How to make a plant into tea

[Dahvrok]

Hey guys, i dont know if this is the correct category to post but seemed the most fitting. I want to buy and grow a few khat seeds and turn it into tea. What is the best procedure to do it? Will it keep its effect?

[Strontium Dawg]

Lots of threads on here already about this topic. UTSE.

In general, Khat is best when fresh off the bush. The bushes will take quite a few years before they are useful, it helps to keep nipping out the new shoots to encourage bushiness, which also stresses them into production of the good stuff.

If dried, do not use heat. Papers suggest drying for up to 72 hours at no more than 20°C will not significantly change the ratio of alks, but there's a lot of contradictory opinions.

 

[Dahvrok]

Thank you but english is not my first language and dont know many botanology terms yet. What does "nipping the new shoots" mean?

 

Can i make tea out of fresh leaves? Will it have effect like chewing the leaves?

 

If i use it without waiting for a few years will it be less effective?

[Strontium Dawg]

What I mean is cut or pinch off the tips of branches to force new shoots out of the lower nodes. This will increase the bushiness. You could make tea from fresh leaves, but the heat will make the process of cathinone turning to cathine happen faster. And yes, young plants won't produce much - in terms of weight or desirable alkaloids.

[Dahvrok]

Is there another way of consumption besides chewing that wont decrease the effect? How much water does it need? If the taste is horrible how can it be improved without decreasing the effect?

[Strontium Dawg]

If you're starting from seed you have plenty of years to read all there is to know!