The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Todd and Joan Allsberry were kind enough to allow a group of local gardeners to visit their beautiful garden in early August, when they showed us the thoughtful layout and amazing array of plants growing there. The trip was arranged by CJ Mucklow and the Routt County Cooperative Extension office and was available to anyone interested in taking the trip out to the Allsberry’s Strawberry Park home.

One of the intriguing plants in their circular-built garden is stevia, or Stevia rebaudiana, a member of the chrysanthemum family of plants. Originating in Paraguay, this plant — an annual for the Steamboat area — produces leaves that are 10 to 15 times sweeter than sugar and are a natural, no calorie, carbohydrate-free, non-glycemic sweetener.

Because it is a tropical plant and because the seeds are notoriously difficult to start, most gardeners grow this plant from seedlings or starter plants. Be sure to wait until it’s warm enough outdoors, as this plant does not tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stevia extract, available locally at Bamboo Market, will have a higher potency than leaves you grow yourself. Often the powders and liquid stevia will contain 80 to 90 percent stevioside, while a homegrown leaf might contain about 12 percent, depending upon when you pick the leaves and the site on which you’re growing this plant.

It’s recommended to plant stevia in loose garden soil with good drainage, in rows about 1 to 2 feet apart, leaving 1 to 1 1/2 feet between rows. It seemed to me, however, that the stevia in the Allsberry’s garden might have been planted even closer together than this, and these plants appeared healthy and happy. I think because of the dryness here and the temperature extremes we experience between midday and nighttime, plants don’t tend to get as big and so can tolerate closer plantings.

The roots of the stevia plant tend to migrate toward the surface of the ground. As a result, gardeners need to take care not to overwater and allow the roots to sit in soggy soil. And, by adding compost or low nitrogen fertilizers for extra nutrients, you’ll give the plant food it needs to produce those sweet leaves.

If you don’t have an outdoor garden, stevia is a great indoor plant. A 1-foot diameter pot filled with potting soil is a great size for this plant. Sprinkle some mulch, glass marbles or moss on top to help keep moisture in the top area where the roots will reach.

Harvesting stevia should be done in the morning and as late in the fall as possible to maximize the sweetness of the leaves. Simply cut the branches and then strip the leaves. Then, place on a screen or mesh and allow the air to dry the leaves. Crush the dried leaves (or blend in a coffee grinder or herb grinder) and use as a sweetener in your coffee, tea, lemonade, etc. One tablespoon of stevia is equal to a cup of sugar. This should not be used as a substitute for sugar in baking, however, since the stevia does not actually dissolve. Consider it more like a flavoring similar to how you’d use orange extract or vanilla.

You also can make stevia into a liquid sweetener by infusing a quart of boiling water with a tablespoon of dried leaves. Cool and refrigerate.

Some people think stevia has an aftertaste they don’t like, but why not give it a try and see if it appeals to you?

Deb Babcock is a Master Gardener through the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension office in Routt County. Questions? Call 879-0825 or e-mail cjmucklow@co.routt.co.us