This small herbaceous plant with small flowers will not only be a beautiful decoration for the interior of the kitchen or your own garden, but also a great sweetener for those who want to improve their he alth and build. It is not for nothing that many people call this sweet grass honey.
Growing such a plant with your own hands is not difficult, but before doing this, you need to learn all about the care, as well as the benefits that it brings.
Description and properties of stevia
This sweet grass is made up of a huge amount of useful elements. Due to its natural origin, it can saturate the body with vitamins and amino acids. It's called stevia. Its main advantage is a concentrated sweet and honey taste. Its saturation is enough to completely replace any artificial sweeteners, as well as a sugar substitute. The sweet herb has such a pleasant taste that many even replace honey with it. That's whystevia is so appreciated all over the world.
An important role is played by its healing properties. Medicinal tinctures for diabetes and hypertension are made from stevia. You can also brew he althy tea from it, which will have antimicrobial, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. To do this, you need to cut a few fresh leaves from the plant, place them in a mug, and then pour boiling water over them. Just 5-10 minutes of waiting and you can enjoy a healing and tonic drink.
Stevia herb appearance
Special attention deserves the appearance of this very sweet grass. Attractive flowers that appear on the grass during the flowering period adorn any patio. Due to the compact size of stevia and unpretentious care, it will look great even on the windowsill of a city apartment. Just a few leaves of the plant will make a large mug of tea sweet. In urban areas, sweet grass grows up to 65 cm, but on fertile southern soil, it can reach a height of 1.5 m.
Flowering and growth of stevia
The plant begins to bloom immediately after the beginning of the reduction of daylight hours. Therefore, when deciding on a landing site, it is necessary to choose places with a lot of sunlight. In the shade, the sweet stevia grass grows reluctantly, and you can not wait for flowering in such a place. Loose, well-drained soil is ideal. If there is only clay on the site, you need to mix it with humus or sand.
Whenthe length of daylight becomes less than 12 hours, the sweet grass stops growing. It is not recommended to leave it for wintering in open soil. The only exceptions are the southernmost territories. For example, the winter climate of the Moscow region does not suit her at all. In such conditions, the grass will not survive even the first frost. Therefore, it must be grown as an annual plant. Some breed stevia in homemade peas. In this case, when it gets cold, the grass should be brought home into the heat.
Change for wintering
To enjoy the sweet grass and during the cold seasons, many grow it indoors. Stevia can also be transplanted into a pot from the soil in the garden. It is best to do this no later than September. The plant is dug up along with the root system, and then transferred to a pot. To avoid drought or decay, the grass must be kept at a temperature of no more than 15 degrees. However, it needs fairly frequent watering. But even in this you should know the measure and always check the soil with your finger to determine the need for water.
Stevia breeding rules
To increase the amount of this useful herb, many housewives arrange a breeding procedure. The easiest way to carry it out is with the help of seeds that can be harvested after the next flowering of stevia. To sow grass sweeter than sugar, you must use a mixture that consists of the same proportions of soddy soil, humus and ordinary sand. No need to mix too muchamount of substrate. In the last days of March, dried seeds can be sown.
This is done very evenly, not very deep, and also in a well-moistened soil mixture. Then the seed container is covered with glass and placed in the warmest place in the house. You also need to take care of good lighting. For the seeds to sprout, it is enough to wait about one week. The growth of the seedlings themselves is not so fast. It will take at least 20 days to transplant them from the soil into individual cups.
Transplanting stevia in open ground
If you want to grow stevia on the site, you must not transplant them into cups, but wait until the root system is fully strengthened. To do this, often water and moisten the leaves of the seedlings. After growing plants from seeds, it is necessary to wait about 2 months. After this time, the grass becomes ready for transplanting into open soil. In windy and cool weather, it is better to do this in a greenhouse.
The ideal option for growing stevia would be a small hill, where there will be no stagnation of moisture in the ground. The soil should also be well fertilized with compost or phosphorus. In order for oxygen to penetrate the roots of the grass, the earth must be dug up and loosened before planting. All nearby weeds and other grass must be removed. The holes are made about 15 cm deep. The distance between them should be 40-50 cm.
Caring for stevia after planting in open ground
A plant grown from seeds must be carefully stored from badclimatic conditions and pests. Stevia is a very fragile herb, which, with the slightest deviation in care, will quickly dry out or rot. Therefore, you must adhere to the following rules of care:
- After transplanting into open soil, you need to protect the plant from direct sunlight for at least 2 weeks. To do this, cover the stevia with a special cape or make a full-fledged shelter on top.
- When the covering material is removed, it is necessary to carry out the first feeding. A special fertilizer is used for this.
- Stevia should be fertilized every 3 weeks.
- The soil must be constantly loosened so that the roots receive the right dose of oxygen.
- Water the grass as it dries.
- The place where stevia grows must be carefully cleaned of weeds.
- The plant can be trimmed to give it a more decorative look. The cut leaves and stems are finely chopped, dried, and then consumed as a sweetener or medicinal tincture.
Growing stevia does not require a lot of gardening knowledge. It is enough just to follow certain rules of care, as well as protect the plant from cold and moisture stagnation.
Benefits of stevia
Stevia has gained immense popularity due to its therapeutic effect in type 2 diabetes, as well as any stage of obesity. The sweet juice inside the herb relieves the symptoms of hypertension and is also suitable as a preventive measure against cavities. Hypertension sufferers should try the following stevia-based recipe:
- Pour 3 tablespoons of finely chopped grass leaves into a shallow saucepan.
- Pour the contents of 100 ml of boiled water.
- Cook for about 10 minutes over low heat.
- After this time, close the pan with a lid and leave to infuse for half an hour.
Prepared medicine should be taken 100 ml up to 3 times a day. Thanks to the regular use of a healing drink, you can cure stomach ulcers, as well as improve blood pressure. The leaves of this plant contain in its composition an essential oil that perfectly copes with any inflammation on the skin. Crushed grass can be used to lubricate wounds to speed up tissue regeneration.
