How to Plant a Tea Garden in Zone 4 (Wisconsin & Minnesota)
- Kelley Neumann
- Feb 28
- 3 min read
If you live in Zone 4, like we do here in Wisconsin — and many of our St. Croix Tea friends just across the river in Minnesota — late winter is when the dreaming begins.
The snow may still be on the ground, but seed trays are coming out, windowsills are clearing off, and we start thinking about what we want to grow.
This year… why not plant a tea garden?
Growing your own herbs and flowers for tea is simpler than you think — and deeply satisfying. Fresh summer cups. Dried blends for winter. A little piece of sunshine saved in a jar.
What Can You Grow for Tea in Zone 4?
Good news: quite a lot.
Here are reliable, hardy plants that thrive in our climate and are wonderful for tea:
🌼 Chamomile
Tiny daisy-like flowers with a soft apple sweetness. Harvest blossoms at full bloom and dry for calming evening tea.
🌿 Peppermint or Spearmint
Extremely hardy (almost too enthusiastic!). Perfect fresh or dried. Best planted in containers unless you want it everywhere.
🍋 Lemon Balm
Bright, lemony, and uplifting. Easy to grow and comes back year after year.
🧡 Calendula
Vibrant orange petals that add beauty and gentle floral notes to blends.
💜 Lavender (English varieties)
Choose cold-hardy English types. Use lightly for soft floral depth.
🌸 Anise Hyssop
A stunning purple flower with a mild licorice note. Bees adore it.
🌺 Echinacea (Coneflower)
Petals and roots are commonly used in herbal tea blends.
🍓 Raspberry or Strawberry Leaves
Often overlooked — but they create a smooth, earthy base for herbal teas.
You don’t need a large garden. A few raised beds, a patio container, or even a sunny balcony can become your personal tea apothecary.
When to Start Seeds in Wisconsin & Minnesota
Right now is the perfect time to begin planning.
Many herbs benefit from being started indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date.
Simple Seed Starting Tips
Use seed trays or recycled containers with drainage
Choose a light seed-starting mix (not garden soil)
Keep soil consistently moist, not soggy
Provide bright light (south-facing window or grow light)
Label everything
Chamomile, lemon balm, lavender, and anise hyssop all do well started indoors. Hardy growers like mint and echinacea can also be direct-sown once the soil warms — but starting early gives you stronger plants by summer.
How to Harvest Herbs for Tea
Harvesting at the right time makes all the difference in flavor.
Leaves: Pick before flowering for strongest taste
Flowers: Harvest at full bloom
Stems: Cut before plants become woody
Time of day: Morning, after dew dries but before afternoon heat
Fresh herbs make bright, vibrant summer tea.
But drying allows you to enjoy your garden long after frost returns.
How to Dry Herbs for Winter Tea
Drying is simple and old-fashioned in the best way.
Tie small bundles and hang upside down in a cool, dry space
Or lay flat on screens or paper towels
Keep out of direct sunlight
Once fully dry, store in airtight jars away from heat and light.
Label with the name and date — and you’ll have “summer in a jar” when January arrives.
Why Grow a Tea Garden?
At St. Croix Tea, we believe tea is about slowing down. It’s about the pause.
There is something deeply grounding about stepping outside, clipping a few sprigs of mint or lemon balm, and making a cup.
It doesn’t need to be elaborate. It doesn’t need to be perfect.
Just intentional.
If you’re planting this year, what’s going in your tea garden?
🌿 Want to Blend with Confidence?
If you love the idea of growing your own herbs but still want beautifully balanced blends ready to sip, explore our herb and loose-leaf collections at St. Croix Tea.
Shop online, visit us at a farmers’ market, or follow along for more tea garden inspiration.
because tea should never taste like lightly flavored water — it should taste alive.
Here are
a few blends in our collection that herbs can blend beautifully with or steep on their own.
