How to Grow Stevia for Farmer's Markets
Stevia has become quite popular in the commercial market because it is a natural sweetener that has no caloric stigma attached to it. For people interested in growing stevia for the purpose of selling it at farmer's markets, to grocers or to health food stores, following a few simple steps will result in a practical part-time money opportunity. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Getting Started
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Purchase starter plants. Unless you live in South America where stevia thrives, it is not recommended to use seeds to grow stevia. If you do want to try growing stevia seeds, be sure to find a good quality seed distributor. Home-grown stevia may not have as much potency as the commercial grade stevia grown in tropical climates, but it is good enough to maintain a very strong, sweet flavor.
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Pick a place to grow stevia. Once you have purchased your stevia plants, decide on a good location to plant your starters. For an indoor space, make sure there is good lighting and adequate heat. If you're planting outdoors, determine how many square feet you want to dedicate to your stevia plants.
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Plant stevia after the threat of frost is gone. Stevia is very sensitive to cold weather, and soil temperatures need to be considered as well. Don't plant stevia into the ground until the soil temperature reaches the 50 or 60 degrees F. Stevia should be planted in rows, 20 to 24 inches apart. Try to leave at least 18 inches between plants.
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Use rich, loamy soil for planting stevia. Be sure to plant stevia where water can easily drain to avoid flooding the plants. During the summer months, stevia does best with light and frequent watering. Use compost or mulch to keep the roots from drying out. Organic fertilizers with low nitrogen are especially good for stevia.
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Harvest stevia by cutting the branches off with pruning shears, then stripping the leaves. The tips of the stems contain high levels of stevioside and should be added to your stevia supply for selling at a farmer's market.
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Dry the stevia in small quantities using a net, a screen or some sort of place to dry your plants. A plant drier can be used as well. Drying stevia plants requires high levels of heat and good air circulation, and they can also be dried outdoors during a very hot day. It takes about 12 hours to dry stevia thoroughly under the sun, which is the preferred method among growers and harvesters of stevia. Crush the leaves with a grinder or an herb blender to release the stevia's natural sweetener.
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Package and sell stevia after a successful harvest. Bag the leaves into small, attractive packages. Include literature and directions on stevia use. Remind people that stevia is reported to be 10 to 15 times sweeter than sugar. It's important for your customers to know this so they can better understand how to use it for cooking, to sweeten drinks and more.
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Tips & Warnings
Stevia is a great insect repellant. Its natural sweetener repels aphids and grasshoppers.
Stevia usually grows to 30 inches in height and around 18 to 24 inches in width.
A home dehydrator can also be used to dry the stevia leaves if sunshine and warmth are not available.
