stevia

does anyone make there own stevia concentrate? when i make it it's a guessing game on how much to make how much.
does anyone know the ratio to make a nice stronge concentrate?

..............I've never used the concentrate, only the powder. I would think a home made concentrate would possibly pose a problem with spoilage.
....................This will be my first year growing my own, so I'll be looking for ways of drying leaves and maybe making a powder.
.........Thanks for starting this thread .
§hirley

i tried to grind up the leaves to make a powder it was not right. when added to water you got a mouthful of flakes. to make the powder i think you would need to make the concetrate dry it on foil then scrape it or some such difficult processing.
when i made the concentrate last yr it did last a while in a class container sealed. then refriderate when opened. the liquid i put into plastic bottles did not have a long shelf life.

I dry the whole leaf-then store it in the freezer--then make an infusion/ or lightly boiled decoction, from the leaves to add to things that I don't want to taste like plant leaves as much as it will if I just add powderd leaf--

For those of you who grew this from seed - - how hard is it to grow?

Eileen

i thought it was easier than they said it would be. lol. but down here i can grow it in the ground and that is always easier.
i think i got my seed from park seed a few yrs back and i had good germination.(i do remember that much lol)

i sell the stevia concentrate at market. one person told me it wasn't stronge enough. i thought it was just fine. that's why i thought if there were a recipe i wouldn't have to guess anymore.

there is much difference in how sweet Stevia is,from one plant to the next-and between varieties--It is hard to state how much will be right---However, if you get a plant that is sweeter than the others you can propagate by cuttings, and keep it going that way and that will be consistant.

oh i did not know that lol. good to know thank you. now i will have to taste each one. i have been letting it seed in the fall to get more plants.

If you only save seed from your sweetest ones, it will help also--Still, I have found much difference in sweetness, that way also,----you can get quite a few cuttings from one plant-to start others---I used rootone on mine and perlite growing medium.---once roots formed I grew them in regular potting soil, untill they were transplanted in the ground--

It is easy to grow here--when I lived in Utah, I had to start it in a greenhouse.--

1T to 1/2 pt water bring water to a boil add dried herb
(in a PT jar) put on lid and strain when cook lasts about a week in the fridge.

i carry both the dried herb and the white powder extract

when i have started plants from cuttings in the past i just cut off a piece about 8 inches and put it into wet soil and keep it wet for about a week and then start to let it dry out to normal growing wetness

thanks troy, what i did was i cut down the plants and washed them up and stuck in a pot just coved in water and simmered for a few hours. the leaved lightened up and the water got nice and sweet. then i strained it and put the hot water into jelly jars and they self sealed.
i think nexttime i will use a little less water and see if i can get it stronger.
is making the white powder extract as difficult as i think?

farmgirl21:"is making the white powder extract as difficult as i think?"

yes! i am not about to try this. i buy it from my herb wholesalers.

lol i thought so.