• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Nancy Reading
  • Carla Burke
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • paul wheaton
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Liv Smith
  • Leigh Tate
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • Maieshe Ljin

Making Mullein sun tea?

 
Posts: 96
Location: PA
17
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has ever made Sun Tea with Mullein leaves?  I can't seem to find any information on doing this.  Usually I would just make a cup of boiling water in the microwave during winter months and use a few leaves.  I've never thought making Mullein tea in the summer, but now seems to be the time.

Does anyone know of any problems that might arise using this technique?   I plan on using fresh green leaves and a gallon jar painted black to get hotter just like I do with regular sun tea.  I'm not shooting for good taste, just hoping not to kill myself by discovering some strange mullein/sun/water interaction.  :)

Thank you!
Hope that you are all having a good summer.
Tim
 
Posts: 80
Location: Kentucky, USA
98
writing
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
When making hot tea, the water temps can kill the bulk of the bacteria, so fresh leaves are no big deal.

With sun tea, using fresh leaves can be a bit of a risk, since bacteria on the plant's surface can quickly populate the warm water.

So, you may want to do something to thoroughly clean the leaves, first. Soap and water, or a scrub with lemon juice & salt, or a soak in vinegar followed by thorough rinsing in clean water.

Then muddling the leaves & using in tea. Adding citrus juice into the water may also help bump the acidity to reduce bacterial growth.

o_o I have had more than one sun tea jar get cloudy & slimy from improperly washed leaves and forgetting to drink it fast enough, so tbh I tend to do cold-steeped or 'instant' tea instead.

I prefer to crush fresh mint leaves thoroughly in the mortar along with a little sugar, rinse it into a glass, and drink it like that - make it per-glass, or just enough for a couple glasses I'll drink that day, instead of making a bunch that I'll drink later.

Regarding mullein in particular, I don't think there's anything to worry about with the leaves?
Don't eat the seeds.... but other than that, you should be fine.
 
Die Fledermaus does not fear such a tiny ad:
the permaculture bootcamp in winter (plus half-assed holidays)
https://permies.com/t/149839/permaculture-projects/permaculture-bootcamp-winter-assed-holidays
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic