A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 Speaking of Tea...

Recently I have discovered Rooibusch tea, also called red tea. I don't know if anyone else out there has tried it...but it is such a wonderful, full-bodied naturally non-caffinated tea! They come with flavorings too, like any other tea, vanilla, caramel etc.
My South African friend (where rooibush comes from) says that EVERYONE there drinks it...
and an interesting tip...
they boil the tea for a few minutes. It really brings out the flavor!
Just thought I would share
~Amie

www.yogitea.com Has some nice tea also and if go to their web site will mail you 2 free samples& a booklet of their teas and a .50 cupoun.

I have recently fallen in love with Chai tea. I make it myself with black tea (usually Darjeerling or Assam), Cinnamin, Cloves, Cardamom pods, and Ginger (all fresh). The only problem is that I'm fast running out of supplies and there isn't anywhere around here where I cna get fresh cardamom pods and ginger.

Also, I *love* mint teasar. I'm growing a mint plant for that express purpose.

All about Tea
How teas are made

Scroll to Tea Library.

Like many of you, I drink green tea, oolong tea, jasmine tea, black tea (Earl Grey/loose or baggged) for the antioxidant property (polyphenols), essential oils (bergamot), plus manganese, potassium, niacin, folic acid, and trace amounts of vitamins B1, B2, and K.

Tea is an essential beverage for us before, during and after meals.

Dear applescruff,
I don't know about your area...but, I get my ginger and cardamom pods at the local chinese market/shop. You could also try health-food, natural foods stores I suppose.

Chai tea is WONDERFUL! I have a bag of the spice mixture which I bought from a tea shop. You only use a pinch of it per cup (more or less to taste...in german it translates to a knife tip's worth of powder). I wonder if you search around for that kind of thing...or next time you find all the ingredients make a big batch of ready made mix. Put it in jars and store it in a dark closet.

We have gotten into a morning tea ritual...usually green tea...there are some with lemon or lime or grapefruit flavorings which are sooooo wonderful....or some herbal tea is also nice in the morning. We go for the Chai tea in the afternoon for a pick-me-up.


~Amie

Muskrat,

I'm at college right now in an itty-bitty town with no car. We ahve a health food store with the ready made mix, but I prefer to make it myself starting with raw ingredients. I suppose I'm going to have to break down and buy the mix stuff.

applescruff

Applescruff,
Try out this website:
http://www.sandmountainherbs.com/cardamom.html

At this site you can order spices and have them sent to your home:
www.purespice.com
Or this one does bulk spices (one pound) but kinda expensive:
http://store.ediblenature.com/buhespc.html
http://store.ediblenature.com/buhespfg.html
and here is the link for their bottled spices:
http://store.ediblenature.com/frontier--bottled-spices.html

The world has become a nice small cozy place with communications and technology.

~Amie

Applescruff I was going to say alot of mail order companies will ship to you but it looks like you got all the advice you need.
I'm planning on growing herbs mainly for herbal teas and medicinal use but their is so many herbs to choose from. I've been looking through Richters catolog and am having troble deciding on what to get. Can any one help narrow it down to essentials. Anything that I can grow inside is a plus but I'm building a greenhouse that can over winter at what ever temp. is needed, only one temperature, it's just that I'm my gardening zone fluctuates all the time. I've seen some say I'm in zone 2A and some say up(or down, Which ever way you look at it) to zone 3or4(wasn't a detailed map of my reigon).
So to clarify everything, I have a small somewhat shaded spot, a sunny deck, a 6-6" greenhouse and a west facing window I can put them in so almost any conditions can be met.
Thanks, mabey I should have just started a new post :rolleyes: .

Last things to note are that I don't realy want any culinary herbs for the moment and I'm a past smoker of ciggerettes among other things so anything that helps to clean out your lungs and clean out your system is good.
Thanks in advance.

Just thought I'd add insomnia pleggs me as well. :p

<img border="0" alt="[perplexed]" title="" src="graemlins/confused.gif" /> I just have to add one more thing just to clarify. It's not that that I don't want herbs that are cullinary it's just that I only realy want herbs that can be used as teas hence the reason it's in this section. Allright now I'll just wait and read more info on herbs that I find.
Oh... :rolleyes: Another reason I'm asking is I don't know which herbs used medecinaly are safe to use as part of a regular diet. My mom goes to a nature path some times so I guess I could get her to ask there but I'm going to be doing all my ordering soon and I don't know when she's going there next.

Muskrat,

Thanks for all the links! I think I might try ordering spices off the net.

Apples,

I did a quick web search and came up with a few common herbs.

CATNIP - Make a tea to to relieve colds and fevers. Also used to treat headaches and upset stomachs. Has mild sedative qualities.
CHAMOMILE - Use in a tea as a mild sleep aid or to aid digestion. Make a cream to treat dry, rough skin
CORIANDER - Chew leaves or infuse as a tea to relieve upset stomachs. Also used as a mild sedative
HYSSOP - Make a cream to treat bruises and burns. Infuse as tea to treat colds, flu, bronchitis and sore throats.
RED CLOVER -
VALERIAN - Roots used to relieve nervous tension, anxiety, insomnia and pain. Roots used in a cream to treat acne or skin rashes.

