Hi Cora,
I killed the two I had, so I'm not much help. I googled it and found this web site. Hope it's helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Check here

Hi
Mine is going on two years and except for the drought has been no problem. Growing it in a pot sitting on the bathtub where I grew tomatoes Has been in almost constant flower since early winter. Has not come up from seed but has rooted into the tub soil Have tried several ways to use it but not strong enough. I suppose the best way would be to dry and chop it up like most herbs??
Any thoughts on the side effects particularly when used as a sweetener?? The last I heard it has been approved
by the FDA with some limitations?? gary.

Yes, I heard something too that it was only safe in limited quanities. If so, that makes it no better then the other sweeteners.

Mine seems to be growing well enough, but now I am afraid to use it. lol

Two articles on safety and approval of stevia:

HerbalGram; Feb-Apr2009 Issue 81, p67-69, 2p
"This article reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has informed Cargill and Whole Earth Sweetener Co., two large food companies, that it would not object to their use of preparations made from the herb stevia as food substances that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The decision from the FDA came about after Cargill and Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Merisant released the results of scientific reviews self-affirming GRAS status of their specific food grade, high purity extracts from stevia as natural, no-calorie sweeteners last year."

Nutrition Action Health Letter; Oct2008, Vol. 35 Issue 8, p9-9, 1p
"The article focuses on a review of studies on the natural sweetener stevia prepared for the Center for Science in the Public Interest by toxicologists from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). In the summer of 2008, several companies told the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that they consider highly purified extracts of stevia to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). In some test tube and animal studies, stevioside caused mutations, chromosome damage or DNA breakage."

CJ

Hi
Never quite sure how to react to studies as obviously you're talking big bucks as "sweetener "on a commercial basis. These reports are so obviously political. At one time Stevia was on the controlled substance list right up there with cocaine and canubis.
For a balnaced view read some of the evils of sugar both cane and beet.
I find that a few cigarettes will help balance out the poisons lol gary

LOL, Gary I'd love to have a cigarette with you, but my hubby won't let me. :o)

mmmmmmm - so if I grew a couple of Mary Juana plants "for medicinal purposes", it would be in the same FDA catagory? Ergo, I'd probably be just fine so long as I don't use it by the ton. LOL!! don't think I'm going to bother worrying about it.

Now - back to the original question; How does one harvest stevia? Pick and dry the leaves? Pull up entire plant and dry? Use fresh leaves only as needed? I didn't get this plant just for the flowers. ;>/ cora

I planted a few Stevia plants (in the ground)last year. They survived the winter and I have harvested from them several times. I cut the stems off about 1/2 way down the plant and they grow back just fine. I have dried the stems in the sun and, when in a hurry, in the microwave. When dry, I strip the leaves from the stems and crush/crumble the leaves into a powder.

The plants flowered last year and produced seeds. Some new plants started on their own in the ground and in nearby flower pots.

Hi
just read today that Stevia has been approved for sweetener in soft drinks. without warnings. The product called TRUVIA is made by boiling in water and then refining I have only tried steeping it along with the tea. One cup was not strong enough for a pot. I'd bet drying and chopping would work but a lot of work?? gary

I think if you steeped it in boiling water and then reduce the water to make more of a syrup it would work. You then would put some of the syrup in what ever you wanted sweetened.

ALLLRIIIIGHT! I KNEW you all would have the answers - or know where to find them. I'd not thought to steep the leaves in the tea; DUH! Nor had I considered making a syrup. I HAVE tried the TRUVIA, and it's okay . . . I have a powerful sweet tooth!
Of the raw, taste-a-leaf stevia I've tried, Richter's of Canadas' Crazy Sweet is the sweetest. It's what I'm growing. I pinched the top 2 inches from the two plants I have and stuck them in a cup of potting soil. Also stuck some leaves in the soil and THEY seem to be rooting too. Who knows, I may have a 'crop' of stevia to harvest in a year or two. cora

Cora the site I linked to above has instructions for growing, harvesting and making a liquid.

Here is a link that might be useful: Check it out!