I have a stevia plant.

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[Suich]

1. Inside or outside?

I've wanted to get one but don't know how well they do in the NW!

Welcome to DU!

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2. Thanks! I am in the Midwest and bought it over the summer.

The sucker has grown! I finally brought it inside but don't really know what is best for it. I got the idea when visiting a health food store nearby that had a huge one inside. I have heard it has to be cut in the first year but I am a total newbie when it comes to plants and gardening. I subscribed to this group because I want to learn more about how to care for plants. I did a community garden for the first time this year

[Suich]

5. I ate some of the leaves at a garden store

and was blown away! I assume you've kept it in a pot since you got it?

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6. Yeah and repotted it at some point.

I can't tell how much sun it needs, though. I kept it inside and it seemed to wilt. My apt. isn't all that sunny so I brought it outside and it thrived. So now that it's winter I am hoping to keep it healthy for the season. I will have to do a bit of research but anyone with experience here would really help me out!

[sce56]

3. Great do you use it to sweeten your hot drinks?

I would love to find one I could keep on my sailboat err home!

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4. It didn't work when I put it into some tea.

It is weird; I wonder if it's like dried herbs and how they are stronger than fresh?

[sce56]

7. Ok did the google and found this for you.

http://www.stevia.net/growingstevia.htm#unlocking-the-sweetness

Unlocking the Sweetness in Your Harvest

Once all your leaves have been harvested you will need to dry them. This can be accomplished on a screen or net. (For a larger application, an alfalfa or grain drier can be used, but about the only way an average gardener might gain access to such a device is to borrow it from a friendly neighborhood farmer). The drying process is not one that requires excessive heat; more important is good air circulation. On a moderately warm fall day, your stevia crop can be quick dried in the full sun in about 12 hours. (Drying times longer than that will lower the stevioside content of the final product.) A home dehydrator can also be used, although sun drying is the preferred method.

Crushing the dried leaves is the final step in releasing stevia’s sweetening power. This can be done either by hand or, for greater effect, in a coffee grinder or in a special blender for herbs. You can also make your own liquid stevia extract by adding a cup of warm water to 1/4 cup of fresh, finely-crushed stevia leaves. This mixture should set for 24 hours and then be refrigerated.

Hope that helps let me know.

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8. Thanks! Funny, though...

My plant is still kind of sparse. Not too many leaves to harvest into powder yet! I am planning to get an Excalibur dehydrator at some point, so that's good to know about the drying. The Sun is probably preferable because it's not going to be much higher than 100 degrees. But the Excalibur is supposedly easy to control at low temps.

[Ruby Reason]

10. I've grown and dried stevia

Although I have never kept it inside over the winter. It is a spring to fall harvest for me. but I can cut all through summer and into fall and then use a small dehydrator for drying it. Nice sweet touch to teas and even sauces. Haven't tried it in baking breads or anything though.

Still, this past fall I cut even the stems and those I hung to dry. Haven't actually tried them, but I'm thinking of grinding them, or using them like one might use a cinnamon stick. I'll let you know it I have any luck.

Good luck with the indoor winter growth!

[HopeHoops]

9. Be careful with that - it is SERIOUSLY sweet!

[18th and blue island]

11. I HAD a stevia plant!

Does anyone know how to keep these puppies ALIVE?