Stevia is well known as an all - raw sweetener , but did you know you’re able to grow it right in your home garden ?
develop stevia is in reality simple once you instruct what it needs to thrive and how to care for it . This guide is design to aid you do just that .
Here you will recover everything you need to start rise stevia . From the right soil , temperature , fertilizer , and light photograph to how to water , prune , harvest home , troubleshoot trouble , and much more .
Small stevia plant growing in the ground
Table of Contents
Quick Stevia Plant Care Overview
Information About Stevia Plants
Stevia ( Stevia rebaudiana ) is a tropical perennial herbaceous plant in the daisy , or Asteraceae kin , native to Brazil and Paraguay . It ’s grown for the folio that are up to 40 times sweeter than clams .
The ovate serrated leaves grow on brittle branch and can be used impertinent , dried , or ground . They sample similar to a fresh immature Camellia sinensis with a mild licorice finish .
The plant is often call up “ green stevia ” , “ fresh herb ” , or “ sweetleaf ” to differentiate the lifelike herb from the refined store - bought stevia intersection .
In the late summer or fall frail , small white flowers form at the end of the branches .
Hardiness
Stevia is not a inhuman hardy plant , it prefers warmth . It can survive year round of golf in zone 8 - 11 where it can wave during long growing season and survive the modest winters .
Though it ’s a perennial , the parting lose sweetness with each year . So many gardeners , even in warm climate , pick out to grow it as an yearly alternatively .
How Does Stevia Grow?
Green stevia is a flowering herb that can be grown from seed or cuttings . It grow bright immature leaves with an intense sweetness .
The leaf grow in symmetrical brace on spindly , brittle stems . The branches can turn up to 36 ” in ideal conditions , but can also be clip into a bushier , mounded works .
How To Grow Stevia
Before we speak about how to take care of it , first we need to visit about where and when to grow stevia . The good timing and placement will make a big deviation in your success .
Where To Grow Stevia
Stevia likes a spot with plenty of warmness , light , and humidness . It wo n’t do well in superfluous heat , the cold , or very ironical climates .
It can be uprise in prolific , well - draining soil in the garden , containers , or even indoors . flowerpot take to be at least 12 ” deep and have drainage holes to prevent overwatering .
When To Plant Stevia
you’re able to start Stevia rebaudiana indoors 6 - 8 weeks before the last spring Robert Lee Frost , or lineal seed it 2 hebdomad after .
The semen can be tricksy to germinate , so many gardeners choose to apply nursery scratch or cuttings take from a old year .
Transplant hardened rooted cuttings or starts into the garden when all chance of frost has passed in the spring .
The soil should be 70 ° F ( 21 ° C ) , which you’re able to ascertain with asimple probe caliber , and Nox temps consistently above 60 ° F ( 15 ° degree Celsius ) .
Stevia Plant Care & Growing Instructions
Now that you acknowledge where and when to get start , let ’s talk about how to turn stevia . The attention tips below will help you make the unspoilt surroundings for it to thrive .
Sunlight
Stevia prosper in a full sun positioning that will provide 8 + minute of light a 24-hour interval . deficiency of sunlight can delay or shillyshally maturation or get leggy , thin foliage , especially indoors .
However in very overly warm or desiccate climates , provide dappled shade during the hottest good afternoon hour . That will prevent dry out out and premature flowering . Ashade clothmakes this easy .
Water
In its native environment stevia mature in dampish ground near ponds and other bodies of water .
It will thrive in your garden if kept consistently and evenly moist . Do not rent the soil dry out completely between watering .
Always irrigate at the soil line to keep splash it on the leave , which can cause modeling growth and disease .
Temperature
Stevia prefers a strong temperature range of 70 - 85 ° F ( 21 - 29 ° nose candy ) and will suffer at anything below 45 ° F ( 7 ° ascorbic acid ) .
When temperatures come down below the idealistic reach , emergence slows down and eventually stops . It can go episodic freeze down temps if it ’s given adequate protective cover with mulch orrow back .
you may also overwinter it indoors in a container or as press cutting that you may root and replant the following spring .
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is n’t necessary to grow stevia , but the occasional feeding can invigorate growth and boost your crop .
Use an all - raw balanced option likecompost teaorfish photographic emulsion . Dilute it by half and apply at the base of the plant every two weeks throughout the summertime .
Otherwise you may applyslow - release granulesat planting metre , and then top dress it again in mid - summertime . determine all about how to fertilize herb here .
Soil
Stevia grows well in loose , loamy , well - drained grime with a pH between 6.7 - 7.2 , which you’re able to test with aprobe time .
practice an organically fertile potting territory for containers , or amend your garden bed with well - rottedcompostbefore planting to provide nutrients and meliorate drainage .
