Perennial Tea Herb Harvest Calendar

Gardeners can create a tea garden to harvest leaves, stems and flowers for herbal infusions that refresh. Herbs are easy to cultivate and provide endless rewards when used properly.

Some perennial herbs are hardy while others, like tender annuals, don’t fare so well in winter weather in most climates. To protect these tender annuals, as frost approaches they must be moved into a protected spot to remain alive.

First Spring Growth

Sweet Cicely (Umbellifera sativa) adds an aromatic licorice taste to tea and is said to ease feminine issues. Although hardy perennial, in colder regions it must be grown as an annual.

Lemon verbena adds an invigorating citrus note to herbal infusions and tea. Propagated through cuttings or root division, this perennial is easy to propagate and will reseed itself regularly, providing a steady source of leaves.

Second Spring Growth

Perennial tea herbs require protection during winter by either mulching or moving indoors for the season, either through protection from extreme cold or by moving them closer.

Anise Hyssop is an attractive perennial that thrives best when grown in full sun. Pollinators love this plant and it also makes for delicious herbal tea.

Third Spring Growth

It is best to harvest flowers for tea early on in their blooming cycle before they produce seeds; however, bee balm plants such as these still can make great additions to tea brewing after flowering has taken place.

Tender perennials such as lemon verbena and stevia may be planted after western Washington’s last average frost date for optimal success in withstanding winter’s chill. Such plants will require additional sheltering in order to survive the season.

Fourth Spring Growth

Pollinators love this beautiful light green addition to any tea garden! Harvested at any point during its growth cycle, but for optimal flavor harvest just before flowering occurs.

Long-term climate variables of annual yield and leaf quality response patterns of clones correlate directly with monthly temperature and rainfall variations in their growth area [44]. Winter sheltering should be provided to these plants. Seeds may also benefit from cold stratification.

Fifth Spring Growth

Continued harvest of herbs, flower removal as they arise and cutting back perennials can help stimulate leaf growth and prevent over-maturation of your garden plants. It’s best to limit heavy pruning past August if your region often experiences winter freeze-over.

As temperatures heat up, mulching and watering should become top priorities this month. Fertilize, remove weeds, and consider division of some plants such as tarragon.

Sixth Spring Growth

Now is an excellent time to plant basil, garlic chives, rosemary, burpless/suyo cucumbers, okra, Southern peas and squash; as well as cockscomb, cosmos marigolds and tithonia flowers.

Snipping herbs stimulates new growth, helping them produce more flowers and seeds. Avoid heavy pruning past August as this makes plants vulnerable to frost damage; now is also an ideal time for dividing perennial herbs like geranium and tarragon.

Seventh Spring Growth

Perennial Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobilis) provides an invigorating tea. Plus, its seeds quickly self-sow each year so you can expand your patch year after year!

Be sure to mark your frost dates to protect your plants from damage. Understanding these dates helps you plan effectively for a thriving garden. For most gardeners, the optimal time and date to plant their garden are March to April due to warmer soil temperatures and decreased frost risk.

Eighth Spring Growth

Understanding your local frost dates is crucial to successful gardening. Frost dates reveal your garden’s unique climate rhythms and signal when the growing season for plants that don’t tolerate frost ends. Seed packets typically provide recommended planting and harvest dates based on average first frost date and last frost date averages in your region; you can learn more at Dave’s Garden where there’s a 2026 Frost Dates Calculator to assist.

Ninth Spring Growth

Lemon balm makes an excellent addition to herbal tea blends. Hardy from Zones 3-8, however it requires winter protection in more northern climates.

Salad burnet may look similar to lovage, but it is significantly cold-hardier. Place it in full sun to part shade locations and keep its soil lightly moistened for best results. Valerian root is another perennial that stands up well to weather conditions but may succumb in harsh climates.

Tenth Spring Growth

Perennial herbs are an indispensable addition to a homestead garden, providing easy-to-grow plants that add flavor to meals and self-care routines. Collect leaves throughout the growing season until flowers and seeds appear, harvest them after that and mulch perennials heavily during fall to retain moisture over winter.

Gradually introduce herb plants to outdoor conditions nearing their anticipated last frost date; this process is known as hardening off.