 |
| Picture: sugarfreestevia.net |
Growing of Stevia plants is not an easy task. But once you get your stevia started, it's one of the simplest herbs to grow. It has a reputation for repelling insects, which is great for your organic garden.
If you are growing stevia for the first time keep in mind that it does well in containers. If you are planning to grow it inside, surface sow seed 8 weeks before the last frost date.
Ensure that the last frost is past and soil temperatures are in the 60 degree F range before planting your stevia in the ground. Stevia plants pout in cold soil.
Stevia needs sandy loam or rich loamy soil. It also needs full sun.
Buy starter plants
It would be difficult, at best, to start a stevia patch from scratch — that is, by planting seeds. Even if you could get them to germinate, results might well prove disappointing, since stevioside levels can vary greatly in plants grown from seed. The recommended method is rather to buy garden-ready ‘starter’ plants, which given stevia’s ‘growing’ popularity, may well be obtainable from a nursery or herbalist in your area. Prepare beds by digging deeply in well-drained soil. Add a lot of compost or manure, and a handful of complete organic fertilizer for each plant.