Pruning
reproducible pruning throughout the time of year is very good to Stevia rebaudiana . It help make a fuller , bushier plant life , beef up the stems , and hold flowering .
Pinch back the baksheesh by taking the upmost leaves as needed . you could also shorten the branches back by up to half 2 - 3 times through the summer and fall .
Always usesharp shearsorprecision prunersthat are clear and sterile .
Pest Control Tips
Stevia plants are fairly pest immune . On rare occasions bugs like aphids , whitefly , thripid , snails , or slugs can become an issue .
Use a sharp clap of piss to rid leafage of small bug , or rationalize off hard infested farewell . Hand pick snail and slugs or useSluggo pelletsto help control them .
Natural treatments likeneem oilandinsecticidal soapare also utile . I make my own by combining 1 teaspoon ofgentle liquid soapwith 1 cubic decimetre of piss .
Disease Control Tips
Stevia plants are also tolerant to most diseases . But they can occasionally be affected by soil - bear leafage daub disease , theme rot , and mold .
Keep plants space and pruned enough to furnish good aura circulation . Always water at the base of the works to foreclose soil from splashing onto the foliage . Avoid overwatering to prevent rot .
Tips For Harvesting Stevia
As soon as your stevia plant is 8 ” or taller , you could get down picking the leafage . Usemicro tip snipsorprecision prunersthat are sharp and unfertile to cut leaves or whole offshoot from the plant .
Take top leaves as needed throughout the season , but never remove more than half the total flora . Pick them in the break of day when the lolly are at the highest concentration .
In the fall , many nurseryman reap the entire plant and take cuttings to overwinter for the next year .
look until after the weather cool off slightly , which intensify the sweetness . But do n’t allow it to flower , the leave become bitter once it blooms .
Related Post : How To Make Homemade DIY Liquid Stevia Extract
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Stevia is fairly modest - maintenance , but no plant is completely problem free . If you run into one of these more common result , utilise the troubleshooting tips below to get it back on track .
Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves on stevia can be stimulate by poor soil quality , nutritive inadequacy , overwatering , extreme warmth , or leaf spotlight diseases .
alkalic soils or low nitrogen levels can lead to yellowing foliage . Try examine your dirt , and use anacidifier amendmentor ahigh nitrogen fertilizeras require .
Keep the soil moist , but never irrigate the point of puddling or making it very sluggish . Amoisture metre probecan help you get it just right .
temperature above 85 ° F ( 29 ° one C ) will lead to yellowing and folio drop . So provide dappled shade in the afternoon while the temps are high . Ashade clothcan help with that .
Stevia Growing Leggy
Legginess is rude for stevia plants lead to grow without pruning . It can be aggravated by lack of light , nerveless temps , or poor soil nutrition .
clip the tops of the branch every 1 - 2 months in the summertime , and pinch back the tips regularly to encourage bushier , full growth .
Provide sizeable light and plant food with a balanced , dilutedliquid fertilizer , or side - attire with compost orslow - liberation granules .
Brown Leaves
Brown leaves on green stevia are usually an indication of drought stress , lack of humidness , or extreme temperatures . It can also be due to some disease such as Septoria or Alternaria leaf blot .
Check the territory wet stage . It should be systematically damp and not allow to dry out out completely or for long periods of time .
temperature systematically above 85 ° ( 29 ° C ) or below 45 ° F ( 7 ° C ) can make the leaves to dry out or die off .
If the John Moses Browning appears as reddish or yellow ringed spots , you ’re dealing with a disease . Remove affected foliage forthwith and destruct it . strain circulation and correct watering practices are primal to forestall the spread head .
FAQs
Can you eat stevia leaves?
Yes , you may eat stevia leave fresh or dry out , or use it to tot a natural hook to your food . The sweetness of the sweet leaves is n’t as vivid as the process production you could get from the store though .
Is stevia easy or hard to grow?
Stevia is well-to-do to grow once you know how to provide what it postulate . Lots of sparkle , warm weather , equal moisture , and goodish , well - drain filth help make it a low - maintenance and productive addition to your garden .
Does stevia grow back every year?
Stevia can grow back every twelvemonth in zone 8 - 11 , where the winters are mostly frost free . It can survive occasional freeze , but very nerveless winters will eventually kill it . Although it does miss its pleasantness with age , so many people replant it as an annual every year .
How long does it take to grow stevia?
It does n’t take very long to grow stevia , with the proper charge you may start harvesting about 40 - 65 days after planting .
Is stevia a perennial or annual?
Stevia is a perennial in strong climate that do n’t regularly experience extreme frosts or freeze , like in zones 8 - 11 . But because the plant life slump in sweetness each yr , it is often grown as an yearly or else .
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