is considered an adaptogen, meaning that it helps the body respond to stress.
Tulsi makes a delicious tea.
Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm calms anxiety and improves mood.
Improves sleep without any sedative action; it's simply relaxing.
Lemon Balm eases mild digestive issues like bloating and gas.
May support alertness and improved memory. Increases the ability to focus.
Peppermint (Spotlight Link)
Peppermint is antimicrobial, which means it’s great for fighting off a cold.
It calms the stomach by reducing indigestion and gas.
It acts as a gentle muscle relaxant, which allows it to ease tension headaches and menstrual cramps.
Peppermint has a cooling action that is great for fever and hot flashes.
It can boost your energy and ability to focus.
Peppermint can also reduce symptoms of seasonal allergies.
Note - Peppermint can relax the esophageal sphincter, which can exacerbate GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease, a.k.a. acid reflux or chronic heartburn)
The Tea Blend
Once my herbs were dry, I decided to combine a few of them with some other herbs that I had purchased to make a tea blend that will help my body better deal with stress.
Ashwagandha - An adaptogen that helps the body manage stress, improve sleep, and recover from exercise.
Rhodiola - Another adaptogen that also boosts brain function and improves exercise endurance.
Oat Tops - Said to nourish the nervous system and improve vitality.
Plus Holy Basil, Lemon Balm, and Chamomile, which, if you read the descriptions above, you can likely guess why I chose to include these.
I brew this tea using very hot water, and then sometimes add a store-bought tea bag of a decaf tea (sometimes green tea, Earl Grey, or lemon lovers tea), to add some extra yummy flavor. Adding some homegrown herbs to store-bought teas is an easy way to begin incorporating herbs into your day.
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