Above: One of my Catnip plants . I have a real problem with a neighborhood kitty enjoying this!
I love catnip tea, spearmint tea, peppermint tea, lemon balm tea.....it is amazing fresh. However I long for it in the winter also. So I am harvesting what I can and drying it. Using the convection oven this year. We live in a very humid part of the country and hanging it to dry is not always successful. ( mold and such)
I am starting a new bed to make room for some new varieties of mint from my neighbor. ( mountain and pineapple!)That makes six varieties in the garden!
Here is what catnip tea looks like freshly brewed. I use the cold brew method. This takes a bit longer but I like the flavor much better. Tea should never be boiled. I just allow the leaves , stems and flowers to sit in 2 cups of tap water for several hours. Strain and add an equal amount of water. I drink it before bedtime. Refreshing, good for you, and helps you relax.
You can google the good and bad about drinking catnip tea. Everything in moderation is the key. Catnip has Acetic acid, biotin, buteric acid, choline, citral, dipentene, inositol, lifronella, limonene, manganese, nepetalic acid, volatile oils, PABA, phosphorus, sodium, sulfur, valeric acid, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12. It has may medicinal uses.
That is so funny. I just wrote about my catnip at my other blog! I may need to make some catnip tea, if my fur babies will share it. :)
ReplyDeleteMy cats do not go for the tea once it is made. But boy do I have to keep the plant as well as the dried 'tea' out of their reach. My favorite blend is catnip and mountain mint. My neighbor introduced me to mountain mint. It grows in the wild in Mass. It is amazing. I just put a nice spring of mint in with the fresh cat nip and cold brew a few hours before bed.
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