Am I Taking Good Care Of My Stevia?

Did you planted stevia in full sun?

Did you planted stevia in well-drained, fertile soil?

Do you keep the soil evenly moist, but never soggy or flooded?

Did you feed and mulched your stevia?

Did you pinch the tips of the stems to make bushier plants?

Did you harvest stevia once flower buds have appeared but before they’ve opened?

Do you keep your stevia free of pests and diseases?

Native to subtropical Paraguay and other warm, dry places, stevia prefers full sun. Although it will also tolerate part shade, make sure the shade is not too deep. Because the amount of heat the plant receives drives how sweet it is, you want to encourage lots of hot afternoon sun. Avoid windy areas because this will reduce the sweetness in the leaves.

Stevia prefers well-drained, fertile soil, both in pots and in the garden. Make sure you choose a rich growing medium, like potting mix or soil amended with compost. Because stevia prefers soil that is both well-draining and consistently moist, water retention can sometimes be a problem. Apply a mulch to retain moisture.

Stevia is equally unhappy in completely dry soil and soggy soil, so avoid both. Keep the soil evenly moist by checking frequently and watering lightly. Ensure good drainage so the roots are not sitting in water, which can quickly drown the plant - a few inches of gravel below the potting helps prevent standing water in the pot.

Provide your plant with liquid organic fertilizers that are rich in phosphoric acid or potash content. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers, as they produce large leaves with little flavor. Mulching with organic compost will help keep roots cool, deter weeds, and prevent moisture loss.

To make the plant bushier and produce more leaves, pinch the tips of the stems every two to three weeks.

At the end of September or the beginning of October, harvest the entire plant once flower buds have appeared but before they’ve opened. Ideally, harvest in the morning when the plant is at its highest sugar content. Also, be sure to harvest before many flowers have opened. If most of the flowers have blossomed, they will leave behind a bitter aftertaste throughout the entire plant.

Good job! You are taking good care of your stevia.

Stevia may attract aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs, so check it frequently, especially even under the leaves and around the soil. If you find pests, spray with insecticidal soap.