How to Grow Stevia
Stevia At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -7°C
Plant Family
Asteraceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
The easiest start is a young stevia plant from a garden centre in spring. Plant it out about 2 weeks after your last frost, once nights are warm, about 45 cm from its neighbours, or in a large pot.
Stevia leaves are naturally very sweet, and a single plant gives enough to sweeten tea all summer. The seed often sprouts poorly, which is why a young plant or a cutting is the easier start. Frost kills it, but a potted plant brought indoors for winter can live for a few years.
When To Start
Stevia needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Stevia?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Stevia Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Stevia Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Optional: start stevia seeds indoors on the surface
8 weeks before your last frost· optional
Plant stevia out once nights are warm
2 weeks after your last frost
Harvest stevia leaves, sweetest just before it flowers
90 days after your last frost· every year
Did you water your stevia seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
How is your stevia coming along? Pinch the tips to make the plant bushier.
About 58 days after you plant it
Hi there! Stevia leaves are sweetest just before the plant flowers, so pick them often.
About 88 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your stevia.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Stevia's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 14–28 days
Growing Tips
- 1Give stevia full sun and warmth, at least 6 to 8 hours of sun a day.
- 2Plant it in light, well-drained soil or potting mix with some compost.
- 3Water when the top 2 to 3 cm of soil is dry, keeping it evenly moist but never soggy, since wet roots rot.
- 4Feed with compost tea every 3 to 4 weeks to keep new leaves coming.
- 5Pinch off the tips when the plant is about 20 cm tall, and again a few weeks later, to make it bushy.
- 6Pests rarely bother it, but spray aphids off with water and leave room between plants so air can flow.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~90
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
45 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
60 days
When to Pick
Pick leaves anytime; they're sweetest just before it flowers in late summer
How to Harvest
- 1Pick leaves or snip stem tips any time once the plant is bushy.
- 2The leaves are sweetest in late summer just before the small white flowers open, so cut most of your harvest then.
- 3Cut the whole plant back by about half, leaving some leaves so it can regrow.
- 4Dry the leaves on a screen or tray in a warm, airy spot out of the sun for a few days, then crumble them or grind them into a powder.
- 5Store the dried leaves in a sealed jar, and use a pinch at a time, since a little goes a long way.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
Still have a question?
Ask your coach about your stevia.
This page covers what we thought to write down. Your stevia will do something it never mentions, and that is the day a coach beats a guide. Ask Coach Lumen one question right now, free, no account.
