This small grassy plant with small flowers will be not only a beautiful decoration for the interior of the kitchen or its own kindergarten, but also an excellent sweetener for those who want to improve their health and build. It is not without reason that many people call this sweet grass honey.
It is not difficult to grow such a plant with your own hands, but before you do this, you need to learn all about the care, as well as the benefits it brings.
Description and properties of stevia
This sweet grass consists of a huge amount of useful elements. Due to its natural origin, it can saturate the body with vitamins and amino acids. It is 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. Sweet grass tastes so good that many even replace it with honey. That is why stevia is so appreciated around the world.
An important role is played by its healing properties. From stevia make medicinal tinctures for diabetes and hypertension. You can also brew useful tea from it, which will have antimicrobial, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. To do this, cut off a few fresh leaves from the plant, place in a mug, and then pour them with boiling water. Only 5-10 minutes of waiting and you can enjoy a healing and tonic drink.
Appearance of stevia herb
Special attention deserves the appearance of this very sweet grass. Attractive flowers that appear on the grass during the flowering period decorate any courtyard. Due to the compact size of stevia and unpretentiousness in 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 conditions, sweet grass grows 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 start of daylight reduction. Therefore, when determining the place of landing, it is necessary to choose places with a lot of sunlight. In the shade, the sweet grass of stevia grows reluctantly, and flowering in such a place can not be expected at all. Loose, drained soil is perfect. If there is only clay on the site, you need to mix it with humus or sand.
When the daylight becomes less than 12 hours, the sweet grass stops growing. It is not recommended to leave it for wintering in open soil. An exception may be made only to 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 frosts. Therefore, it must be grown as an annual plant. Some plant stevia in homemade peas. In this case, when cooling, the grass must be brought home in the heat.
Winter transplant
To enjoy the sweet grass and in the cold seasons, many grow it indoors. Also, stevia can be transplanted into a pot of soil in the garden. This is best done no later than September. The plant is dug up together with the root system, and then transferred to a pot. To avoid drought or decay, grass should be kept at a temperature not exceeding 15 degrees. However, she needs a fairly frequent watering. But 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 beneficial herb, many housewives arrange a breeding procedure. It is easiest to carry out using seeds that can be collected after the next flowering of stevia. To sow grass sweeter than sugar, you must use a mixture that consists of the same proportions of turf land, humus and ordinary sand. No need to knead too much substrate. In late March, dried seeds can be sown.
This is done very evenly, not very deep, as well as in a well-moistened soil mixture. Then the container with seeds is covered with glass and put in the most heated place in the house. It is also necessary to take care of good lighting. For the seeds to sprout, it is enough to wait about one week. Seedlings themselves do not grow so fast. It will take at least 20 days to transplant them from the soil into separate cups.
Stevia transplant in open ground
If you want to grow stevia on the site, you must not transplant them into glasses, but wait until the root system is fully strengthened. To do this, you often need to water and moisten the leaves of seedlings. After growing plants from seeds, you need to wait about 2 months. At the end of 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.
An ideal option for growing stevia is 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 poor climatic conditions and pests. Stevia is a very fragile grass, which, with the slightest deviation in care, will quickly dry out or rot. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the following care rules:
- After transplanting into open soil, you need to protect the plant from direct sunlight for at least 2 weeks. For this, stevia is covered with a special cloak or a full-fledged shelter is made from above.
- When the covering material is removed, it is necessary to carry out the first top dressing. For this, special fertilizer is used.
- Stevia needs to 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 thoroughly cleaned of weeds.
- The plant can be trimmed to give it a more decorative look. Cut leaves and stems are finely cut, dried, and then used as a sweetener or medicinal tincture.
To grow stevia, you do not need to have much knowledge in the field of gardening. It is enough to adhere to certain rules of care, as well as protect the plant from cold and moisture congestion.
The 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 alleviates the signs of hypertension and is also suitable as a preventative measure against tooth decay. Hypertensive patients should try the following stevia-based recipe:
- Pour 3 tablespoons of finely chopped leaves of grass into a shallow saucepan.
- Pour the contents of 100 ml of boiled water.
- Boil for about 10 minutes over low heat.
- After this time, close the pan with a lid and leave to insist for half an hour.
The prepared medicine must be taken 100 ml up to 3 times a day. Thanks to the regular use of a healing drink, you can cure a stomach ulcer, as well as establish blood pressure. The leaves of this plant contain essential oil in its composition, which perfectly copes with any inflammation on the skin. Shredded grass can be used to lubricate wounds to accelerate tissue regeneration.