Grow Your Own Tea
Part 1: Mint 🌿☕

Let’s start with something simple.
I’ll admit it… I don’t enjoy drinking water. I know it’s good for me, but it’s boring!
As an avid builder’s tea drinker, I’ve set myself a challenge this year: to increase my water intake by drinking more herbal teas, while growing as many of my own as possible on the allotment. From easy favourites like mint to my current shop-bought obsession of lemongrass and ginger… watch this space!
I know many of you have been making fresh mint tea for years—good for you! 😊🍃 I’m definitely one of those gardeners who happily grows mint, yet still buys peppermint tea bags.
Not anymore.
Now I’m picking fresh mint straight from the garden, popping it into the teapot, and drying plenty to enjoy through the winter too.
Simple, delicious, and one less thing to buy.

Fresh Mint Tea

You’ll need:

• 5–10 fresh mint leaves (or 2–3 small sprigs)

• 1 mug of hot water

Method

1. Pick the mint fresh from the garden.

2. Gently bruise the leaves between your fingers to release the oils.

3. Place the leaves in a teapot or mug.

4. Pour over hot water (just off the boil if possible).

5. Leave to infuse for 5–10 minutes.

6. Remove the leaves or strain, then enjoy.

For a stronger flavour, simply add a few more leaves or leave it to infuse a little longer.

Winter version

Use 1 teaspoon of dried mint per mug instead of fresh. Infuse for 5–10 minutes.

How to Dry Mint

A simple way to preserve homegrown mint for later.

1. Just as when you are picking it to use fresh, pinch the top few leaves from as many sprigs as you choose to dry.

2. Wash and gently pat dry with tissue, then lay the leaves out in a single layer on kitchen roll.

3. Choose somewhere dry and warm with good airflow. I wouldn’t advise direct sun; the conservatory is my go-to place, but it’s too fierce on a hot sunny day, so on those days I lay them out on a cloth, on a chair under the table.

4. Once they have turned crispy, store them in an airtight jar and label it.

Fresh is always lovely, but dried mint is perfect for the winter months too.

Fresh versus dried… taste test. If I’m honest, I would always go for fresh, but the difference in flavour was surprisingly small. The dried mint was still really fresh-tasting, so I think it will be perfect for winter. By Christmas there may be a slight difference, but for now I’m happy with both.