Stevia

DAYS TO SPROUT

DAYS TO
SPROUT

14-21 days

MATURES IN

MATURES
IN

40-60 days

TASTE IT FOR

TASTE IT
FOR

24+ weeks

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Care & Harvest

Stevia needs minimal pruning, snip any yellow or brown leaves if they appear. Prune back the plant a few times throughout the growing season to prevent flowering and encourage branching. Like mint, harvesting frequently and pinching away flowers will encourage bushy growth. If you notice small flower buds beginning to form on your lemon balm plant, take care to pinch them off quickly. We suggest checking the roots monthly and trimming any that are brown or extending past the yPod.

Stevia can be harvested for individual leaves, or in large amounts when the branches are at least 8 inches long. To harvest, cut branches halfway down, hang to dry in a well ventilated area and remove leaves from branches once the stem snaps.

Quick Facts

ORIGIN

Native to Paraguay, stevia has long been used as an herbal sweetener. As early as 500 AD, the Guarani people used stevia in hot mate to cut the bitter flavor.

QUALITIES

Stevia is said to be 200-300 times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way!

USE

Stevia is most commonly used as a sugar substitute, but it is also believed to be an antioxidant and have anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypertensive, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Harvest to Plate Recipe

How To Cook Stevia

The Prairie Homestead

INGREDIENTS

Fresh stevia leaves (Dry leaves can work too–see the note below)*
Vodka*
Clean glass jar with lid
*NOTE:The amount of ingredients you need will depend on how much stevia extract you want to make. I made a fairly small batch this time around, so I only ended up using about 1 cup of vodka, and a handful of chopped leaves. Depending on how many stevia plants you have, you can make a big batch, or just a small one.

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash the leaves and remove them from the stem. Discard any wilted or brown leaves, and coarsely chop the rest.
Place the leaves into a clean, glass jar. I filled my jar to the top, but I didn’t pack the leaves down.
Fill the jar with vodka, making sure the leaves are completely covered.
Place the lid on securely, and give it a good shake and set it aside.
Let the leaves steep in the vodka for around 48 hours. This is a much shorter time frame than many other extracts, but if you let it sit more than a day or two, the resulting stevia extract is pretty darn bitter.
After 48 hours, strain the leaves from the vodka (I also gave my leaves a good squeeze to smoosh out every last bit of extract).
Pour the extract into small saucepan and heat it gently for 20 minutes. Do not let it boil, just warm it up to remove the alcohol and improve the sweetness. It will also thicken up a bit and reduce in volume.
Pour your finished extract into a small bottle (I like one with a dropper–it makes it easier to use) and store it in the fridge. It should last several months.

Stevia

DAYS TO SPROUT

DAYS TO
SPROUT

14-21 days

MATURES IN

MATURES
IN

40-60 days

TASTE IT FOR

TASTE IT
FOR

24+ weeks

Plant Portfolio

Care & Harvest

Quick Facts

Harvest to Plate Recipe

How To Cook Stevia

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

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Stevia

DAYS TO SPROUT

DAYS TOSPROUT

14-21 days

MATURES IN

MATURESIN

40-60 days

TASTE IT FOR

TASTE ITFOR

24+ weeks

Plant Portfolio

Care & Harvest

Quick Facts

Harvest to Plate Recipe

How To Cook Stevia

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Free Shipping

60-Day Return

1-Year Warranty

Join Us - No Green Thumb Required

Learn

Shop

The Company

Join Us - No Green Thumb Required

PLANT STARTER SET OPTIONS

RECOMMENDED

SUNNY BOUQUET

TASTE OF ITALY

FARM FRESH

Sunny Bouquet Starter Set

Taste of Italy Starter Set

Farm Fresh Starter Set

Superfood Fresh Starter Set

Recommended Starter Set

DAYS TO
SPROUT

MATURES
IN

TASTE IT
FOR