Overwintering Stevia

Stevia is a tropical plant and needs to be moved indoors for the winter in zones 8 and below.  Overwintering Stevia is an easy process.  Just find a sunny Southern, Western or Eastern window and place the Stevia plant as close to the window as possible.  It will thrive in the direct sunlight when the ambient temperature is above 60 or 65 degrees Ferenheit.  Water weekly and your Stevia plant will reward you all winter.

For move details, enjoy this eHow article on How to Overwinter Plants From Your Garden:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4787870_overwinter-plants-garden.html

Growing Stevia Plant seedlings

Growing Stevia Plant seedlings is much like growing seedlings of other plants.  The Stevia seedlings will need even watering, a light source and humidity.  If you buy at a local garden center or order online Stevia seedlings they will be past the delicate 2 and 4 leaf stage.  As you grow your Stevia plant steedlings indoors before moving outdoors, if they get leggy (which means tall and lanky) pinch off the leggy part leaving at least 2 to 3 sets of leaves on the stalk. 

In this picture you can see that the Stevia plant seedling on the right has gotten leggy, the one on the left was pinched off about a week ago and is showing new branches sprouting from where the leaves grow from the main stem. 

When you move the seedling outside, place them in a shady area, make sure the night time temperatures will not dip below 45 degrees Farenheight.  Slowly expose them to morning or evening sun, slowly increasing the sun until they are able to be in the full sun without wilting or getting sunburned.  Keep them well watered.  This process is called hardening off. 

Growing Stevia Seeds

Spring is the time of the year to order your Stevia plant.  It grows in tropical climates so should be started inside by Stevia Seed then placed outside in a pot when the weather warms.  Consider buying Stevia Seeds along with a terrarium that will help the seeds thrive in the warmth and humidity that they prefer.

The DuneCraft Terrarium with Stevia seeds is just the Stevia plant starting set up that you need to have a Stevia crop this summer!

A Book about how to grow Stevia

This blog will be a source of information on growing Stevia plants, recipes with Stevia and how to incorporate Stevia into your diet.  This blog will also serve to hook you up with other valuable resources such as the book below.  35 Recipes and a full care guide for growing Stevia.  If you cannot wait for more blog posts and want to get all of the information you need now to cook with Stevia and to grow Stevia, this book may be for you.