Anyone practice companion planting or guild gardening?

Hi roseimp, I couldn't help laughing about your remark on rooibos - it is one of the most favorite teas in South Africa. I love a cup before bedtime to help me wind down..... but that said, I personally feel one must drink it strong, black with either a teaspoon sugar or honey.

Something I'm not fond of at all is "Green tea" even though it is suppose to be very good for you - it tastes like medicine to me. :-)

Elsa

Elsa, the trouble is you can only get a lot of herbal teas here in little sachets which probaby make up the bulk of whatever is supposed to be contained in them - in other words you always get a papery after taste. Not wishing to dis your national drink but I just couldn't take to it. The great thing about being able to grow chamomile, mints, thymes etc; is that they are wonderful brewed when fresh. Like most things they take a bit of getting used to. I think our palettes become jaded over the years due to too much processed and bland foods and drinks. When I first tried herbals I always use to mix honey with them - now I can take them "neat".

Roseimp, don't worry... LOL! Tastes differ, and that is probably what is putting me off the green tea - the taste of the sachet. I would love to grow camomile. I remember my mom having camomile tea when I was young, with all this little flowers in it. I just loved having a cup with her.
I made some tulsi (Ocimum tenuifolium) tea last week as it is supposed to help for head aches. I really like the clove taste. Also love tea made from fresh ginger root, but lately I get a bad rash from it... I have lemon grass, but for some reason my plant just doesn't want to grow nice and big (it is going for it's third year). I will use the whole plant within a day or two.
I haven't tried thyme yet. Will give it a try...

Roseimp ~ when you brew teas from fresh herbs, do you bruise or shred the leaves first?

Podster, I usually just crush some of the leaves of the woodier herbs such as thyme before pouring boiling water onto them. Young leaves from less woody plants such as mint and chamomile flowers I just use as they are. There's a good selection of herbal teas here with a medicinal twist. http://pages.prodigy.net/groovyskye/10.html
You tend to need a lot more fresh herbs ( volume wise) than dried and you need to seep them for a lot longer - around 10 minutes in most cases.

:-)) Rosie

This message was edited Feb 22, 2009 12:05 PM

Good information ~ thank you so much and what a GREAT link! I will be lost in time! 8 )

LOL

I am kind of surprized at the posters that find roobios tea disgusting! I learned about it on a bicycling forum and was prepared to force myself to drink it as I could not believe that it would be good. I liked it so much I get it in bulk for economy! I got some of the green roobios tea but I like the red better. To me it tastes like regular tea but without the astringent bitterness. It seems to cause teeth to become discolored though.