This is what a quick search turned up and I'm sure if you did a more extensive search you could find more. If you find yourself with time to kill, try these sites: http://www.magdalin.com/herbs/
http://www.holistic-online.com/Herbal-Med/hol_herb.htm

Let me know how your growing goes!

*smile*
applescruff

Thanks applescruff.
I've found a few of the ones you said, catnip, coriander, I already drink chamomile but I've heard it's not good to have consitently. I've looked through parts of that magdalin site, I'm starting to look through the other one right now!
I know I could have just done my own work but thought I'd try to speed up the process by asking.
I know you can't grow any more plants in your room but it's kind of nice that you have something good and a healthy life to look forward to. I'll be shure to keep you up to date on everything.

Apples, Have you tried Lemon Balm Tea for that insomnia?

Thanks for the tip.
Nope... I don't want anything that is to much of a seditive... Is it a seditive? I'll look it up. I just don't want to become relient on it(Can't help it I have an adictive personality) Just need something to help calm my nerves, increase circulation to my restless legs and help slow my mind as apposed to thought processes like this

Apples, I can personally attest to the sleep benefits of the lemon balm tea...(thanks, P&L )
No drugs, non-addicting, etc...

But...if you want to calm what my family used to call the "jitsies" in your legs....
See if you can find (in your health food store) a liquid calcium/magnesium supplement. It WILL help; my promise....

Thanks Jillie for answering that, I just had not gotten around to it, and YOU are WELCOME, thanks for the testimonial for the Lemon Balm, those "jitsies"(I LIKE that term) can be helped too with a good dose of BANANA'S

....which is extremely good advice, P&L ...oranges & 'nanners are great for a potassium deficiency...

But...

if ye ain't getting up there in years like we are... (we more "mature" folks tend to lose potassium) and considering Apples younger age...


... my $.02

Can I ask Jillie and Phil a question,
The "jitsie's" can they not be caused
by both not enough calcium and too much as well.??
Both I have heard are the culprits of that!!

Same as the charlie horse's?????????

Seems I've heard something to that effect??
Or am I mixing it with something else??

Weezie

Not too sure, Weez... it's not tooo common to have calcium overload unless yer over-doing dietary supplements...or have the arthritic-type calcium build-up in yer joints (More an affliction of us older folks)

Here's the stuff I use...& my-boss-the-doc recommends it...

restless leg syndrome

It tastes pretty good, too.

Well, with the ole brain~drain here, of what I remember is, Like in the charlie horse thing.. and the muscle (when I was pregnant, my doct. asked if I was either not taking or intaking not enough calcium or too much... I had told her probably too much, cause I was drinking alot of milk and I also eat romaine, and beans and alot of things that have calcium in it!!
And she told me to lay off eating so much and it did calm them down....

She said something to the effect that the calcium can go to the muscle *some how* when resting and build up in there, (*or like lie around in the tissue like??????) and that's a probable cause for such.
Not sure...
I used to get the Jitsie's all the time or a feeling of wanting to STRETCH my legs,
at night while lying on the couch watching tv.

Weezie

Ah, I think you're right about charlie horses & too much or not enuf calcium.... I was taking a guess with Apples being depleted.....


Apples? Ever been a guinnea pig???

I have a pound of St. Johns Wort, I know it can be capped and used, but It is all powdered, Can I brew a tea out of it?

I. Don't. Think. So.

Prolly hitting onesself in the head with a ball-peen hammer would be safer

Hey, sorey I haven't been around to say thanks
Oh shure... I think I may be alergic slightly to bananas but I eat one every day, it just kind of bugs my asthma if I eat them fast or many. I don't drink much milk though so that probably explains it. I have been latly because I've been eating(cereal) brekfast that requires it but still not too much. I'm planning a trip to the docks very soon so I'll tell him about it. I'm not laghing as hard as the graemlin, not in any meen way. That's one of the few things I know about St.johns wort . I like goats milk and am intent on getting a few in the future but for now I don't know what to drink in place of milk because the place we get it the cardboard they use in the container makes it tast stale. Any suggestions on that. I could maby find a farmer with some goats.
By the way their's a possibility I grow in dog years so it just might be the pottasium!
One thing I've found releaves the jitsies temperarily is some yoga position, I think it's called the japanese sitting pose but maby not. you simply sit on your nees with your feet flat undernieth you until just when you think there going to go numb. It helps the circulattion in your legs alot I find! It may be called the warriers pose come to think of it. I don't know my yoga all that well.

Apples, you are such a great sport for putting up with the silliness...

I don't mind at all. This place is made to be fun. Plus any info I get here is a bonus since I'm just being to lazzy to read up my self. I've got a list going so I'm thinking I'll put it up in a new post n see what you people think.

