Well howdy folks, After 3 years I've finally got my stevia to grow from seed(about 50% germination)and I now have a bumper crop of seed.Anybody interested? Well here is the deal; $1 plus a self addressed stamped envelope and I'll send you about 50 seeds. About half should sprout. These are Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni,very sweet! If you don't know what they are just put Stevia in a search engine and read away. Most online catalogues charge $10 for this many seeds.If you are really broke just send the self addressed stamped envelope and I'll make sure you get some seeds. Daryll Smallwood 391 Wisteria Lane Chipley Fl 32428

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), December 09, 2001

Answers

What kind of growing conditions does this plant need?

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), December 09, 2001.

Hi R, Stevia can't take a freeze. So in the winter I bring them in the house or greenhouse. I have sandy soil,lots of sun, and water them when they start wilting. Easy to start from cuttings too. Lots of information on the web. I like them in my tea and coffee. Daryll

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), December 09, 2001.

Thanks Daryll!! I have been looking for Stevia for a while now and low and behold, here it is, right here on Countryside! What a thrill it is to find almost anything or an answer to most anything on this Forum! I will be sending my money ASAP. Thanks for sharing! What goes round, comes round.

-- Bear (BarelyKnow@aol.com), December 09, 2001.

How so your prepare Stevia for use? Jim

-- Jim Raymond (jimr@terraworld.net), December 10, 2001.

Daryll, My $1 is in this morning's outgoing mail. This is great! I bought a stevia plant at a herb festival a few years back. It grew too big to bring in for the winter so I let it freeze. My brain was disengaged at the time and I didn't take any cuttings. Haven't seen a place to buy the plant after that. Looking forward to giving the seeds a try. Thanks, Belle

-- Belle (gardenbelle@terraworld.net), December 10, 2001.

Hi Jim, I just put a couple of leaves in with my coffee or tea and let it steep for a couple of minutes. Also You can boil some leaves and strain the liquid and then use the liquid as a sweetener. Daryll

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), December 10, 2001.

Hi Daryll, count me in if you please. I'll send the buck in the morning mail. Thanks so much for sharing. I plan to put it in a pot and just bring it in each winter. How big will it get?

-- Ria in Ky (MinMin45@aol.com), December 10, 2001.

Hi Ria, I top mine out at about 18 inches that way they bush out and give you more leaves. I've left some alone in the field and they got about 3 feet high and then started leaning over and the leaves got dirt on them,I don't care for the taste of dirt. Now I just trim them with hedge clippers and let the leaves dry in the sun and bag them up and sell them at the farmers market. I grow some in one gallon pots to sell also,the only thing that seems to kill them is frost and a lot of them grow back from the roots. But the temperature here is pretty mild, maybe two or three frosts in a winter. Daryll

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincreek@hotmail.com), December 11, 2001.

Wonderful. I have been thinking about stevia too. I'm so glad I found it here and can afford it. My dollars in the mail.

-- kate (yngve@theofficenet.com), December 13, 2001.

this great Daryll. when i lived in japan, they'd been using it for years. Your bucks in the mail!

-- keith in texas (keithivie@yahoo.com), December 15, 2001.

my dollar is in the mail.

i use Stevia in managing DM2, in conjuction w/ gymnema sylvestre and healthy food plan -- no refined or processed foods, lotsa nonstarchy vegs; high-fiber fruit, & flax meal.

Hope it's not too late. dj DM2: controlling w/diet since 7/99.

-- dj rosales (rosalesd@muhlon.com), December 15, 2001.

Hi dj,I still have about 35 packs of seed left(out of 100). Thanks everybody for the response. I'll have 4 inch plants for sale in April for $2.00 each plus postage. Daryll

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), December 15, 2001.

Just for the record how much is the postage? Thanks, dj

-- dj in KY (rosalesd@muhlon.com), December 18, 2001.

Hi dj, It is still 34 cents. Still have 29 packets of seed left.Daryll

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), December 18, 2001.

Hi dj, I just realized you meant postage on the plants. Priority mail is $3.95 for two pounds and I can ship 5 plants for that price,they come in just under the two pound limit. Daryll

-- Daryll in NW FLA (twincrk@hotmail.com), December 18, 2001.