Taste: Tea Pot

In a pot in the side garden stands a pot. A pot filled with peppermint, spearmint, and lemon balm. My tea pot. In Spring, I sowed seeds in the pot. The mint has taken off. The lemon balm is quite stunted. After this picture was taken, I cut down the mint and put the leaves in a dehydrator. I then put my mixture of peppermint and spearmint in tea bags and enjoy mint tea throughout the year. I did save a few fresh leaves and I am enjoying a mint tea as I write this post.

I heard that you should not mix mint plants in the same pot because the favor can be diffused. I don’t have another pot to dedicate to mint so I have what I have, which tastes pretty darn good. Mint is very vigorous and will take over a garden so I plant them in a container so they can be, well, contained.

Mint helps with settling the stomach and stomach cramps. Mint is also a non caffeinated way for a quick pick-me-up. I enjoy a cup of mint tea around 3 p.m. when I get the mid-afternoon doll drums. Mint also helps freshen the breath.

Mint prefers partial shade in moist soil. This cutback should allow the lemon balm to grow so I can hopefully get a harvest for lemon balm tea. Next year I will sow lemon balm seeds away from the aggressive mint plants. Lemon balm is good for calming the nerves, settling the stomach, and can be used to help with insomnia.

So that is my tea pot. My homegrown teas has a stronger, fresher taster than the packaged teas from the supermarket. Mint and lemon balm are easy to grow and I appreciate their health benefits. I am all for using natural means to help support my health and growing my own tea is easy, tasty, and healthy.