Apples, this link might give you lotsa info to help you with your list.. (maybe we should start a "Natural Health" topic...)
At the office, we E-subscribe to this Dr's newsletter. Everything you could possibly want to know...

Dr. Mercola

My folks raised goats when I was young and sold the milk, my younger bro was lactose intolerant and it was what got them into the goat thing, only thing I remember was that Dad would not let them graze until after milking and then put them inside before dark, he said it took the off taste fromthe milk, must have because I LOVED it! phil

I still think that a goat and a sea of clover would make a great front lawn.

Me Too! Maybe they are called WHITES! any way they are the same plant, haven't researched them, but a wise old owl told me they were good to ward off Cancer if made into a Tea...any imput?

Modern uses: The leaves are antiseptic and are used internally and externally for the treatment of malignancies. Research is required in this area, but an infusion of the leaves appears to reduce pain in cancerous cases. A strong infusion is made by using 2 oz (56 g) of leaves to 1 Pt (568 ml) of boiling water, which is left to stand overnight. It is then strained and taken in doses of 2 fl oz (56 ml) every two or three hours. The crushed leaves can be applied directly to the skin where an antiseptic is required. The flowers are expectorant and a syrup is made by adding honey to an infusion of them. This is an excellent remedy for coughs taken in dessert-spoonful doses. The roots and leaves are also expectorant, but the root tends to be emetic and has been used as an alternative to lpecacuanha. In combination with Vervain (Verbena officinalis), it is effective in whooping cough. Colt's Foot may also be added.
I pasted it from that magdalin site papido posted.
Maby the white one has deeper cancer properties then the violet WHITES!
Ouu... Jillie I looked so quickly befor I only saw Phils post. Thanks I'm starting to look through it now! As for the natural health topic I think that would be great! Has any one ever heard of yerba mate. It's a tea from south amarica that can be used as a food staple replacing meat and even bread! I didn't book mark the page but if you do a quick search on it you can find tones of sites on it or selling it. It has one of those exoderireowjr... things... caffien being one of the three all having similar effects but this one is not bad for you and is actualy realy good for you. They say it's like green tea but better.

Phil, I'm so silly
The flowers of White Violets ripen and dissolve swellings. Taken fresh, the flowers or herb are effectual in pleurisy and diseases of the lungs and help hoarseness, hot urine and pains in the back or bladder. Anyways you should read the whole thing for your self Magdalin

Ah... I found it. yerba mate
This one has alot of info to. More mate

I love teas, especially herbal teas and I wanted to pass along a GREAT new tea, I found!

It seems to be good for everything that ails: calms and strengthens, helps circulation, mood, lowers cholesterol, builds immunity, slows the aging process, prevents arteriosclerosis.. ect.. ect.

de ni

New one on Me , Have you researched it ?

I asked my sister about this tea, as I have seen it in her cupboard. She directed me to a couple of web sites...here is the info I gathered.
Learn more here: Jagulana Herbal Products
Sounds like a great product Fleur-de-ni. Thanks for sharing

Hi Phil & Laura~

I have done some research on it. Like many good things, I was introduced to it, by a friend who brought me some.

Excellent information on studies done in the U.S. and Asia titled:
Ancient Wisdom Tested by Modern Science - Chapter III
from Jiaogulan "China's Immortality Herb" by Michael Blumert

can be read at:

http://www.immortalityherb.com/Jiaogulan-book/chapter%203-1.htm

There are also many other informative articles to be found at this site.



A concise history of Jiaogulan, can be read at:

http://www.jiaogulan.net/Jiaogulan.htm

I am not easily impressed by herbal claims, as they do seem to be everywhere. I have been using and studying herbs for over 30 years and take much that I read with many grains of salt.
I didnot look into this herb, until I had drunk quite a bit of it and was really surprised and impressed with how calm and yet strong it made me feel. I was very reluctant to drink it in the evening, for fear it would keep me awake, (it tastes very similar to caffeine-rich Jasmine tea.)
There was no need for my caution. It seems to create, absolutely, no jittery effects.

I did read that pregnant or nursing women should not drink it. However, I donot know why that is so. But figured I should make a note of it, here.

de ni

Hi Chrissy!!

So are you drinking it now? Has your sister found it helpful?

This is to me, the most impressive herb I have come across, in years.

mugs~ ~of tea

de ni

Yes, I have drank the tea once, just to give it a try over at my sister's place yesterday. It actually tastes pretty good & I didn't feel the jitters either that I usually expect with an energy tea. My sister swears by it & loves it. She has been drinking it for about 6 months now. I put in an order for some at our local health food store...so I will keep ya posted on how it does for me:)

Yes, I have drank the tea once, just to give it a try over at my sister's place yesterday. It actually tastes pretty good & I didn't feel the jitters either that I usually expect with an energy tea. My sister swears by it & loves it. She has been drinking it for about 6 months now. I put in an order for some at our local health food store...so I will keep ya posted on how it does for me:)