How to Grow Stevia in Australia

The perennial herb stevia is native to Paraguay, where it originally was used to sweeten herbal tea. The glycosidal diterpens in its leaves make stevia 30 times sweeter than cane sugar. Although it's gaining popularity as a sugar substitute, stevia may be hard to find in a local garden center. You may have to special-order it. In Australia, stevia can be grown quite easily if you plant in October when nights begin to grow warmer, and keep the plant's growing environment weed-free.

Stevia seeds
Peat
Organic garden soil
Garden gloves
Water
Spade

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare rich soil for stevia in containers or in your garden. If your soil is sandy, which is sometimes a problem in Australia, amend it with equal parts peat and organic garden soil. Mix it thoroughly, and make sure it is free of clods, clumps and weeds.
- 2
  Plant seeds 1/2-inch deep, 12 inches apart. Keep in mind that a mature stevia plant will grow about two feet tall. Keep soil moist during the germination period, about two to three weeks.
- 3
  Keep soil moist through the heat of December, January and February. Add a pinch of water-soluble fertilizer to the water every six weeks during the growing season.
- 4
  Pull weeds as soon as you see them, because stevia does not compete well with other plants. Cultivate the soil periodically with a spade, to keep it aerated and allow water and fertilizer to reach the roots.
- 5
  Pinch off leaves for use as sweetener at any time during the growing season. After the stevia blooms, allow seed heads to develop. Collect the seeds in May for October replanting. Bring mature plants indoors in June if you wish to keep them over the winter, or treat stevia as an annual.

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